Port San Antonio, the organization created in 1996 to redevelop the former Kelly Air Force Base to support growth for the region’s economy, has won the prestigious Base Redevelopment Community of the Year award.

The honor was given by the Association of Defense Communities (ADC) and recognizes Port San Antonio’s efforts to transform the 1,880-acre site of the former Kelly Air Force Base into a center of commerce and innovative development that is serving as a growing economic engine for the region. 

“Port San Antonio is a model for closed base communities around the country,” said Eileen M. Giaimo, ADC’s Executive Director. “Through years of hard work and many well-executed efforts, Port San Antonio has transformed one of the country’s largest base closures into an inspiring story of success.”

Port San Antonio’s real estate and business development efforts to date have attracted more than 70 employers who provide direct and indirect jobs to approximately 25,000 people and generate $4.23 billion in regional economic activity each year. In late 2009 USGBC certified the Port’s headquarters office building LEED Gold and is also only the fourth LEED Gold-certified building in San Antonio under any category.

The port offers multiple real estate options, including greenfield sites. There are also sites and 290,000 square feet of Class A speculative warehouse and office/flex space in close proximity to the airfield. Building projects at Port San Antonio over the next 15 years are projected to total $2.5 billion. This includes the development of residential options for up to 4,000 people and the creation of more office and industrial facilities that could bring up to 21,000 additional jobs to the region, for a potential employment base of 35,000 people by 2025.