Old airbase in Marin is doing great. Why not ours?

The former Hamilton AFB in Marin County shows us what Castle should look like.

Hamilton closed in the 1970s and has evolved into a beautiful and prosperous community, providing thousands of jobs in Novato and Marin County. Rows of hangars became up-scale offices bringing in premium rent at what is now “Hamilton Landing.”

Base housing became beautiful rentals and elegant new homes are under construction in “The Landing at Hamilton.” A huge new shopping center – Hamilton Marketplace – is under construction. The 1930s swimming pool was re-opened in 2010 after a 3-year remodeling. The old fire department is now an aviation museum.

The people at Hamilton found answers locally rather than trying to work with the Port of Los Angeles. It looks like every county in the country can figure out how to re-purpose an airbase except Merced County. Other counties bring in business while Merced County runs it off.

Buildings at Castle have sat vacant so long it will be difficult to save them. It still might be possible to turn the dorms at Castle into a senior living community. This has more promise than the ideas Mark Hendrickson and the county supervisors come up with.