By Lilly Riddle
San Diego’s Brown Field Municipal Airport has begun a multi-decade redevelopment project with the goal of transforming it into an international travel and trade hub on the West Coast.
The groundbreaking ceremony held June 10 marked the beginning of a new era for the airport, which is located 1.5 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border. The multi-phase redevelopment plan envisions Brown Field as a destination for international travelers and businesses. New flight facilities, a hotel and an expanded Customs Border Protection office are among the key features aimed at streamlining immigration processes and facilitating cross-border trade. The redevelopment project also seeks to address concerns raised by businesses previously operating on the airfield under sub-lease agreements, ensuring a smoother transition for all stakeholders, according to an article from NBC 7 San Diego.
The first phase of the project is estimated to cost $100 million and is expected to be completed by 2025. Construction is currently taking place near Brown Field’s air traffic control tower. Some tenants have been relocated to make way for the new developments. The first new buildings on the 331-acre redevelopment site could open as early as next year. The entire project, however, is expected to take roughly 20 years to complete.
Brown Field — which has been in operation since 1919, 16 years after the Wright Brothers’ flight — was originally named East Field in honor of Army Major Whitten J. East. The airport’s location and proximity to the border have always played a crucial role in its development, and the redevelopment project aims to leverage these advantages to create an international gateway for San Diego.
“This is the beginning of a new aviation era for San Diego,” Jorge Rubio, San Diego’s Chief of Airports, told NBC 7. “We want to see this area boom and everybody have sustainable jobs.”
The Brown Field redevelopment is expected to generate 2,500 jobs and inject $1.5 billion into the region over the next 50 years. The transformation will be comprehensive, touching every aspect of Brown Field, and the impact of this redevelopment will extend beyond the airport’s boundaries. Otay Mesa, a hub of international trade just five miles north of the border with Mexico that already sees $68 billion worth of goods flowing through each year, is set to experience an economic boost.
“I think we’re going to have a lot of business happening out here,” Rubio added. “Twenty years from now, I don’t think we’ll be able to recognize Brown Field the way that it is right now.”
