Best Defense: Making the Most of Military Base Closures

BestBest Defense:Defense: MakingMaking thethe MostMost ofof MilitaryMilitary BaseBase ClosuresClosures

Jennifer S. Evans Research Associate

and Matt L. Cypher Graduate Research Assistant

Texas A&M University

Contents

1 Introduction

2 Kelly Air Force Base, San Antonio 6 Bergstrom Air Force Base, Austin 9 Carswell Air Force Base, Fort Worth 11 Naval Air Station, Dallas 13 Red River Army Depot, Texarkana 15 Reese Air Force Base, Lubbock 17 Chase Field Naval Air Station, Beeville

19 Conclusion BestBest Defense:Defense: MakingMaking thethe MostMost ofof MilitaryMilitary BaseBase ClosuresClosures Jennifer S. Evans Research Associate and Matt L. Cypher Graduate Research Assistant

Introduction recommended which installations Beeville, Grand Prairie and Fort Worth should be closed, subject to the ap- all have experienced economic fallout The breakup of the Soviet Union sig- proval of Congress and the President. from conversions. naled an end to the Cold War, prompt- Before the first round of BRAC clo- While some of these communities ing the federal government to reduce sures, Texas was home to 21 major have successfully converted military and realign U.S. military resources. military bases. After four rounds of bases into public or private use devel- Downsizing in facilities and personnel closure and realignment, 15 installa- opments, others are struggling with the began with 1988 legislation and con- tions remain open, including three intracacies of transferring property tinued with the Defense Base Closure that were realigned, meaning that the from the government to redevelop- and Realignment Act of 1990 (BRAC), military presence remains, but parts ment authorities and the challenges which mandated full or partial clo- of the bases were closed. Six bases of finding suitable tenants for spe- sure of selected military bases across were closed entirely. San Antonio, cialized facilities. the nation. A bipartisan committee Texarkana, Lubbock, Austin,

Status of Texas Military Bases

Open Closed Realigned Abilene: Dyess AFB Austin: Bergstrom AFB Corpus Christi: Corpus Christi NAS Del Rio: Laughlin AFB Beeville: Chase Field NAS Fort Worth: Carswell AFB El Paso: Fort Bliss Dallas: Dallas NAS Texarkana: Red River Army Depot Ingleside: Ingleside NS Galveston: Galveston NAS Killeen: Fort Hood Lubbock: Reese AFB Kingsville: Kingsville NAS San Antonio: Kelly AFB San Angelo: Goodfellow AFB San Antonio: Brooks AFB San Antonio: Fort Sam Houston San Antonio: Lackland AFB San Antonio: Randolph AFB Wichita Falls: Sheppard AFB

Source: Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University

1 Kelly Air Force Base, San Antonio

Installation name Kelly Air Force Base Region South central Texas Locale San Antonio Redevelopment authority Greater Kelly Development Authority Base size 4,757 acres, 600 buildings totalling 16 million square feet Redevelopment size 2,000 acres Leaseable space 11 million square feet Opened 1917 Closed or will close April 2001 Current tenants, owners or occupants Boeing, Pratt & Whitney, MQS Inspection, Inc., EG&G, General Electric, Lockheed Martin, AESYS, Chromalloy, Standard Aero, Ryder Integrated Logistics, Rail Car America

2 Available Facilities Aircraft industrial maintenance area 2.5 million+ square feet Multimodal logistics and distribution center 4 million square feet warehouse 66 million cubic feet covered storage 75 acres of outdoor storage Office complex 77,866 square feet East Kelly light industrial area 350 acres

Transportation On Base Commercial Carriers Distance from Base Rail Yes Union Pacific On site Port No Corpus Christi 145 miles Airfield Yes Joint airfield with Lackland AFB On site Nearest major highway I-35, I-10 Less than 1 mile

