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The naval weapons station opened in 1944 as a munitions storage facility and fell out of use in 1999
The US Navy has approved an agreement that clears the way for the redevelopment of about 2,422 acres at the former Concord Naval Weapons Station in California. The agreement allows the City of Concord and master developer Brookfield Properties to move ahead with plans for the former military site, SFGATE reported Friday.The naval weapons station opened in 1944 as a munitions storage facility and fell out of use in 1999. Although Concord officially marked the property for redevelopment in 2006, the wider 12,800-acre site has remained undeveloped for about two decades.The newly approved Term Sheet sets the financial terms for the transfer of about 2,422 acres from the US Navy. Concord is the federally recognised local redevelopment authority for the former weapons station, while Brookfield is the project's master developer.Under the agreement, Brookfield will pay $44.6 million for the property, along with interest on part of the amount. The deal includes an initial payment of $4.6 million, followed by $40 million in deferred payments over four years.
What happens next
The Navy's approval means the project can now move into its next stage. Concord and Brookfield will begin preparing a Specific Plan that will lay out how the area could be developed, including its layout, uses and other features.
Brookfield will lead the preparation of the plan, while both the developer and the city are hiring consultants to help with the work. The process is expected to begin this winter.
The redevelopment plan is much larger than the 2,422 acres covered by the financial agreement. According to SFGATE, the wider plans include 12,272 housing units, a 75-acre first responder training facility, a 4-acre veterans community centre and a $5 million sports park.The plans also include 5,038 acres for Thurgood Marshall Regional Park, 16 acres for permanently supportive housing and 10 acres for food bank expansion.The project is expected to take decades to complete. City officials have said the build-out could span 30 years, while the Specific Plan is expected to be presented to the Concord City Council in summer 2029.
Community input planned
The project will also move into a new phase of community engagement.
Additional discussions with residents are expected to begin in early 2027 as Concord and Brookfield work on the Specific Plan and other documents needed for the development.Brookfield became the project's master developer in 2023 after Lennar, the original developer, withdrew from the project in 2020 following a dispute with labour organisers.The Navy's latest approval follows the Concord City Council's approval of the financial agreement in late May.
With the two approvals in place, the city and Brookfield can now focus on turning the broader redevelopment vision into a detailed plan.Guy Bjerke, Concord's director of economic development and base reuse, described the Navy's approval as an important milestone. Bjerke is retiring on September 30, this year, after 11 years in his current role.“I am proud the Base Reuse Project has reached this important milestone. The US Navy has proven to be a tremendous partner in moving the community’s vision forward. This approval moves the Project into an important next phase, and our dedicated staff will continue working diligently to advance the Specific Plan,” Bjerke said as quoted by Contra Costa Herald.The next major steps will involve detailed planning, consultant work and further discussions with the community. The Specific Plan will eventually provide the framework for how the former naval weapons station is developed.
