FORT MONROE UPDATE, MAY 2011

CFMNP (Citizens for a Fort Monroe National Park)

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Important Request for e-mails & letters to Congressional Delegation

In case you haven't written to a member of the Congressional delegation about Fort Monroe, please try to write before May 15, by which time the scope of a Fort Monroe National Park may be decided.  Here is a letter expressing our basic message that you can put in your own words.  Thanks!

Dear [Congressman or Senator], 

Fort Monroe has belonged to the American people for almost two centuries, and it should retain its public character through the creation of a substantial Fort Monroe National Park. I fully support the Fort Monroe Authority's concept of a National Park with boundaries around the entire property and, within those boundaries, substantial green space in addition to the fortress area designated for National Park Service management. I hope that eventually more Fort Monroe property can be transferred to the National Park Service for its management.

Beyond this, there are good economic reasons for a National Park at Fort Monroe of this scope. The more emphatic the National Park presence, the greater the appeal to tourists. Hampton can become a destination city for national and international tourists, as well as for repeat regional tourists who want to enjoy a great urban national park. Also, businesses and residents are attracted to areas with the beauty, status, and stability that a larger National Park would provide.

I urge you to continue your efforts in support of a substantial National Park at Fort Monroe.

Sincerely,

Contact Information and Links

Senator Webb

Use contact form at http://webb.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Washington, DC Office

248 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510

Phone: (202) 224-4024, Toll Free: 1- (866) 507-1570, Fax: (202) 228-6363

Virginia Beach Office

222 Central Park Avenue, Suite 120, Virginia Beach, VA 23462

Phone: (757) 518-1674, Fax: (757) 518-1679

Senator Warner

Use contact form at http://warner.senate.gov/public//index.cfm?p=ContactPage

Washington, DC Office

459A Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510

Phone: (202) 224-2023, Toll Free: 1- (877) 676-2759 [VA residents only], Fax: (202) 224-6295

Norfolk Office

101 W. Main Street, Suite 4900, Norfolk, VA 23510

Phone: (757) 441-3079, Fax: (757) 441-6250

United States Senate

Contact information for any United States Senator at

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm?State=FL

 Representative Scott Rigell, Virginia, 2^nd

Use contact form at http://rigell.house.gov/Contact/ContactForm.htm

Washington, DC Office

327 Cannon HOB, Washington, DC 20515

Phone: (202) 225-4215, Fax: (202) 225-4218

Virginia Beach Office

4772 Euclid Road, Suite E, Virginia Beach, VA 23462

Phone: (757) 687-8290, Fax: (757) 687-8298

Representative Bobby Scott, Virginia, 3^rd

          Use contact form at http://forms.house.gov/bobbyscott/webforms/issue_subscribe.htm

Washington, DC Office
1201 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-8351 | FAX (202) 225-8354

Hampton Roads Office
2600 Washington, Ave, Suite 1010, Newport News, VA 23607
(757) 380-1000 | FAX (757) 928-6694 

Representative Robert J. Wittman, Virginia, 1^st

Use contact form at https://forms.house.gov/wittman/webforms/webforms/issue_subscribe.htm

Washington D.C. Office
1317 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515

Phone: (202) 225-4261, Fax: (202) 225-4382

Yorktown Office
4904-B G. Washington Mem. Hwy, Yorktown, VA 23692

Phone: (757) 874-6687, Fax: (757) 874-7164

Representative J. Randy Forbes, Virginia, 4^th

             Use contact form at http://forbes.house.gov/Contact/ZipAuth.htm

Washington D.C. Office
2438 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225 – 6365, (202) 226 - 1170 (fax)
Chesapeake District Office
505 Independence Parkway, Suite 104, Chesapeake, VA 23320
(757) 382 – 0080, (757) 382 - 0780 (fax)

List of Links for Representatives (by state) at http://www.house.gov/representatives/

House of Representatives

Contact information for any United States Representative at https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

We encourage you to send a copy of your e-mails and letters to FortMonroeUpdate@yahoo.com

or Citizens for a Fort Monroe National Park, PO Box 097, Fort Monroe, VA 23651.

Leaseholds at Fort Monroe

As you may have heard, the Fort Monroe Authority (FMA) is taking a close look at the feasibility of leasing as its exclusive means of filling its managed properties with revenue generating residents and businesses. State law currently disfavors any fee simple sales of Fort Monroe lands.  CFMNP has long been an advocate for all of Fort Monroe remaining in the hands of the public, with no sell off of precious public lands, while supporting leasing of properties to generate revenue needed to sustain Fort Monroe. 

A consultant for FMA has raised a number of issues (availability of financing, access to secondary markets and availability of mortgage insurance, as well as general marketability) with respect to one kind of lease that FMA had been interested in, the long-term, prepaid residential lease.  FMA has eyed these leases for its most appealing historic residences and as a means of generating up front funding for near term infrastructure needs.

FMA has established a Leasehold Feasibility Working Group to look closely at the prepaid leasehold and make recommendations to the full FMA on the subject, no later than November 2011.  FMA Chief Operating Officer John Hutcheson heads up the group, FMA member Bob  Aston is a member, and CFMNP's Mark Perreault and Louis Guy are members, among others.

The issues before the Working Group are in many respects highly technical but, in other respects, are simple and fundamental. CFMNP will be working on this issue, like all issues at Fort Monroe, with the intent of assuring the long term protection and sustainability of Fort Monroe as a grand public place for the nation and region.

The issues raised by the consultant do not arise with commercial leases or short term residential leases, so the use of those leases is not at issue.

An Invitation to Attend the 150^th Anniversary Celebration

Escape for Freedom: From Slave to Contraband

Fort Monroe May 21 and 24, 2011

More information at http://contrabandhistoricalsociety.org/ or call (757) 325-0678