The Sunnyvale Sun

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Sunnyvale leaders narrow air base overhaul ideas

By Stephen Baxter

Suggestions for the redevelopment of the Onizuka Air Force Base in Sunnyvale were refined March 29 by city policymakers.

The roughly 23-acre base next to Moffett Field is set to close by 2011, and 2 1/2 acres will likely become offices and parking for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The rest may be rebuilt as a corporate headquarters, a hotel conference center, a car dealership, or houses for the homeless, Sunnyvale leaders decided.

The Sunnyvale City Council is acting as the base's local redevelopment authority.

The list boiled down several community meetings on the base's reuse, leaving out earlier suggestions to build a park, museum, traditional houses and city offices. Critics of building houses on the base, which is north of State Route 237, say it is far from shops and services. Still, Mid-Peninsula Housing Coalition and Shelter Network have submitted a joint housing proposal, as has another group that includes Catholic Charities and InnVision. Federal law mandates that authorities consider the needs of the homeless at closed bases.

Mid-Peninsula's proposal would build 82 studio apartments and 45 family housing units on about 4 acres.

"We are interested in whatever the city and the authority can do to help the homeless," said Joe Kirchofer, assistant project manager for Mid-Peninsula.

The Sunnyvale redevelopment authority is expected to submit a more detailed plan to the Department of Defense by the fall. Defense department officials will decide the base's fate by fall 2008.

For more information, visit the www.sunnyvale.ca.gov and click on Onizuka Reuse.