8/4/2019 Norton AFB: Rebuilding a base for jobs

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1941:The base openedand originally wascalled San BernardinoAir Depot.

1994: Lockheed Martin abandons its operations atthe base after a $32 million investment there.

1998: For less than year, a small airline called CasinoExpress flies between San Bernardino and Elko, Nev.

Ever since Norton Air Force Base closed in 1994, two government agencies have struggled to fill the void that was left and replaceabout 10,000 jobs that were lost. It wasnt until 2002 that the Inland Valley Development Agency had a developer Hillwood

who was capable of building what they wanted. Almost a decade later, nearly 8.8 million square feet of commercial and industrialbuildings have been built and occupied with more than 4,000 workers, with 4.8 million square feet more to be constructed.

Development of a commercial airport began in 2007 but so far no airlines have agreed to offer scheduled service.

REBUILDINGA BASE FOR JOBS

TIMELINE

1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s

1950:Renamed in honorof Capt. Leland F. Norton,a San Bernardino nativewho was killed in actionduring World War II.

1988: Norton Air Force Base slated for closure bythe Base Realignment and Closure Commission.

1990: Inland Valley Development Agency formedto redevelop portions of the former base.

1990-91: Iddo Benzeevi, who would later build theSkechers distribution center in Moreno Valley,chosen as master developer. That deal failed, withnothing built after months of negotiations.

1992: San Bernardino International Airport Authorityformed to spearhead reuse of the airport portion.

1994: The Air Force ceases operations at Norton, turnsover operation to local officials.

1994: Kelly Space & Technology signs a 20-year lease,making it the first commercial business tenant at the

former base.1997: The IVDA sells its first parcel to private enterprisein a deal with Ming Plaza Development, which hadplanned a $70 million hotel and sports andentertainment complex. The project never materialized.

2000: Hillwoodapproaches theairport with aproposal that couldcreate 8,000 newjobs.

2000:Redevelopmentofficials negotiate anoncash landtransfer from theU.S. Air Force toown the formerbase lands.

2002: IVDA officials sign an agreement with Texas-basedHillwood making the company the master developer. Theproject is dubbed AllianceCalifornia.

2004: DHL cargo contract goes to March Air Reserve Base.

2007: Stater Bros.moves its corporateheadquarters to thegrounds of the

former base.

STAFF ARTIST

After

Before

2007: SBIAA signs anagreement with ScotSpencer to developprivate plane facilities,what would eventuallybecome Million Air. Noother bids were sought.

2007: SBIAA signs asecond agreement withSpencer to develop thepassenger terminal. Noother bids were sought.

2009: San BernardinoCountys civil grand jurybegins investigating theairport authority after ananonymous complaint.

2010: Million Air opens.

2011: The civil grand jury releasesthe results of a two-yearinvestigation. An auditor hired bythe grand jury was critical ofmanagement and Scot Spencersinvolvement. SBIAA responds,agreeing to consider the grandjurys recommendations whilecriticizing facts in its report.

Kangaroo rathabitat

Some 200 acres of the

airport, south along therunway and surroundingthe former golf course,are set aside as habitatfor the endangered SanBernardino kangaroo rat.

Habitat

Hillwood expects to startconstruction later thisyear on 2.5 million squarefeet of warehouse spaceon the former PalmMeadows Golf Course.

Southgate

MattelIn 2003, Mattel Inc. signed a 10-year lease to occupya 1.25 million-square-foot warehouse at Norton.

Medline Industries,an Illinois-basedmedical supplycompany, opened a405,000-square-footwarehouse to storemedical supplies.

MedlineIndustries

Although outside the bounds of theformer base, this Hillwood warehousingdevelopment is a part of the company'sAllianceCalifornia project.

Gateway South project

Passenger terminalAbout $101.5 million has been spent since 2007 to make thefour-gate terminal ready for passengers and airlines. No airlinehas agreed to offer scheduled service.

Million AirThe luxury executivecharter terminalthat houses a MillionAir franchise opened

in mid-2010 and costclose to $20 million.Add a three-storyU.S. Customsbuilding and hangarsunder constructionand the total cost toimprove the northside of the airporthas risen to$41 million.

The San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians ownsabout 140 acres here and elsewhere near the base andplans to build industrial space once market conditions

improve. For now, the tribe has demolished buildingsand cleaned up some of its property.

Tribe-owned land

FormerN

orton

AirForce

Base

PalmMe

adows

GolfCou

rse

FormerNortonAirForce Base

Stater Bros.The Inland grocer spent more than $300 million to build a 2.1million-square-foot headquarters and distribution center. The company is thesingle largest employer at the former base with more than 2,000 employees.

Retail giant Kohls Corp. wasone of the first Fortune 500companies to set up shop atthe base. The company runsa 700,000-square-footwarehouse to store clothingand kitchen wares for anestimated 30 stores in theregion.

Pep BoysPhiladelphia-basedautomotive-partsretailer Pep Boysrelocated itsfacility to the basefrom Vernon in2004.

Kohls