5 Former Airports That Are Now The Sites Of Public Parks

Airports take up a lot of real estate and were often built right next to the city almost 100 years ago. Over the years, cities have grown and enclosed the airport, limiting the expansion of the airport. Eventually, a new, larger airport will be built outside of the city, and the old airport will be abandoned. This can free up a huge amount of real estate that can then be transformed into a city park. For example, China’s Shanghai Longhua Airport has been partially transformed into a city park. Here are five former airports that are now city parks around the world.

1

Berlin Tempelhof Airport, Germany

Once one of the oldest airports in Berlin, it is now one of the world’s largest inner city parks, providing recreation for thousands

Germany’s Berlin Tempelhof Airport has become one of the newest and largest airports to be transformed into a city park. It was one of the first airports in Berlin and was regarded as one of the most iconic pre-WW2 airports in Europe. The airport ceased operations in 2008 (leaving the other Berlin airports, Tegel and Schonefeld serving the city).

Photo: hanohiki l Shutterstock

Converting the sprawling airport into a park created one of the world’s largest free inner city spaces (larger than Central Park). Berlin Tempelhof Airport is situated in the center of Berlin and is now the largest park in Berlin. In 2020, the much-delayed Berlin Brandenburg Airport opened.

2

Floyd Bennett Field, NYC

Floyd Bennett Field offers some of the best recreational opportunities in NYC’s Jamaica Bay today

Floyd Bennett Field was the first municipal airport in New York City to host commercial and general aviation. During WWII, it was used as a naval air station. Today, it offers over 1,300 acres of salt marshes, tidal mudflats, a marina, grassland, and (of course) the former airfield for people to enjoy. The National Park Service manages it as part of the Gateway National Recreation Area’s Jamaica Bay Unit.

The National Park Service says the airfield offers many recreational opportunities such as archery, ice skating, hockey, camping, biking, and other pursuits. The airfield is open daily from 06:00 to 21:00 (the visitor center is located in the old terminal building). Its days as an airport are not completely over, as one runway is still used for hobbyists flying radio-controlled aircraft, and part of it is still used as a helicopter base by the New York City Police Department.

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3

Mexico City Texcoco Airport, Mexico

Mexico City’s canceled Texcoco Airport is an unusual example of a project to build a large modern airport, but that project was canceled and turned into a park before completion. The airport project was announced in 2014, and construction began to create Mexico’s New International Airport. However, a change in government and an unfavorable referendum result saw the massive project canceled in 2018. The government said the new airport would be built in a more suitable location.

Photo: AGCuesta l Shutterstock

In 2020, Mexico announced that the abandoned airport project would be converted into the 29,500-acre Lake Texcoco Ecological Park (it will include public space and ecological restoration). The center of Mexico City is built on the (now mostly drained) Lake Texcoco, a large former lake famous for Aztec cities like Tenochtitlan.

4

Ellinikon International Airport, Greece

The Hellenikon Metropolitan Park, being built on the former airport, is an example of building a greener and healthier city

Wedged between the mountains and the sea, flat land real estate is a valuable commodity in Athens. Athens’ abandoned Ellinikon International Airport served the Greek capital for more than 60 years, but it was closed in 2001 after the opening of Athens’ new international airport. It took almost twenty years before work began to transform it into a park and new city development.

Today, the Hellenikon Metropolitan Park is being built on the site of the former airport. The project will include a 3.7-acre lake, over 3 million plants, 31,000 trees, luxury homes, a marina, shops, and more. The new development will combine new city dwellings and other buildings with ample green space. It will stand in stark contrast to the densely packed city surrounding it.

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5

Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California

The former Marines airbase is now home to the Orange County Great Park in the Los Angeles metropolitan area

The former Marine Corps Air Station El Toro is now the Orange County Great Park in Irvine, California. The former airbase was the home of Marine Corps Aviation on the West Coast before it was decommissioned in 1999. The airbase was able to handle the largest military aircraft and used to receive Air Force One jets when Presidents visited Los Angeles.

Photo: Steve Cukrov l Shutterstock

Today, the Great Park is “a visionary plan for a variety of park amenities and space.” Over 500 acres of park space have been completed, and another roughly 300 acres are in progress. The park, built with a focus on sports, the arts, and agriculture, has become one of the great recreational destinations in the Los Angeles area.