The reimagining of Chula Vista’s shoreline continues as the Port of San Diego prepares to introduce new public amenities designed to enhance the waterfront expanse opposite the glistening Gaylord resort. Tuesday, the Board of Port Commissioners for the San Diego Unified Port District took the step s required to start the first phase of construction for the Harbor Park Uplands Improvements project. The initial $15-million project will introduce a playground, splash pad, picnic areas and new landscaping on the lot between H Street and Sandpiper Way, just south of the newly opened Gaylord Pacific Resort and Convention Center. The board voted unanimously to allocate an additional $2 million to the project, approve playground planning documents and authorize staff to enter into a $10.5-million construction contract with BNBuilders. With the actions, the agency said construction on the playground will start in March. Work on the splash pad is expected to begin after the board signs off on the planning documents in April. The entirety of the phase-one improvements are expected to be completed in a year. “Right now it’s an empty dirt lot and it’s across the street from a billion-dollar resort that, by the way, has been very successful so far,” said Commissioner Ann Moore, who is chair of the board and represents the city of Chula Vista. “I think it’s really important that we actually put investment into this dirt lot to transform it into something that I believe is going to be special not only for the community, of course, but also as part of our investment for this resort that we have there.” A rendering of the south phase of the Port of San Diego's Harbor Park Uplands Improvement project, which will cost $15 million and feature a playground and splash pad. (Port of San Diego) Sandwiched between Marine Group Boat Works and the existing fishing pier, and steps away from the Gaylord resort, Harbor Park is intended as a larger and much-improved version of today’s Bayside Park, where eventually a beach, boat launch and other public amenities will turn the quiet bayfront park into a bustling attraction. It is considered a key piece of the Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan, which covers 556 acres of land and was certified by the San Diego Unified Port District in 2010. The park project has been in the works for several years. In June, the board awarded what’s known as a progressive design-build contract to BNBuilders after a competitive solicitation process. The agreement allowed the port and the construction company to work collaboratively on the park’s final design before negotiating a guaranteed maximum price for construction. Tuesday, the board gave agency staff the ability to OK two guaranteed maximum prices for the south phase of the park project — one for the playground and one for the splash pad — for a total of $10.5 million. The initial phase of park improvements covers four acres of land just south of the Gaylord resort, and is distinct from a not-yet-funded phase of upgrades to the area along the bay. When completed, the Harbor Park project will increase the existing Bayside Park footprint from 12 acres to 25 acres. The south phase’s most prominent elements are the playground and splash pad. The playground is described as a 25,000 square-foot, nautical-themed area with a “climbable crow’s nest,” play slope and accessible equipment. The splash pad, which is still being designed, will be 1,100 square feet and include jets and user-activation controls. Port of San DiegoHarbor Park will be developed in two phases, starting with the $15-million south phase. The port has yet to identify funding for the north phase, which will include a beach and boat launch. (Port of San Diego) Additional improvements include new landscaping, pedestrian and bike paths connecting E and H Streets to the existing Bayside Park, picnic tables, benches, shade structures and trees. The port is using a combination of funding sources to pay for the initial $15-million phase of work. Tuesday, the board allocated $2 million in proceeds from its lease with Marine Group Boat Works to the project. Other funding sources include a $2.2-million grant, and $6 million in previously allocated funds from an account reserved for Chula Vista improvements. The Harbor Park progress follows the April 2025 opening of the port’s 39-acre nature-themed Sweetwater Park, which is also on the Chula Vista bayfront and north of the Gaylord resort. ...read more read less