San Diego Bay’s Waterfront Transformation

Tuesday, 16 February 2010
Contact: Dale Frost (619) 686-6461

Since its founding in 1962, the Port of San Diego has shaped and improved the waterfront in each of its five member cities— San Diego, National City, Chula Vista, Imperial Beach and Coronado.

Over the years, the Port has fashioned a cohesive waterfront with these goals: Serve as a regional economic engine; protect the land and water; and provide for public enjoyment of the bay front.

View the transformation of San Diego Bay and its waterfront

The Port of San Diego was established in 1962 by the California state legislature to ensure a balanced waterfront— hotels, recreational and industrial uses— along the bay front. Before it became the San Diego Unified Port District, San Diego's waterfront was managed by the City Harbor Department and each city fronting the bay was responsible for development of its waterfront land.

Through the decades, the Port has built a landmark convention center, luxury hotels, parks, and large marine cargo terminals and a cruise ship terminal.

Much of the land along San Diego Bay was created using excavated material.

In San Diego, the City Harbor Department formed Shelter Island from a small mudflat. The Port of San Diego created Harbor Island from dredged materials available from a U.S. Navy project at North Island.

In downtown San Diego, Tuna Harbor was formed and the North and South Embarcadero Marina Parks were created using dredged soil from the deepening of the shipping channel that leads to the marine terminals.

This additional land allowed the Port to provide more parks for residents and visitors and more marinas for boaters. It helped to balance competing uses of the waterfront.

Revenue-producing marine terminals, hotels and restaurants support public amenities such as parks and public art.

To the south, in National City, progress has continued. The city is home to the 125-acre National City Marine Terminal, which was built in 1966. Nearby, land has been excavated and a 250-slip marina created.

During the 1970s in Chula Vista, National City's neighbor, excavation led to the creation of two marinas and three parks that are popular spots for residents and visitors alike. The excavated soil formed the adjacent wildlife reserve, the Chula Vista Wildlife Reserve, home to endangered bird species, such as the California least tern and light-footed clapper rail. Along 550 acres of waterfront property, the Port is working to locate more amenities in the South Bay, such as hotels and restaurants.

Just a short ride away is Imperial Beach. Port property in the community includes 400 acres of oceanfront land that was transferred to the Port by the State of California in 1990. Since then, the Port has made structural improvements to the pier and its created a "coastal renaissance" with the addition of parks and public art.

Across the bay from San Diego, there is Coronado. The city's waterfront includes the 22-acre Coronado Tidelands Park, the largest of the Port's many parks. The Port developed the park and the adjacent waterfront hotel, now the Coronado Island Marriott Resort, in the 1980s in a continuing effort to ring the bay with active and attractive visitor and entertainment venues balanced with vibrant maritime businesses.

As the Port of San Diego looks to its 50th anniversary celebration, the transformation on the 33 miles of tidelands continues.

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