The city of San Diego on Monday broke ground on a 20- year project to redevelop Brown Field Municipal Airport and construct state-of-the art aviation and commercial facilities.

The developer, San Diego Airpark, will cover the estimated $100 million cost for the first phase of the project, with the first buildings expected to be finished by the end of 2025.

"Today marks a significant, long-awaited milestone for Brown Field Airport, Otay Mesa and the entire San Diego region," said Mayor Todd Gloria. "The new San Diego Airpark will transform this underused airport into a hub of economic growth and employment, creating thousands of jobs and fostering international trade.

"This redevelopment project puts our public asset to work to drive progress and boost business and economic opportunities for all San Diegans," he said.

The San Diego Airpark project is anticipated to create 2,500 new airport jobs and have a $1.5 billion economic impact on the San Diego region. It is being built on 331 acres of land at Brown Field and will include a new fixed-base operator with a terminal building housing a general aviation customs inspection facility.

The project will also feature commercial hangars and new roads, a hotel and a restaurant.

"We are excited about how the San Diego Airpark project will play an important part in the economic growth of the city of San Diego and our region," said Christina Bibler, director of the city's Economic Development Department. "Brown Field is changing, and the airport will be a catalyst for economic growth and employment."

The Federal Aviation Administration has classified Brown Field as a reliever airport for the San Diego International Airport. According to a city statement, over the next five years, Brown Field is slated to receive approximately $14.8 million in Federal Airport Capital Improvement Grant funding to pay for airfield infrastructure and security needs.

The airport was initially named East Field in honor of Army Maj. Whitten J. East. It opened in 1918 when the U.S. Army established an aerial gunnery and aerobatics school to relieve congestion at North Island. In 1962, the Navy transferred ownership of Brown Field to the city of San Diego with the condition that it remains an airport for the use and benefit of the public.

Credits: KPBS