Airfield Specifications

Number of runways 1 Runway length 11,500 feet

Kelly Air Force Base Kelly AFB has played a significant The Greater Kelly role in every major war, beginning Kelly Air Force Base is a prime ex- with World War I, when the majority Development Authority ample of how military base conver- of American pilots were trained In nearly all cases in which bases sions can benefit all parties involved. there. During World War II, Kelly’s close and land is transferred to a public The Greater Kelly Development Au- mission changed to maintenance and entity, a redevelopment authority is thority (GKDA) has been able to suc- supply. Kelly personnel overhauled, created to manage the transfer and cessfully recruit businesses to occupy repaired and modified aircraft en- marketing of the property. The Greater available space and create jobs. To gines and related equipment. Kelly Kelly Development Authority (GKDA) date, the majority of the space the workers played vital roles in the Ko- was created on January 18, 1996, by GKDA owns is leased. Ultimately, rean and Vietnam Wars as well as the the San Antonio City Council and con- more than 20,000 jobs are expected to Panama conflict and Operation sists of an 11-member board of direc- be created as a result of redevelopment. Desert Storm. tors elected by the Council. GKDA has History Kelly AFB and Kelly Air Logistics employed two outside firms to facili- Center appeared on the 1995 round of tate conversion, marketing and leasing Kelly AFB in San Antonio has been BRAC closures. The 4,757- acre base is operations. EG&G Management Ser- in operation for more than 70 years, slated to be the 162nd major base to be vices of San Antonio focuses on con- making it the oldest continuously used either closed or realigned, with final verting existing facilities to include the U.S. Air Force base. The base is named closure scheduled for July 2001. amenities necessary to draw tenants to after Lieutenant George E.M. Kelly, the Forty-seven percent of the base will the development, and Trammell Crow first military pilot to die flying a mili- be transferred to the City of San Anto- Company serves as marketing and tary aircraft. After learning to fly at nio, while the remaining portion will leasing agent. North Island in San Diego, California, be realigned with Lackland Air Force From the beginning, GKDA’s Kelly was stationed at Fort Sam Hous- Base. overarching goal has been to create ton, Texas, working under the com- Kelly AFB is currently home to the 21,000 jobs by the year 2006. To mand of First Lieutenant Benjamin San Antonio Air Logistics Center, the achieve this goal, the authority is Foulois, who, at the time, was flying Air Force News Agency, Air Intelli- transforming the portion of Kelly AFB the Army’s only airplane. On May 10, gence Agency, Defense Commissary it controls into a world-class indus- 1911, Kelly died while trying to land Agency–Midwest Region, the 433rd trial and commercial park. One ele- his aircraft. To commemorate the trag- Airlift Wing of the U.S. Air Force Re- ment of GKDA’s “new identity” cam- edy, the Army named a new airfield af- serve and the 149th Fighter Wing of the paign for the base is a new name, ter Kelly on June 11, 1917. Texas Air National Guard. KellyUSA, intended to emphasize the

3 non-military focus of the converted Interstate 10 and U.S. Highway 90. Air Express MD-10s to function as cargo base. transportation is enhanced by the aircraft. Shortly after the company lo- Because former base employees 11,500-foot runway able to accommo- cated at Kelly, it received Air Force possess skill sets related to aircraft date the largest of airfreight planes. contracts for the KC-135 and the KC-10. maintenance and repair, logistics and Kelly’s location also is ideal for taking Lockheed Martin has taken advan- distribution, office and back office ser- advantage of Corpus Christi and Hous- tage of Kelly’s skilled workforce and vices, communications, electronics ton seaports. advanced facilities. The company has and advanced manufacturing industry The GKDA is establishing Kelly as a Air Force contracts to maintain and sectors, the redevelopment authority gateway from Mexico to the United modify TF-39 engines used in C-5A has been seeking appropriate indus- States. The authority anticipates goods Galaxy cargo planes, T-56 prop-jet trial, manufacturing and management flowing from Mexico City, propulsion systems used in C-130 service companies to occupy con- Guadalajara and Monterrey through cargo transports, P-3 Navy patrol verted space at Kelly. San Antonio and on to the rest of North bombers and E-2C Hawkeyes, which The GKDA is marketing Kelly as an America. are carrier-based surveillance aircraft. international distribution center strate- gically located at the intersection of KellyUSA Tenants Economic Incentives air, rail and highway routes. The base To date, the GKDA has acquired Incentive programs at the local, state is close to Union Pacific’s South San about 50 percent of the 11 million and federal levels were established to Antonio Inter-modal railyard, which square feet that eventually will be promote business relocation to Kelly. has three mainlines, 30 yard tracks and transferred to the authority. Of this 50 Specific incentive programs offered at cross-docking facilities. These rail percent, 97 percent is currently leased. Kelly follow. More information can be lines travel from Mexico to San Anto- Boeing Aerospace Support signed a found at www.kellybusiness.com. nio and on to various nodes across the 20-year lease in 1998 and occupies Defense Economic Readjustment country. 1.4 million square feet of space. Zone (DERZ). KellyUSA has been des- North-south highway transportation Boeing has contracts from the Air ignated as a Defense Economic Read- is facilitated by Interstate Highways 35 Force to maintain and modify the C-17 justment Zone. Any company relocat- and 37, while east-west traffic uses aircraft as well as retrofitting Federal ing in such a zone as an enterprise

Current Tenants Operations Leased Employment

Boeing Airframe maintenance 1.4 million square feet 1,000; 2,000 and modification projected Lockheed Martin Aircraft engine 1.5 million square feet 1,400 projected maintenance EG&G Mgt. Svcs. Logistics provider 3.2 million square feet 300 of San Antonio and base operations Pratt & Whitney Jet engine maintenance 180,000 square feet 300 MQS Inspection Scientific and engineering 53,000 square feet 40 laboratory Safety Equipment Uniform and safety 50,000 square feet 5+ Company equipment distributor Ryder Integrated Logistics Logistics provider 40,000 square feet 25+ General Electric Electronic equipment 27,000 square feet 45 calibration and repair Clark Freight Lines Transportation services 1,648 square feet+ 10+ 1-acre storage yard AAR Aircraft Gas turbine engine 9,214 square feet 15+ Component Services service and repair Rail Car America Rail car repair 32 acres 135 Frost Bank Financial services 1.5 acres 15+ San Antonio Credit Union Financial services 1.5 acres 15+ Source: The Greater Kelly Development Authority

