On Fort Monroe, new telltale signs are everywhere. And in this case, it is a good omen for the former military compound.
Signs to the Colonies RV Compound, where you can spend the night under the stars.
Signs to Quarters No. 1., where Abraham Lincoln once stayed and worked.
Signs to the Casemate Museum, where you can read about the “Contraband” slave history and why Fort Monroe is called “Freedom’s Fortress.”
And 14 others, too, with another 20 or so signs coming by August.
The Fort Monroe Authority’s “Wayfinding Signage Project” is a joint endeavor with the National Park Service to help motorists and tourists better navigate the 565-acre historic landmark district and find business and other attractions on the base.
The Fort Monroe Authority also wants to replace older Army signage.
The project comes with a $250,000 price tag — part of which is funding drawn from Virginia Department of Transportation resources and $100,000 from a U.S. Department of Defense grant, said John Hutcheson, the authority’s director of finance. The National Park Service will cover $125,000 of the total cost from its budget, he added.
The base is rich in history and lore, and since the Army pulled out in 2011, the Fort Monroe Authority has focused on making the national monument a showpiece in the Hampton Roads area.
Part of that focus has been to execute plans toward long-term commercial lease agreements for the million or so square feet of space and 98 acres of land that the state owns. The other part is adding the signage, which will help spruce up those areas not on the market.
Since May, as many as 17 new directional and location signs have been placed at various markers and sites of interest.
The Authority hired Westview Companies from Oilville, Va., for the contracting work and The 1717 Design Group, based in Richmond, to design and fabricate the signs.
In addition to those 17 signs, the contractor has also installed the foundations and structural steel for the three National Park Service Monument signs, authority officials said.
The next phase of installation is anticipated in the upcoming weeks, with a completion date set for late summer.
Last month, the Board of Trustees approved $5.8 million in state general fund allocation for its fiscal year that began July 1. It’s a $655,596 bump over the previous fiscal year due to a federal grant award, Hutcheson said.
The Authority continues to seek new revenue sources and hopes the long-term leases will help, officials said.
From its enterprise fund, the Authority collects roughly $3.5 million in income and fees a year through its residential and commercial business leasing.
Other revenue sources include Department of Transportation funds from Hampton, Casemate Museum fees, special event income and other grants.
