What happened to the people who lived near the base closures...

[butterfly77]

does anyone know or live near any of them. I heard of businesses that said that this would be a big problem for them due to lack of customers etc... I never hear anything concerning what has happened in those areas...

[Cooley Hurd]

1. In many cases, the bases are re-occupied by industrial tenants...

[Cobalt-60]

2. Ghost Towns

If the town grew up around the base, the disaster is total.
If there are other industries in the area some might survive, but everyone gets poorer.

[Not Me]

3. There were two bases closed in Orlando in the mid 90's

Both were secured by the city of Orlando. One was within city limits (and was razed and rebuilt into a very nice neighborhood--Baldwin Park-- with apartments, townhomes, single family homes and some very large mcmansions. About three miles from downtown.

The second base was out by the airport--Southport Park. This area was annexed by the city. There were 680 single family homes that were totally renovated by subcontractors and sold by the city. It is now a great middle class community. I live there. The city is about to commence on phase two of the plan, with a town center with shoppping, elementary school and condos, townhomes, and single family homes.

For details see: http://cityoforlando.net/planning/ntc/ntcvisp.htm

[2bfree]

4. Ours isn't closed yet.

It is just being phased out but isn't suppose to close completely for another year or two. We are hoping that a college will be in its place.

[China_cat]

5. They closed both the Naval shipyard and the Navy base

home to the sub fleet here quite some time ago. The base still sits empty because it needs toxic waste cleanup. The state says the feds should do it, the feds say the state is now responsible. So it all goes to waste. Housing for the base was supposed to be turned over to low cost housing and used for homeless families to get a leg up. The units sit empty and decaying.

Over 10,000 civilian jobs were lost due to the closings. We've not replaced half of them before starting to lose even more. Many businesses, especially smaller ones, have closed. Those catering to recreation for dependents (craft stores, book stores, etc) have closed and nothing has taken their place. Repair businesses (lawn mower, small appliance, etc) have disappeared completely.

Yeah, it's still a problem almost 15 years later.

[butterfly77]

7. I am talking about the bases Rumsfeld closed last year or ,,,

the year before...

[acmejack]

6. It depends if there is other reason for the town to exist.

Orlando hardly relied upon two minor bases to survive, with Disney World there. Close Fort Hood and Killeen, Texas will blow away inside a year.

[aaronbees]

8. It's on a base-by-base basis, so to speak

Here in northeast Texas, we have an army depot realigning some of its work to be sent elsewhere, and there is a smaller ammunition plant that will be closed. In each area where base closure affects a community, a recognized redevelopment authority will handle transfer of the land and its future reuse, supposedly working with a community to come up with the best reuse plan which is ultimately approved by the Army (in our case). Base closures are not immediate, so assessing the impact now is difficult -- I believe the process of disestablishing a base must be done by 2011 (though don't quote me on that), and the timeline of how that plays out will vary depending on many things -- such as how capable another base is of picking up part of the closing base's mission. (New facilities have to be built, workers must be hired or transferred, etc.)

At least in this area, base work at the depot and ammunition plant has supplied a stable, industrial-based means of income for many families who have deep ties to the work, many people working there for decades. Replacing that sort of income and stable employment will be difficult at best and potentially devastating to a lot of communities, especially since the manufacturing backbone in this country has been shot to hell and airlifted overseas.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

9. I had to move from coastal CA (Fort -Ord Monterey Bay) to Tucson, AZ

Long story, but definite economic impact of base closure. Albeit, this area is a prime resort/destination for tourists.

[shanti]

10. i live very near a closed base

life goes on...it's been taken over by the state and utilized for many purposes, one being a homeless shelter. there are even new homes going up on them.

[BrotherBuzz]

11. I have seen nothing but improvments after base closures

I've seen two air bases, three naval bases, two army bases close, and I like what has happened to all of them. We witnessed industrial, housing, national and regional parks, business parks, and universities built in their place. There was a blight during the transition period, and I have no idea where the displaced people went to, but the overall results are a plus in my eyes.