4 project receives up to and including a Community Incentives. The City of for any potentially serious contamina- ten-year tax phase-in period as well as San Antonio and Bexar County provide tion incident arising as the result of an sales tax refunds based on the number numerous initiatives and incentive accident, previously undiscovered of permanent jobs created. programs for companies relocating or contamination or actions of third par- Foreign Trade Zone. Companies lo- expanding at Kelly, including the Real ties. cating in a Foreign Trade Zone are sub- Property Tax Phase-In Program, which The GKDA’s environmental risk ject to reduced tariffs and taxes on im- provides phase-in or abatement of management program offers Kelly ten- port and export goods. In addition, property taxes on new construction. ants a lower risk of operating than they fewer restrictions are placed on the Industrial revenue bonds allow for tax- might encounter at other sites because movement and use of respective prod- exempt financing at or below market the Air Force or GKDA’s insurance ucts. rates for firms promoting employment company shoulders the risk. In addi- Defense Economic Adjustment and public welfare. Another local in- tion, environmental costs of operations Grants. Defense Economic Adjust- centive, the Freeport Exemption, offers are lower than at competing sites as a ment Grants offset the adverse effects a personal property tax exemption to result of risk management, special leg- of base closure on communities. The businesses revolving around goods in- islative relief for closing bases, and grants may be used for purchase of transit or in-progress. through economies of scale achieved base property, new construction, reha- by spreading costs over the entire bilitation of facilities and infrastruc- Environmental Issues base. ture, purchase of capital equipment or Environmental issues such as ground insurance. The City of San Antonio contaminants and liability assumed The Bottom Line has submitted several applications for with ownership are a major compo- The promotional strategies of the this type of funding. nent of the base conversion process. Greater Kelly Development Authority GKDA Lease Incentives. The GKDA The GKDA established an environ- have paid off. As of February 2000, the has received exemption from both per- mental risk management program to authority is halfway to its job creation sonal and real ad valorem taxes on ensure that tenants have access to goal and is continuing to attract major property it owns. However, tenants compliant facilities and services. The companies like Boeing and Lockheed who locate at Kelly are required to pay program requires that tenant opera- Martin to the site. Future plans are to an Essential Services Charge to GKDA tions comply with applicable environ- transform the site into a multimodal for services provided, including infra- mental requirements. The Air Force is distribution center to capitalize on structure maintenance, fire, police and responsible for cleanup of contamina- NAFTA trade routes that go through EMS. The GKDA offers an incentive in tion from past operations and any pre- the area. the form of partial rebates on rent if viously undetected contamination tenants achieve stated goals for em- found at or emanating from Kelly. ployment, wages and contracts for The GKDA maintains an umbrella products and services with small, mi- environmental insurance policy pro- nority and women-owned businesses. viding tenants with access to coverage

5 BergstromBergstrom AirAir ForceForce Base,Base, AustinAustin

Installation name Bergstrom Air Force Base Region South central Texas Redevelopment authority City of Austin Base size 3,216 acres Redevelopment size 4,200 acres (city acquired adjacent property) Leasable facilities 400,000 square feet warehouse space 168,000 square feet cargoport development 600,000 square feet passenger terminal Opened 1942 Closed September 30,1996 Current tenants, owners or occupants Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, State Aircraft Pooling Board, Texas Army National Guard, Federal Express, UPS, Worldwide Express, Emery Worldwide, plus passenger airlines

