Military Base Reuse

Our redevelopment attorneys have extensive knowledge and experience in transforming closed military bases to mixed-use residential, commercial and industrial uses and remediating hazardous/toxic substance sites. We have the resources in our firm to deal with almost any issue related to military base closure, redevelopment and environmental issues. Some representative military base projects we have worked on are:

The former Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, which today is in its final stages of development to include residential, industrial and commercial projects.
The former Fort Ord Army Base, in the early stage of reuse with major mixed-use projects in the University Villages area in the City of Marina and the East Garrison area in the County of Monterey.
The former Marine Corps Air Station in Tustin, which is in its final stages of redevelopment.
The Hawthorne Air Force Base, which included adding areas from the Los Angeles Air Force Base to the Hawthorne Redevelopment Plan No. 2 for redevelopment.
The Novato-Hamilton Field Redevelopment Project Area, which includes the reuse of former Navy and Army property into extensive new development of affordable and market rate housing, open space, recreation and community facilities and hangar conversions.
The former Western Division Naval Facilities Engineering Command (EFA West) in San Bruno, which is currently in the final stages of redevelopment.

The representations listed above have involved a comprehensive range of issues that often arise when federally-owned land is converted from military use to private civilian use, including monitoring the federal disposition process, working with numerous federal and state agencies, reviewing hazardous materials plans, negotiating with private developers, environmental contractors and their insurers, and ensuring compliance with the homeless housing requirements of Title V of the McKinney Act.

On behalf of the City of Vallejo, the firm negotiated and drafted numerous agreements and ancillary documents with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California State Lands Commission, California Department of Toxic Substances Control, and several developers, insurers and environmental contractors to effectuate the early transfer of Mare Island from the Navy to the City of Vallejo and subsequent transfers from the City of Vallejo to private developers and the State of California. Negotiations covered a wide range of issues including issues of title, public access, public trust parcels, remediation of hazardous materials both prior to and following transfer of the properties, RCRA and 404 permitting, insurance, federal and state regulatory permitting, acquisition and development agreements, McKinney Act compliance, and the formation of a special district to provide for financing of municipal services. The cost of environmental remediation alone totaled $175 million for these projects, backed up with environmental insurance. A key component on our work has been to protect the City of Vallejo from environmental and development risk.

On behalf of the City of Novato, the firm negotiated and drafted complex acquisition agreements with both the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy and development and related agreements with two major master developers for the purchase and reuse of large portions of the former Hamilton Field Air Force Base. We also represented the City in related environmental and land use approvals, including agreements with State regulatory agencies, for the development of over 1,750 total residential units, including 648 deed-restricted affordable units and 60 transitional housing units, and related commercial and hotel uses, public facilities and public open space and other amenities.

The firm represents two developers on separate large-scale, mixed-use new community projects at the former Fort Ord in Monterey County. One is the University Villages Project in the City of Marina, consisting of over 1200 residential units, including 20% of the units for very low, low and moderate income and 10% workforce housing, regional and a Town Center neighborhood retail, office and hotel. The other is the East Garrison Project in the County of Monterey consisting of 1,400 residential units, including 20% of the units for very low, low- and moderate-income households and 10% workforce housing, a Town Center and historic arts district with live/work units for artists. The firm's work on these two projects includes negotiation of agreements between the developers and the local jurisdictions, processing of entitlements, environmental issues including hazardous materials cleanup, public and private financing, and the transfer of land from the Army to local jurisdictions to the developers.

The firm has also represented the City of San Bruno in connection with the reuse planning and development of the mixed-use, transit-oriented development known as the Crossing Project, located at the site of the former Western Division Naval Facilities Engineering Command facility. We assisted the City of San Bruno in connection with the review and approval of the Crossing Project EIR and various supplements and addenda to the EIR. We also negotiated and drafted the development agreement between the City and the master developer of the Crossing Project, a partnership of Sares/Regis and TMG, as well as various redevelopment agreements, including owner participation and affordable housing agreements.

The firm also represents the City of Alameda Community Improvement Commission on redevelopment matters and has assisted the City and Commission with the closure of the Alameda Naval Air Station and Fleet Industrial Supply Center, including the preparation of a Joint Powers Agreement, and base closure and reuse plan and the review of McKinney Act issues. This work included the adoption of the redevelopment plan and subsequent amendments for the former base property and negotiation of agreements with homeless and affordable housing advocacy groups.