Brooks City-Base Project involves a partnership between the Air Force and the San Antonio community. Brooks Air Force Base will provide property to the Brooks Development Authority (BDA) for economic development, and the BDA and City of San Antonio will provide municipal and other services to the base to allow it to focus more efficiently on its military mission.

The future vision for Brooks is a thriving bioscience, academic, environmental and technical center of excellence that will enhance Air Force missions at the base and encourage future development in Southeast San Antonio

The Air Force will maintain the capability to execute its missions and retain the flexibility to meet future mission requirements. The assets and capacity at Brooks can be leveraged through partnerships with the public and private sectors to enhance the mission capabilities of Brooks, while at the same time benefiting the local community.

The Brooks City-Base Project is moving forward at a rapid pace with details being firmed up between all the parties to facilitate the transfer of the property to the BDA this spring.

Master Plan approved by Congress
The authorizing legislation for the Brooks City-Base Project (P.L. 106-246) required a Master Plan to be submitted to appropriate congressional committees for review. “The Master Plan for the Development of Brooks City-Base,” was approved June 14, 2001, clearing the way to implement the legislative authorities to allow the Brooks City-Base Project to proceed.

Brooks Development Authority established
The San Antonio City Council enacted an ordinance establishing the Brooks Development Authority on Sept. 27, 2001. The BDA is an independent entity under the Texas Defense Base Development Authorities statute and will have the power to manage, market, develop, lease, and sell the real property at Brooks. At its first official meeting, Dec. 8, 2002, Howard Peak, former Mayor of San Antonio, was elected President. Completing the slate of officers the following members were also selected: George Pedraza, Vice-President; Jim Greenfield, Treasurer; and Lewis Westerman, Secretary.

Tom Rumora named Executive Director
Tom Rumora has been selected as the Director, Brooks City-Base Office. He comes to San Antonio from his previous position as Director, K I Sawyer Development Department, County of Marquette, Michigan. Mr. Rumora brings more than 25 years of experience in development-related enterprises, including construction, urban and rural planning, economic development, real estate, housing, and military base conversion at the state, county, and city level. His successes experienced at the former K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base were nationally recognized through the award of the 1999 Facility-of-the-Year Award from the National Association of Installation Developers.

Property manager
At a meeting held Feb. 19, 2002, the BDA approved the contract with Grubb & Ellis Management Services to provide property management and development services for the Brooks Technology and Business Park.

The property manager will be an integral link in the process to ensure the property, support infrastructure, and facilities are maintained for Park tenants, and that available facilities are ready and available for occupancy.

The contract is for approximately $7.5 million per fiscal year.

Texas Engineering Experiment Station (TEES)
The BDA authorized the execution of an inter-local agreement with the Texas Engineering Experiment Station (TEES), a state-supported engineering research and development agency, for the provision of staff support services to the Brooks Development Authority for a primary period ending Aug. 1, 2006.

TEES will assist in the day-to-day operation of the Brooks Development Office and facilitate continuing partnerships with Brooks’ missions.

TEES has been a part of the Brooks community for more than two years, assisting in mission support and technology transition activities. A member of the Texas A&M University System and a research agency for the State of Texas, TEES has as part of its charter the transfer of knowledge gained from research and development activities through programs in intellectual property, commercialization, technology licensing and technical assistance.

Possible TEES support roles for the BCBP include assistance in creating a property management office, technology and business application support, and development and management of an innovative enterprise office. The involvement of the City of San Antonio, TEES, and the Air Force is an innovative demonstration of the opportunities available through city, state and federal cooperation and coordination in the project.

Cooperative Agreement
The BDA authorized the execution of a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Air Force in order to cover property management services until property conveyance and leaseback are accomplished. The agreement provides for a full reimbursement by the Air Force to the BDA for allowable actual expenses associated with services received by the Air Force, currently estimated at $7.5 million annually. The cooperative agreement between the Brooks Development Authority and the Air Force is tied to inter-local agreements among the BDA, the City of San Antonio, and TEES to strengthen and ensure critical support services are maintained. Grubb & Ellis Property Management personnel are now providing operational support at Brooks AFB.

Environmental Processes -- Record of Decision Signed
The Record of Decision (ROD), a National Environmental Policy Act key document in the transition of the base properties, was signed by the Air Force Aug. 17, 2001. The ROD allows conveyance, leaseback, and development of the properties in accordance with plans described in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). The FEIS for the Brooks City-Base Project was filed with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and published in the Federal Register March 23, 2001. The deed will contain restrictions on development of areas of past contamination, like landfills, to ensure protection of human health and the environment. In addition, environmental statutes guarantee that the U.S. Government will remedy any contamination it caused, even if discovered after the date of the transfer.

Operating Properly and Successfully (OPS) Certificate Signed by EPA Region VI.
The Environmental and Protection Agency signed the Operating Properly and Successfully (OPS) Certificate March 7, 2002. Believed to the first OPS nationwide that addresses off-site contamination, it was accomplished through a cooperative effort among EPA Region VI, the Air Force, and the Texas Natural Resource and Conservation Commission. The base Environmental Baseline Survey and Finding of Suitability to Transfer documents are expected to be completed soon.

Property Transition
The documents for the conveyance of Brooks AFB to the Brooks Development Authority will be signed by Mr. Nelson Gibbs, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Environment and Logistics, and Mr. Howard Peak this spring.

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