6 (BRACC) list of base closures approved Transportation On Base Distance from Base by President George Bush and Con- gress in 1990. In 1992, the U.S. Justice Airfield Yes On site Department authorized the conveyance of Bergstrom to the City of Austin, Nearest major highway US 183 0 miles which had incorporated the city of Del Valle in the years since the base was established. The base was officially closed on September 1, 1993, and in the fall of 1995 the final military pres- Airfield Specifications ence, an Air Force Reserve fighter wing, left the site. Number of runways 2 Bergstrom is located on 3,216 acres Runway length 12,250 feet; 9,000 feet in southeast Austin on Texas Highway 71, near the intersection of U.S. High- way 183. The location is eight miles from downtown Austin and the State Contact Information Capitol and just miles from I-35, the “NAFTA Highway.” Contact Jamy Kazanoff Robert Mueller Municipal Airport, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Austin’s primary airport before the Bergstrom conversion, sits on a 711- 3600 Presidential Blvd., Suite 311 acre tract, has 16 gates and handled Austin, TX 78719 more than six million passengers annu- Phone 512-369-6681 ally, according to Airports Council In- Fax 512-369-6653 ternational. As Austin continued to grow, the facility was increasingly E-mail [email protected] overburdened and unable to provide Website www.abia.org the travel services necessary for a burgeoning metropolitan area. In 1998, the airport ranked 50th nationally in passenger traffic and 133rd in the Bergstrom Air Force Base 3,000-acre tract which the city of Del world according to Airports Council Valle purchased with city bonds and International. The transformation of Bergstrom Air “loaned” to the U.S. government in Force Base into the Austin-Bergstrom 1942 with the agreement that the land Project Management International Airport is another ex- would be returned to the city when it When BRACC announced the ample of an exceptionally successful was no longer needed by the govern- planned closure of Bergstrom AFB, the base conversion. Before Bergstrom ment. At this time the base was known City of Austin immediately began in- was targeted for closure, Austin faced st as Del Valle Air Base. vestigating the feasibility of transform- the 21 Century with an antiquated air- Captain John August Earl Bergstrom, ing the base into a civilian interna- port increasingly incapable of han- an administrative officer, was killed tional airport. A study concluded that dling the area’s burgeoning air trans- when Clark Field, a U.S. base in the such a conversion would be possible. portation needs. Philippines, was attacked in conjunc- The City of Austin was deeded the When Bergstrom AFB appeared on tion with the Japanese attack on Pearl Bergstrom property in 1999. the list of base closures in 1990, the Harbor on December 7, 1941. This Because of the enormity of the task City of Austin conducted a feasibility Texas A&M University graduate was of overseeing the conversion, the City study to explore the possibility of turn- the first Austinite to be killed in the of Austin formed a public-private part- ing the base into a civilian airport. war, and in his honor, Del Valle Air nership with Parsons Brinckerhoff, an Ultimately, through innovative de- Base officially became Bergstrom engineering, planning and construc- sign, unique financing and use of Army Air Field on March 3, 1943. tion management firm with an exten- many of the base’s existing facilities, Bergstrom has a long and storied his- sive background in airport design and the city turned the base closure into a tory. During World War II, the base construction management. Parsons cost-effective solution to its airport was the training site for pilots who flew Brinckerhoff managed construction, problem. missions in the D-Day invasion and administered contracts and maintained History later participated in the Berlin Airlift. comprehensive management informa- Bergstrom was a key defense locale tion systems related to the project. The Eight days before the attack on Pearl during the Korean War, the Cuban New Airport Project Team, which in- Harbor, U.S. Army officials made a trip Missile Crisis and the Gulf War. cluded Parsons Brinckerhoff engineers to Austin and indicated that the Army Along with 75 other military installa- and select officials from the city and was interested in opening an air base tions, Bergstrom AFB was on the Base the department of aviation to oversee there. They eventually selected a Realignment and Closure Committee’s construction, was formed.

7 Funding Revenue Sources (in millions of dollars) At the outset of the project, it was decided that no tax Airport-generated capital dollars would be used for Passenger f acility charge (from operations at Robert ($3 per passenger): $28.9 Mueller): $60.7 funding. Instead, funding Remaining series 1989 has and will come from the bond proceeds (Manor Specialty f acility bonds: project): $148 businesses and individuals $14.8 using the airport. Until the year 2019, a passenger fa- PECS energy rebate: $0.6 cility charge of $3 per passenger will be assessed on all airline tickets. In addition, revenue bonds totaling FAA noise grants: $30 $400 million were sold in May 1993 to fund the project, which at that time FAA construction grants: was expected to cost $642 $90.9 million. The project also was Other federal grants: $4.5 awarded federal grants. The Airport revenue bonds: Federal Aviation Adminis- $332.9 tration provided construc- Military airport program: $7 tion grants totaling nearly $100 million and noise reduction grants totaling $30 million. Additional funding came from facilities, a fuel tank farm and a central for the process. To expedite the concession sales, federal grants and in- heating and cooling plant. cleanup process, local and federal terest earnings from Robert Mueller government agencies formed a part- Municipal Airport. Environmental Issues nership that compiled all known infor- Some construction in the Bergstrom mation regarding the contaminants Austin-Bergstrom conversion project focused on “green and their locations and established a International Airport building,” the practice of reusing sal- centralized entity focusing exclusively on alleviating the environmental con- The Barbara Jordan Passenger Termi- vaged construction materials. Energy nal at the Austin-Bergstrom Interna- efficiency was a high priority and site cerns. The partnership met regularly to tional Airport is a 600,000-square-foot water was recycled. discuss difficulties encountered in the process and find ways of avoiding fur- building with 25 gates served by two The base had 276 single-family and runways. The first is an upgraded mili- duplex homes that were relocated to ther complications. This proved to be tary runway that was outfitted to meet other sites. Of the 242 buildings left on an effective means of addressing the environmental issues and, ultimately, commercial demands; the second run- the site, approximately 30 percent way was newly constructed. Arrivals have been reused. Forty buildings reduced expenditures and helped keep and departures are expedited because were auctioned off. the project on schedule. they can occur simultaneously. A In the majority of base closures, en- The Bottom Line cross-taxiway system was constructed vironmental concerns have created to link the runways and terminals. difficulties in transferring property Despite the enormity of the project, A total of nine airlines currently ser- from the U.S. government to the pri- Austin-Bergstrom International Airport vice Bergstrom International Airport. vate entities receiving the titles, be- opened on May 23, 1999, within the America West, American Airlines, cause federal law mandates that prop- established time frame and budget. Austin Express, Continental, Delta, erty cannot be conveyed until The City of Austin had successfully Northwest, Southwest, TWA and environmental concerns have been re- transformed a former Air Force base United have non-stop service to 34 cit- solved. Bergstrom was no exception. into a modern airport capable of han- ies around the country including Chi- Over the course of the Air Force’s 50- dling more than six million travelers cago, New York-Newark, Washington, year tenure at Bergstrom, 481 hazard- per year. Innovative design, unique fi- D.C., San Francisco and Atlanta. ous waste areas had been created to nancing and use of many of the base’s A parking garage with a capacity of house photo processing chemicals, fire existing facilities turned the base clo- 3,300 cars was built in addition to sev- training pits and fuel spills. In addition, sure into a cost-effective solution to eral ground-level parking lots capable the sanitary system was in need of ex- Austin’s airport problem. of holding 7,000 vehicles. Five miles tensive repairs. of access highway was constructed, as Cleanup costs totalled $55 million were buildings to house fire and res- according to the Air Force Base Con- cue, air cargo and general aviation version Agency, whch was responsible

