Midway-Pacific Highway Community Planning Group in February was updated by District 2 Councilmember Dr. Jennifer Campbell on the status of the proposed redevelopment of the NAVWAR Old Town complex.
“The Navy two weeks ago signed an agreement with the City and the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) to redevelop the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR) site,” said Campbell. “We want to make sure that redevelopment is beautiful and useful, and that the infrastructure (supporting it) is done correctly, and that redevelopment is done properly and smoothly.”
Mayor Kevin Faulconer and SANDAG have signed an exclusive agreement with acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly to take the next step in redeveloping Naval Base Point Loma Old Town Campus into a massive transit hub, with connections to San Diego International Airport.
Replying to an audience comment that the NAVWAR agreement was signed by a mayor who is terming out in November, Campbell replied, “This has been going on for a long time. It’s really a good thing, a win-win for the Navy and the City.”
“What is the timeline for the next phase of NAVWAR?,” asked MPHCPG chair Cathy Kenton. 
“We don’t know yet what the timeline is, quickly I hope,” replied Campbell. 
“I’m very anxious to see redevelopment improve the community,” said Kenton. “But I’m very concerned that Midway has become yet another dumping ground for projects not wanted elsewhere. I’ve been disappointed in the process to date, that I feel we’ve been specifically excluded from.”
Added Kenton, “We’ve already got huge issues with traffic on the Peninsula. We want to make sure this (NAVWAR) doesn’t damage us further.”
The Navy and SANDAG have previously discussed what development at NAVWAR would look like. A central terminus for buses and trains would be the keystone, likely with a people-mover or shuttle to the airport.
The 70.5-acre property adjacent to Interstate 5 just blocks from the Old Town Transit Center, a centrally located spot that would connect SDIA with the rest of the County’s transit infrastructure. 
In exchange for redeveloping a portion of the NAVWAR site into a transit hub, the County would build new facilities to house the thousands of Naval cybersecurity experts and contractors, including NAVWAR personnel, currently on site.
NAVWAR consists largely of outdated World War II-era airplane hangars. The Navy and SANDAG signed a memorandum of understanding in September 2019 to discuss and collaboratively draft a development plan. SANDAG’s board then approved $50 million in initial site-planning funds to be spent over the next five years. 
The project still has a long road ahead of it and would need extensive environmental reviews, as well as city, state and federal approval. The total cost is estimated at between $3.8 billion and $4.7 billion.
 
In other action:
• Campbell reported on planned mixed-use redevelopment of the now-vacant Midway Post Office site at 2535 Midway Drive. “My understanding is the residential portion is in the permitting process,” she said. “But the commercial building has been sold yet again, and that the new owners are in the process of reviewing what they can do with it.”