Development of Former Army Base Is Proposed

The Presidio, this city’s last swath of available prime real estate, would be a residential and tourist destination under a plan unveiled Wednesday. But officials who oversee the land--a former headquarters of the 6th Army and now a national park--promise they will not sacrifice an island of tranquillity for a commercial circus.

In opening the Presidio to the public, Congress said it must be self-sufficient by 2013. That requirement, along with $600 million worth of renovations needed to preserve current buildings, prompted officials to turn to new housing, shops and possibly hotels as revenue sources.

The Presidio Trust’s seven-member board must approve the plan, and a vote probably will not occur before February.