8 CarswellCarswell AirAir ForceForce Base,Base, FortFort WorthWorth

Installation name Carswell Air Force Base Region Northeast Texas Locale Fort Worth Redevelopment authority Wentworth Redevelopment Authority Base size 3,198 acres Redevelopment size 400 acres residential housing Opened 1941 Closed/will close Realigned Current tenants, owners or occupants Fort Worth Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Department of Housing and Human Services, Department of Education

9 of Wentworth established to deal with Transportation On Base Distance from Base the transfer of land and subsequent redevelopment. The acreage is divided Airfield Yes On site into five regions. Nearest major highway I-30 Less than 5 miles Region one consists of housing being renovated. The plan is to lease these homes to individuals stationed on the base. Nearly all of the renovated homes are currently occupied. Airfield Specifications Eventually, the houses will be sold and moved, while the land will be- Number of runways 1 come available for commercial Runway length 12,000 feet development. Region two will be developed into a commercial area. Houses used for Carswell personnel will be sold and relocated. There currently are no tenants Contact Information in this area. Region three is a housing area. The Contact LeLand Clemons WRA plans to use these houses as resi- Executive Director dences for individuals affiliated with Wentworth Redevelopment Authority the base. Individuals currently housed 250 Pumphrey Drive in region one will relocate to region Wentworth Village, TX 76114 three in time, if they desire. Phone 817-377-8061 Region four is the site of a public golf course owned by the WRA. When the Fax 817-377-8064 redevelopment authority expires, in an estimated 15 years, ownership of the golf course will revert to the City of Wentworth. Region five is commonly referred to Carswell Air Force Base the Air Force transferred the majority as “horse pastures” because of its di- of the land to the Navy. The first divi- lapidated horse stables and surround- When Carswell Air Force Base was sions to inhabit Carswell were from the targeted in the 1991 round of BRAC ing pastureland. The redevelopment Naval Air Station in Dallas. The base is authority has no immediate plans for closures, the City of Wentworth, now called the Fort Worth Naval Air Texas, and the Wentworth Redevelop- the area other than to maintain it as Station Joint Reserve Base and is a re- green space. ment Authority (WRA) were in a serve base and training ground for the unique position. Along with the Fort Navy, Air Force Reserves, Army Re- Environmental Issues Worth Naval Air Station Joint Reserve serves and the Marines. Base and the Federal Bureau of Pris- The WRA has identified contamina- ons, the WRA occupied the former Redevelopment tion at the first water table. The Air base and was in possession of 400 Force is cleaning the contaminated ar- The Fort Worth Naval Air Station acres of land divided into five regions. eas and will convey the land to the re- Joint Reserve Base occupies only a The WRA has converted much of the development authority once environ- small portion of the total acreage of the property and has plans for further rede- mental standards are met. former Carswell AFB. Multiple tenants velopment of the site. Asbestos was discovered in some of have moved in since the base closed in the homes being refurbished. While 1991 and reopened in 1993. History the Air Force is responsible for land The Federal Bureau of Prisons occu- contamination, the cost of removing The Tarrant Field Airdrome opened pies the buildings and other facilities asbestos falls to the WRA. This process in Fort Worth in 1941. The Airdrome on a 122-acre tract of the base. The has proven costly. was renamed the Fort Worth Army Air Carswell base hospital was renovated Field in 1942 and became Carswell to house medium to maximum security The Bottom Line AFB in 1962. wards for female prisoners. The De- The base was home to an Air Force partment of Housing and Human Ser- A solid redevelopment plan has en- Reserve unit and the 7th Bomb Wing. In vices has seven acres and 20 family abled the WRA conversion of Carswell 1993, BRAC relocated the Naval Re- housing units. The Department of Edu- AFB to be among only 20 to 30 com- serve Operation from Love Field to cation also has a parcel of property on pleted redevelopment projects out of Carswell AFB and established the the base. 100-plus bases closed nationwide as a nation’s first joint reserve, hosted by The remaining 400 acres have been result of BRAC. the Navy. As a result of the relocation, transferred to the WRA, which the City

