The Port of San Diego recently achieved a major milestone with the removal of hazardous and contaminated materials from the former Teledyne Ryan manufacturing plant on North Harbor Drive.

Fifty buildings on North Harbor Drive near San Diego International Airport were demolished at the former aviation company, which began operations in 1935.

"We invested millions of dollars to remove the buildings and remediate the 46-acre site to make it environmentally safe," said Lou Smith, Chairman of the Board of Port Commissioners. "The completion represents a significant environmental achievement and it underscores the Port's role as an environmental steward of San Diego Bay and the Tidelands."

The Port of San Diego and the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority were recently honored by an environmental group for a historical report and other communications they prepared for the Teledyne Ryan demolition project that is occurring on the southeast edge of San Diego International Airport.

The agencies, plus their engineering consultant CH2M Hill, were honored for the "Outstanding Environmental Technical Report" by the Association of Environmental Professionals, San Diego chapter. Specifically, they were recognized for producing the Ryan Aeronautical Company Historic American Building Survey Report and the Ryan Aeronautical Interpretive Display and website.

• Ryan Aeronautical Company Historic American Building website

The Port of San Diego will begin work on the third phase of the Teledyne Ryan demolition project on Tuesday, June 21, 2011. The project is located at 2701 North Harbor Drive, on the southeast edge of San Diego International Airport.

The third and final phase will complete the Port’s demolition work at the 46-acre site. Phase III will include the demolition and removal of concrete and asphalt slabs, structural foundations, below grade vaults, pits and utilities. In addition, the remaining 28,000-square-foot structure on the Teledyne Ryan site will be removed.

• View photos and historical information: RyanAero.org

Aviation pioneer T Claude Ryan started the first regular commercial passenger service from San Diego to Los Angeles in the 1920s. You may recognize the name Ryan. It was Ryan's company that built the "Spirit of St. Louis," the plane Charles Lindbergh flew from New York to Paris marking the first solo, nonstop flight across the Atlantic.

Now, some of the memories associated with Ryan's company, Ryan Aeronautical, are preserved in a new website activated recently by the Port of San Diego in partnership with the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority.

• View photos and historical information: RyanAero.org

The Port of San Diego will soon begin demolishing the former Teledyne Ryan (TDY) site located adjacent to San Diego International Airport.

As part of the project's mitigation measures, the Port is making architectural materials available for donation to museums, archives, non-profit organizations and the public.

Publicity Notice Documents (PDFs)