The City of Santa Monica Airport is uniquely situated in the midst of dense residential neighborhoods of Santa Monica and neighboring west Los Angeles. The airport opened in 1917 as an informal landing strip for their World War I biplanes, and has operated continuously since this time – serving as the site of the Douglas Aircraft Company’s headquarters during World War II before transitioning to a general aviation airport in the 1950’s. In 2017, the City of Santa Monica reached a milestone settlement with the Federal Aviation Administration to transition the 192-acre airport site to local control. The City plans to transform the space for local community use – community engagement meetings to include local residents’ input into the City planning process began at the start of 2024.
In partnership with the City of Santa Monica, our team will conduct a landscape history of the Santa Monica Airport site to help the City evaluate options for transforming the airport’s future after its planned closure in 2029. Among the various proposals for the airport site, the most popular is to transform the airport into a “great park.” This concept aims to provide new recreational spaces, ecological restoration, and education opportunities for the community. Our team will gather relevant information on the physical, ecological, and human and cultural characteristics of the airport site, including historical data dating back to the airport’s development in the 1920s. We will also assist the City in engaging the public through communication to ensure community members remain involved in the City’s planning process.
Student Team: Helen Coffman, Yeji Park, In Su Park, Jack Galeotti, Jake Wright, Shailah Arreola-Bittner, Charlene Tonai Din, and Tyler Tu.
Client: The City of Santa Monica
Advisor: Dr. Travis Longcore