10 NavalNaval AirAir Station,Station, DallasDallas

Installation name Naval Air Station, Dallas Region Northeast Texas Locale Dallas and Grand Prairie Redevelopment authority NAS Dallas Redevelopment Office Base size 870 acres Redevelopment size 870 acres Leaseable buildings 1 million square feet of building space Opened January 1, 1942 Closed December 1, 1997 Current tenants, owners or occupants None to date

11 Transportation On Base Commercial Carriers Distance from Base Rail Yes Unknown 0 Port No Houston 250 miles Airfield Yes Nearest major highway I-30 1

Airfield Specifications Contact Information

Number of runways 1 Contact Cynthia Alvarado Runway length 8,000 feet NAS Dallas, Dallas City Hall 1500 Marilla, 5DN Dallas, TX 75204 Phone 972-264-8973 Fax 972-264-3293

Naval Air Station, Dallas Army then transferred the land to the subsequent redevelopment by the Department of the Interior and, city. The Naval Air Station in Dallas ultimately, the Department of the A decaying infrastructure has further appeared on the 1993 BRAC commis- Interior plans to convey the land to the blocked the progress of redevelopment sion list for closure and closed on City of Grand Prairie. However, the plans. The water system does not meet December 1, 1997. The 870-acre transfer process has been stalled by a city code because of lead contami- installation has been converted into an number of environmental issues nants in the pipes. The redevelopment industrial aviation, industrial and described in the following section. authority would have to pay a signifi- commercial park with one million According to the manager of the cant amount to repair the water square feet of hangars, shops, offices, Grand Prairie Redevelopment Author- system. Various other antiquated training spaces, recreational and other ity, the authority has planned to lease systems are in need of replacement as buildings, as well as an 8,000-foot the acreage to a private owner for use well. runway. Athletic fields, gyms, a lake as an airport. No plans exist for making Compounding the problem is lack of and dining halls also are located on the the land available for public lease. information about the infrastructure property. system itself. The exact locations of all Environmental Issues History gas, water and electric lines are not Ground contaminants on site are known. City of Grand Prairie officials The Naval Air Station was opened complicating the Naval Air Station feel that the Navy is responsible for on January 1, 1942. When the military property redevelopment process. The addressing this issue. expressed interest in locating in Dallas Navy is responsible for cleaning up the The poor condition of existing and nearby Grand Prairie, a deal was site before the land is transferred to the facilities on the base is yet another struck allowing the Air Force to lease City of Grand Prairie. Debate has stumbling block to redevelopment. the land from the cities of Dallas and arisen, however, over the degree of Once the closure of the base was Grand Prairie for an indeterminate cleanup required. The Navy intends to announced, the federal government time. The agreement stipulated that clean the site to a level complying with did not allocate funds for maintenance once the military no longer needed the “the risk reduction to industrial and repair of the installation. air station, the property would revert to standards,” which means the site will These factors have created an the cities. be clean enough to facilitate industrial exceptionally difficult redevelopment Redevelopment use according to standards set by the scenario. The goals of the Grand Texas Natural Resource Commission. Prairie Redevelopment Authority The Navy initially leased the Naval However, the city wants the site 100 cannot be accomplished until the Air Station property from Dallas. When percent clean to avoid future liability environmental and infrastructure the air station closed, the Navy problems. The stalemate has impeded issues are resolved. transferred the land to the Army. The the conveyance of the land and

12 RedRed RiverRiver ArmyArmy Depot,Depot, TexarkanaTexarkana

Installation name Red River Army Depot Region Northeast Texas Locale Texarkana Redevelopment authority Red River Local Redevelopment Authority Base size 625 acres Redevelopment size 85 buildings Opened 1941 Will close September 1, 2000 Current tenants, owners or occupants Department of the Army, Defense Logistics Agency, Defense Finance and Accounting Services, Enva Products

13 Transportation On Base Commercial Carriers Distance from Base Rail Yes Union Pacific, Kansas City 10 miles Southern, Cotton Belt Nearest major interstate I-30 0 miles

