Santa Monica Airport Is Becoming a Great Park — And It Could Transform West LA Real Estate | Stephanie Younger Group

Something significant is unfolding in the heart of West LA. Most buyers and homeowners in the surrounding neighborhoods don't fully appreciate what it means for their property values yet — but they should.

The Santa Monica Airport is closing on January 1, 2029. It sits on 190 acres of land between Santa Monica, Mar Vista, and Sunset Park. When it closes, it will become one of the largest new public parks created in Los Angeles in modern history. The City of Santa Monica just released the most detailed picture yet of what that transformation will look like.

This is a big deal. It matters not just for people who live near the airport today. It also matters for buyers throughout the entire westside corridor who want to understand where long-term value is being created. History tells us clearly what happens to real estate near new large-scale urban parks. The trajectory points sharply upward.

Where Things Stand Right Now

The City of Santa Monica recently released a draft Framework Diagram for the Santa Monica Airport Conversion Project. It follows nearly two years of public outreach. The city gathered input from 87 public meetings, 20 small group discussions with over 370 participants, more than 12,100 online survey responses, and over 50,000 project website visits.

That level of engagement is remarkable. It signals something important: this project has real momentum, genuine public support, and a city government committed to following through. This is not a theoretical vision sitting on a shelf. The Santa Monica Airport Conversion is a once-in-a-generation planning effort. It is centered on a Great Park, consistent with Measure LC — the voter-approved initiative that governs how this land can be used.

The airport is expected to close at the end of 2028. The Framework Diagram marks the beginning of Phase 3B of the planning process. The City Council will consider the framework in early May. After that, environmental review begins. The project is on track for a post-closure transformation starting in 2029.

Proposed Framework:

What the Park Will Actually Look Like

The draft Framework Diagram divides the 190-acre site into eight distinct districts. Each district has its own character and purpose. Reading through them, it is hard not to be struck by the scale of what is being proposed.

Here is a breakdown of the eight districts:

• Immersive Nature — a calm ecological landscape on the western portion of the site. It prioritizes native habitat and biodiversity.
• Active Sports — a structured regional athletic destination on the east side of the site. This district is designed for organized sports and large-scale recreation.
• Arts & Culture — a dynamic district organized around food, performance, and creative expression.
• Urban Edge — a connected district along the north side of the site. It extends the park into the surrounding neighborhood through adaptive reuse of existing structures.
• The Stroll — a welcoming green gateway serving as the park's front door from the Clover Park area.
• The Lawn — a flexible central gathering space. Think of it as the "living room" of the park.
• The Meadow — an intimate, community-focused landscape with adventure play and neighborhood-scale gathering spaces.
• The Heart — a civic core where architecture, landscape, and movement come together.

Community groups have praised the plan enthusiastically. Neil Carrey, president of the Santa Monica Airport2Park Foundation, called it inspiring. "It's as if we are getting eight parks in one," he said. That framing is apt — and it begins to hint at what this means for the surrounding real estate market.

Why This Matters for Property Values

To understand the real estate implications, some context helps. Santa Monica has long suffered a significant shortage of parks and open space. This shortage is felt directly by families competing for weekend picnic space and sports organizations unable to secure field time.

West LA is park-poor relative to its population density. That is a known constraint on quality of life throughout this corridor. It is also a factor that has historically made neighborhoods like Westchester and Playa Vista more attractive to families — simply because they have more open space nearby.

Adding a 190-acre world-class park adjacent to Mar Vista, Sunset Park, and Ocean Park changes that equation dramatically. Moreover, the real estate implications are not speculative. They are well-documented.

Research consistently shows that proximity to large, well-designed public parks adds meaningful value to nearby homes. Studies of comparable urban park transformations show property value increases of 5% to 25% for homes within half a mile of a major new park. The strongest effects happen in the years leading up to opening — and in the first several years after.

In other words, the time to pay attention is now — not after the ribbon is cut.

The Neighborhoods to Watch

Several West LA neighborhoods are particularly well-positioned to benefit from the airport conversion. Here is our honest read on each one.

Mar Vista is the neighborhood most directly positioned to benefit. The eastern edge of the airport property sits immediately adjacent to the Mar Vista residential grid. The Urban Edge district in the framework is oriented toward this side of the site. It is specifically designed to extend the park into surrounding neighborhoods. As a result, homes on the blocks closest to the airport land will look very different on a map in five years. Instead of sitting next to an active airport, they will sit adjacent to a major new park destination.

Sunset Park in Santa Monica runs along the northern and western edges of the airport. Properties there today carry airport noise as a trade-off against their location. In a few years, those same properties will have park access as an amenity instead. That is a complete reversal of the value equation for those blocks.

Ocean Park and the southern portions of Santa Monica will gain a major new park within walking and biking distance. That adds meaningfully to the already strong appeal of one of LA's most sought-after beach communities.

Mar Vista, Culver City, and the broader inland westside have long priced in a lack of major green space as a location trade-off. The airport conversion shifts that equation in a way that benefits the entire corridor.

One Important Question: Land Use

In the interest of giving you a complete picture, there is an ongoing debate about land use worth knowing about.

Proposed site concepts have ranged from a fully park-focused reuse to a hybrid model that includes up to 48 acres of new residential and commercial development. The current framework follows City Council direction toward a Measure LC-compliant plan — meaning no housing on the site. However, advocates on both sides of this question remain active, and the political conversation continues.

What is not in question is the airport closure itself. Santa Monica voters approved Measure LC. It prohibits new development on airport land except for parks, public open spaces, and public recreational facilities — unless voters approve otherwise. It also confirms the City Council's authority to close the airport after December 31, 2028. The airport is closing. The question is simply what the park looks like.

The City Council review expected in early May will be an important milestone. Buyers making decisions based on this project should follow it closely.

How to Have Your Say

The City of Santa Monica is actively seeking public input on the Framework Diagram. The community survey is open through April 26, 2026. If you live in one of the surrounding neighborhoods, this is a meaningful opportunity to shape what this park becomes. The survey and the full Framework presentation are available at SMACproject.com.

The framework will also be discussed at upcoming Los Angeles Neighborhood Council meetings. Mar Vista meets on April 23. Venice meets on April 21. These are the communities most directly adjacent to the site — and their input will shape what gets built.

What This Means If You're Buying or Selling

For buyers considering Mar Vista, Sunset Park, or the western portions of Culver City — this project is a compelling long-term value case. The airport conversion is a city-led transformation with a clear timeline, strong community support, and a detailed plan now in public review. The neighborhoods surrounding it will look materially different in three to five years. Buyers who understand that now are the ones who will benefit most.

For sellers in these neighborhoods, the airport conversion is part of your home's story — and it is a compelling one. A buyer who understands what is coming to this area can see the long arc of appreciation in your specific location. That narrative, told correctly, is a meaningful value driver.

And for anyone who has written off the airport-adjacent blocks of Mar Vista or Sunset Park because of noise or proximity concerns — it is time to take another look. The thing that made those streets feel like a trade-off is going away. What is replacing it is being carefully planned right now. By all accounts, it is going to be extraordinary.

Contact the Stephanie Younger Group at stephanieyounger.com/contact or call 310.499.2020. We would love to talk through what the airport conversion means for your specific neighborhood, property, or search. This is exactly the kind of local knowledge that makes a real difference.

Sources: City of Santa Monica Airport Conversion Project blog post and framework documentation, March 2026. Santa Monica Airport Conversion Project website, SMACproject.com. Stephanie Younger Group, Compass DRE 01365696.