The Virginian-Pilot
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RICHMOND
The state authority overseeing Fort Monroe in Hampton has reached a compromise with historic preservationists who were worried that a plan to sell off some of the former Army base might fail to protect its historic status.
The compromise will allow the Fort Monroe Authority to proceed with its plan to sell properties in certain areas of the fort without getting permission from the governor and General Assembly, as is required under current law.
Legislation (HB580, SB473) allowing such sales is advancing through the Assembly with no apparent opposition.
The authority wants to sell selected properties to raise revenue needed to make Fort Monroe self-sustaining. The Army vacated the 565-acre waterfront fort in September, and President Barack Obama designated parts of the historic post - about 240 acres - as a national monument.
Del. Gordon Helsel, R-Poquoson, told a House subcommittee this week that the authority originally planned to use long-term leaseholds - in which buyers purchase the right to lease a home for 50 years or longer but don't technically own the property - but found that plan to be unfeasible.
The legislation eases restrictions on selling properties in the fort's historic village and the adjacent north gate area. Any sales would come with easements requiring owners to preserve the historic integrity of the property.
Sales within the old moated inner fort and the nearby Wherry Quarter would still be subject to approval by the governor and the legislature.
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Property Tax
Who gets the property tax on the land that is sold? I would expect it to go to the City of Hampton. Hampton should give most of that back to preserve the Fort. The preservation will benefit all of Hampton in the end, so the city would benefit from a financially strong National Park more than they would benefit from the property tax.
With the property tax out of the way, then there will be less political influence. The City will not benefit as much so they shouldn't be an influence in what land is sold.
Also, can any of the office buildings be rented to small businesses? That would be an excellant use of the space and possibly good income.
Everyone agrees that Ft Monroe should generate revenue
From the start, everyone has agreed that Ft Monroe's assets should be used to generate revenue -- the fine old residences, the campuslike office buildings, the marina, for example. The question of Hampton's financial involvement hasn't been so simple, though. I've been amazed from the start that so many people simply assume that Hampton somehow owns Fort Monroe. I mean, if the commonwealth somehow obtained Monticello and Mount Vernon, would we donate them to Charlottesville and Alexandria for "redevelopment"? Ft Monroe should become a taxpayer-minimally-burdening Grand Public Place built on the foundation of a _real_ national park, not the fake national park that our leaders snookered the president into declaring. Thanks.
Will they come back next year and demand to sell the bayfront?
It's crucial to fix the present fake national park by connecting its two parts. Otherwise, the big gap on the Wherry bayfront will ruin the sense of place. It's like planning a subdivision on a Monticello hillside. Powerful people still intend to treat this public treasure as a plum for private benefit. So here's the question: Given that longstanding grim intention, what are the assurances that next year, the story won't be, oh, golly, we gotta sell that Wherry bayfront land too? Thanks. Steven T. Corneliussen, SaveFortMonroe@gmail.com (P.S.: I co-founded that worthy citizens group and have worked on this issue for more than six years.)
As usual, once the State had
As usual, once the State had control, it turned into a political and diversity battle.