Airfield Specifications

Number of runways 2 Primary runway length 6,660 feet

Red River Army Depot also is located at the base. The depot Redevelopment was initially scheduled for closure but The Red River Army Depot in was later removed from the 1995 The depot site includes nearly 150 Texarkana represents a situation BRAC list. acres that the redevelopment authority different from most of the other bases In the wake of realignment, the Red plans to convert. In an attempt to discussed in this report. The installa- River Local Redevelopment Authority maximize flexibility and attract tion faced realignment rather than assumed ownership of 625 acres and prospective tenants, the land has not closure during the 1995 round of 85 buildings ranging from single- yet been subdivided. Finding suitable BRAC. Realignment will be complete family housing to large warehouses. tenants for the numerous specialty in September 2000. An additional 140 acres are undergo- maintenance buildings on the base has A majority of the depot’s buildings ing environmental treatment and will nevertheless proven a daunting task. and land were turned over to the Red be conveyed to the Red River Local While many of the the buildings could River Local Redevelopment Authority. Redevelopment Authority on be converted to warehouses, this However, a small military presence completion. would not be the best use of the remains. Currently, the installation property. A plastic piping firm, Enva repairs, rebuilds, overhauls and History Products of Michigan, has located at converts combat vehicles and stores the depot, but the redevelopment nearly 174,000 tons of ammunition The Red River Army Depot was authority is still in search of an anchor valued at $5.3 million. The Army owns founded on August 9, 1941, as an tenant. five acres and 22 buildings totaling ammunition supply depot. With the 166,000 square feet. onset of World War II, however, the A Defense Distribution Depot, depot’s mission was expanded to which stores various military articles, include storing and repairing munitions.

14 ReeseReese AirAir ForceForce Base,Base, LubbockLubbock

Installation name Reese Air Force Base Region North Texas Locale Lubbock Redevelopment authority Lubbock Reese Redevelopment Authority Base size 3,500 acres Redevelopment size 3,500 acres Leasable space 1.3 million square feet Opened 1941 Closed September 30, 1997 Current tenants, owners or occupants Texas Tech University, South Plains College, The Institute of Environmental and Human Health, TTU Wind Engineering, Texas T-Bone Express, TTU Advanced Vehicle Engineering, Lubbock Police Academy

15 businesses. Commercial interests will Transportation On Base Distance from Base benefit from the research conducted by the academic institutions and from Airfield Yes On site the available skilled work force. Texas Nearest major highway Loop 289 5 miles Tech University and South Plains College students and faculty will benefit from exposure to a commercial business environment. Currently, 40 percent of available Airfield Specifications square footage is occupied, with Texas Tech and South Plains College being Number of runways 2 the major tenants. Texas Tech has Runway length 10,500 feet; 6,500 feet occupied 15 buildings totaling more than 160,000 square feet on 20 acres and South Plains College has leased six buildings totaling more than 100,000 square feet. Contact Information Texas Tech has located a high per- formance computing center at Reese. Contact Tony Williams The center will be available for all Executive Director Reese tenants and will offer advanced Lubbock Reese Redevelopment Authority computer technology, high-perfor- 9801 Reese Blvd. Suite 200 mance computing, three-dimensional Lubbock, TX 79416 imaging and supercomputer distrib- uted interactive simulation. Phone 806-885-6592 Texas Tech University and the Texas Fax 806-885-6003 Tech Health Sciences Center have teamed up to create the Institute of Email [email protected] Environmental and Human Health Website www.reesecenter.com located at Reese. The focus of research conducted at the institute will be the effects of toxic chemical exposure on humans and the environment. A national countermeasures training Reese Air Force Base Redevelopment center also is planned. Reese Air Force Base occupied Properties on the former base The most significant problem related roughly 3,500 acres in Lubbock, included hangers ranging in size from to the Reese conversion has been the Texas, five miles west of Loop 289. 25,000 to 55,000 square feet, office lengthy process associated with The base, which was an undergraduate buildings ranging in size from 2,000 to transferring government buildings to pilot training facility, was on the 1995 95,000 square feet and manufacturing the redevelopment authority. The BRAC closure list and closed in facilities ranging from 15,000 to economic development conveyance September 1997. The Air Force is 40,000 square feet. Homes in Reese the Lubbock Reese Redevelopment conveying the property to the Lubbock Village, which consisted of 232 single- Authority signed in 1999 has improved Reese Redevelopment Authority over family and duplex houses, were sold to the situation, however, and develop- time as environmental concerns are municipalities in the area for $6 per ment of the Reese Center is now addressed. square foot. The homes will be moved. progressing at a faster pace. The The Reese property also has two partnership between Texas Tech History runways, each two miles long, and a University, South Plains College, the Reese AFB dates to the opening of nine-hole golf course. city and county of Lubbock and the the Air Corps Advanced Flying School The Lubbock Reese Redevelopment Department of Defense also has on the site in 1941. The name of the Authority plans to turn the base into a contributed to the progress of redevel- installation was changed to the research and technology business park opment efforts. for firms specializing in environmental Lubbock Army Airfield in 1942. The Environmental Issues airfield was closed in 1945 and engineering, remediation, bio-tech, reopened as Reese AFB in 1949, in bio-med, energy, alternative fuels, The Air Force has taken complete honor of Army Air Corps First Lieuten- software development and value- responsibility for any past, present and ant Augustus Reese, a pilot shot down added agriculture and agriculture future soil contaminants on Reese over Sardinia, Italy, in 1943. equipment. property and is in the process of Throughout its history, the base The redevelopment authority is fulfilling this contract. When environ- served as a pilot training center. In forming public and private partner- mental cleanup is complete, the Air 1993, the base began offering joint ships with Texas Tech University, Force will convey title of the land to pilot training for the Army and Navy. South Plains College and commercial the redevelopment authority.

