Freedom Park Project Enters Next Phase with Contract Award for Pier Reinforcement Project
Contact: bpage@portofsandiego.org, 619.348.1518, bpage@portofsandiego.org
The Port of San Diego and USS Midway Museum are making progress on the Freedom Park at Burnham Navy Pier project. On August 12, the Board of Port Commissioners awarded an approximately $2.6 million contract to Condon-Johnson Associates to perform structural reinforcement of Navy Pier on the east end under the area where the headhouse was demolished.
Upon its anticipated opening in 2028, Freedom Park at Burnham Navy Pier will celebrate the region’s military history and tell the story of everyday heroes who have served our country and preserved our freedoms. The design features memorials and monuments, a nature garden, play structures, seating and shading, and interpretive signage. At nearly 10 acres, it will be the largest veterans park on the West Coast, spanning from the west end of Navy Pier, around the Midway, to the Bob Hope Memorial.
"Freedom Park at Burnham Navy Pier represents our steadfast commitment to honoring the legacy of those who have served and sacrificed for our nation. We are building a vibrant space for reflection, connection, and reaffirming our promise to military veterans and their families to recognize and celebrate their contributions,” said Chair Danielle Moore, Port of San Diego Board of Port Commissioners. “The project between the Port and the USS Midway Museum embodies the spirit of community, and we are creating a place that will inspire gratitude and pride throughout the region."
“We’re excited with the continual progress being made on the creation of Freedom Park at Burnham Navy Pier,” said Terry Kraft, the USS Midway Museum’s president and CEO. “More importantly, this pier reinforcement project will pave the way for the start of the actual park construction early next year.”
The Port and Midway broke ground on the Freedom Park project in spring 2024. Demolition of the last remaining building on the pier was completed this past spring. The pier structural reinforcement work is anticipated to begin in October and be completed by February 2026.
After many years of collaboration among Port staff, the Midway, and California Coastal Commission staff, the project to convert Navy Pier into a park began with a Memorandum of Understanding between the Port and the Midway in April 2022 followed by the issuance of a Coastal Development Permit by the Coastal Commission for park construction in February 2023. The MOU memorialized each party’s commitments to park development and how to share the associated cost, which is currently estimated at approximately $77 million. The Port contributed $11.7 million for structural pile improvements. Through fundraising, the Midway contributed funds for the headhouse demo and will cover the pier reinforcement project and full park buildout. Congressman Scott Peters secured $2 million for the project. When the park opens, the Port and Midway will split ongoing maintenance costs.
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The Port of San Diego serves the people of California as a specially created district, balancing multiple uses on 34 miles along San Diego Bay spanning five cities. Collecting no tax dollars, the Port manages a diverse portfolio to generate revenues that support vital public services and amenities.
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