By Dave Schwab / San Diego Community News Group / June 16, 2021
An environmental analysis is out on the NAVWAR redevelopment proposal to turn it into a transit hub with housing and airport connections, while pressure is building to downsize the project by a local group calling itself Save San Diego’s Character.
“Recently, the Navy initiated a direct mail campaign to notify residents and business owners of the impending renovation of the NAVWAR facility in Old Town offering five ‘alternatives’ to review and select a viable option,” said Patty Ducey-Brooks of Presidio Communications, speaking for Save San Diego’s Character. “The Navy proposes a version that has caused lots of concern regarding the character, integrity, and history of San Diego.”
In response, residents, and business owners in Midway, Old Town, Mission Hills, Bankers Hill, Point Loma, and Ocean Beach have enlisted an aggressive campaign to support Alternative 1, which encourages the Navy to rebuild a suitable facility for NAVWAR in Old Town.
A draft environmental impact statement on the NAVWAR redevelopment proposal is out for public review now until July 13, and there is a Wednesday, June 23 Zoom meeting scheduled on the project from 5:30-8 p.m.
Navy spokesperson Caitlin Rose Ostomel said the NAVWAR redevelopment project is still in the early environmental and planning stages.
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The Navy makes a big deal of downplaying Option #1 saying that it will not result in any new housing or a transit facility or all the wonderful things San Diego needs. And, to make matters worse, the Navy will have to pay for their own project because there will be no private money. Horrors!
What the Navy should do is sell the land they don’t need and use that money to build a new building. Then, development of the land they give up will not be under the Navy’s control, it will fall under the authority of the city and San Diegans will have more of a say about what happens there.
The EIS should include a detailed description off all the federally required security measures that must be created when you build a new worldwide Navy cybersecutiry center.. Then it should provide a detailed explanation of how the Navy plans to surround its new cybersecurity facility with new housing and office buildings and towers, while adhereing to and fully complying with those security and cybersecurity requirements.
I just found your article. I reviewed the Navy Draft EIS thoroughly, and it was a mess. I submitted many comments on the discrepancy’s contained within the Draft EIS. The NAVY’s Draft EIS was disapproved by the CA Coastal Commission and the EPA. There is supposed to be a new revised Draft EIS coming out this year. The NAVY has not released any of their responses to the public’s comments. Based on the Zoom meeting the public I receptive to Alternative 1 and none of the others.