16 ChaseChase FieldField NavalNaval AirAir Station,Station, BeevilleBeeville

Installation name Chase Field Naval Air Station Region Southeast Texas Locale Beeville Redevelopment authority Beeville Redevelopment Authority Base size 3,018 acres Redevelopment size 1,400 acres Leasable buildings Hangar, two office buildings with 17,000 square feet of space Electronics Building Opened 1942 Closed September 1, 1993 Current tenants, owners or occupants General Shelter, Traffic Control Systems, Department of Prisons

17 Transportation On Base Distance from Base

Airfield Yes On site Nearest major highway US 181 Less than 5 miles

Airfield Specifications Contact Information

Number of runways 3 Contact Jim Berry Executive Director Primary runway length 8,000 feet Beeville/Bee County Development Authority P.O. Box 1448 Beeville, TX 78102 Phone 361-358-2023 Fax 361-358-0448

Chase Field Naval Air Station In 1943, the field was commissioned The Beeville Development Authority as a naval auxiliary airfield. The Navy currently controls a hanger, two office Chase Field Naval Air Station is purchased the airfield from the City of buildings and an electronics building. located five miles from Beeville, Texas, Beeville in 1952, and the airfield was Current tenants include General and 65 miles from Corpus Christi, designated as a naval air station in Shelter, a modular home constructor, Texas. Situated on 3,018 acres in Bee 1968. The Training Air Wing Three and Traffic Control Systems. County, Chase Field’s mission was to trained there from 1971 until the provide facilities, services and material 1990s. The base was decommissioned Incentive Programs to support jet pilot training. in 1993. To attract potential tenants to the Chase Field was part of the 1991 former base, the Beeville Development round of base closures and was Redevelopment Authority offers property tax abate- officially closed in February 1993. The Beeville Development Authority ments, infrastructure improvements Although the base was smaller than received title to 1,400 acres of Chase and pays city permits and fees as- some closed in Texas, its closure Field property in February 1993. The sessed on businesses relocating to nonetheless had a large impact in the balance of the base’s total acreage was Beeville. Other incentives include community. Seven hundred thirty- transferred to the federal prison subsidies for new construction and three military and 914 civilian jobs system, which remains on the former help with relocation costs. were lost in a city with a population of base. The Beeville Development Authority 13,500 and a county with a population The redevelopment authority has taken steps to fund job training of 25,000. Lost salaries totalling $27 partnered with Coastal Bend College programs. The authority is working million reduced Beeville’s local in an attempt to recruit tenants. with Texas Smart Jobs, Texas economy by $25 million. Six percent Industries specializing in cargo, Workforce Funds and Bee Community unemployment rates before closure distribution, logistics and aircraft College to create programs. skyrocketed to 12.9 percent by the maintenance and overhaul are among time the last military contingents left those being recruited to take advan- Environmental Issues the base. tage of the property’s three 8,000-foot The Navy accepted responsibility for History runways. and addressed all environmental The rural location of Chase Field concerns related to the conversion of Chase Field NAS at Beeville was makes it difficult to lease space. Most Chase Field. Cleanup is complete. Any created in 1943 when a municipal businesses prefer to locate closer to an environmental problems arising airport was converted into a military urban locale. Some industries have following the conveyance of the airfield. The airfield was named after been dissuaded from locating in property to the Beeville Development Lieutenant Commander Nathan Beeville because of the area’s agricul- Authority will be resolved by the Navy. Chase, who was killed in a training tural roots and lack of industrial mission at Pearl Harbor in 1925. development.

18 Conclusion authorities poses a major challenge. junior colleges to help draw tenants Prospective tenants may be discour- interested in research and high-tech Conversion success stories make aged when they find out how long they resources. Partnering with cities has redevelopment of military bases seem have to wait to occupy converted sometimes produced sources of deceptively easy, but the process is in property. revenue to encourage redevelopment. fact long and arduous. Transferring Environmental cleanup is yet While some redevelopment authori- property from the federal government another critical element in the redevel- ties handle the leasing of converted to local authorities is a time-consum- opment process. Soil contamination properties, others sell the property and ing process and requires substantial has been the most common environ- buildings, resulting in opportunities for effort from all entities involved. mental problem. Cleanup costs are real estate agents to list and sell Matching appropriate tenants with high and questions regarding which properties. In Texarkana, the Red River available space has proven difficult in entity is responsible for the cleanup Redevelopment Authority listed 53 most cases. Existing buildings often are often arise, along with debates about buildings and 765 acres from the highly specialized and require a the level of cleanup required. Land converted Red River Army Depot with specific type of tenant. When a perfect and buildings cannot be conveyed to a local real estate agent. match cannot be made, the redevelop- the private sector until environmental With some military base closures ment authority may be forced to settle remediation is complete. and realignments in progress and for a less profitable tenant. Successful base conversion efforts others still to come, much can be The time and red tape required to begin with a strong redevelopment learned from what worked — and complete the transfer of base property authority and sometimes include what didn’t — during earlier base from the government to redevelopment partnerships with universities and conversions.

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