Private Sector Reuse of Former Military Facilities

Worldwide Aeros Corp received a $60 million contract from DoD to develop an "Aeroscraft" -- "a rigid airship with a number of innovative features, the most important of which is a method of controlling the airship's static lift, which can be reduced by pumping helium from the internal gasbags and storing it under pressure: conversely lift can be increased by reinflating the gasbags using the stored gas." The company, a commercial entity, was using a hanger at the former MCAS Tustin, CA, to build its prototype. I do not know the nature of the agreement that permitted the company to use the former military facility.

JThomas said:

During a BRAC, is it possible to offer a military facility scheduled to be closed to a commercial entity (e.g. not a local, state or federal entity) for the purposes of increasing and/or continuing employment in the affected area? 

I've been researching this for a few hours, and now it seems like a much more complicated question than when I started. My initial instinct was that it wasn't possible...

Is the object of your search how to bypass dealing with a reuse authority and for the DoD Agency to directly transfer property or facilities to a commercial entity?  I know of a couple of re-use authorities but don't know if they sell properties to private business. The Pueblo Colo. Chemical Facility has a re-use authority called Pueblo-Plex.  Their redevelopment plan includes leasing of facilities and/or property for commercial use.  http://puebloplexredevelopmentplan.com/. 

Of course there are numerous closed Air Force Bases that have been converted for all sorts of commercial use.

I just remembered that the Army Corps of Engineers has several Real Estate offices around the Country.  The Mobile District Real Estate Office handles government real estate property sales for various entities.  You can call them and ask.  Please see the link below for contact info. Or call one of the re-use authorities.  

http://www.sam.usace.army.mil/Missions/Real-Estate/Military-Branch-Branch-A/

Due to the complexity of properly managing planning and re-developing of former DoD installations, my guess is that the Army or DoD isnt going to directly  transfer excess real property to commercial entities.  You'd probably deal with a re-use authority.

Thanks for the assistance - all the input was very helpful!

JT

JT, you need to examine the specific BRAC legislation to determine the answer to your question.  The facility where I used to work in Virginia, Cameron Station, was closed in the first (?) BRAC.  Where it used to be, you will only find townhouses, single family residents, restaurants, and other commercial establishments.