HAMPTON, Va. — Opening the door to Building 100 at Fort Monroe is like opening a time capsule.
When News 3 went inside for this story, the more than 100-year-old building looked as it did when the U.S. Army left in 2011.
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For a decade afterward, the Fort Monroe Authority worked with the Army to get control of the property.
“We actually thought this would happen a lot quicker," Fort Monroe Authority Chief Operating and Financial Officer John Hutcheson said.
Now, development company Echelon Resources is expected to spend about a year turning the building and nearby Building 87 into 78 apartments.
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“The reality is, more people coming to Fort Monroe creates greater community. When the Army left, about 3,000 jobs went to Fort Eustis, and that had an economic impact on the city of Hampton," said Hutcheson. "So by reusing these buildings, it helps restore and repair that lost economic revenue to the city of Hampton.”
Because the buildings are historic, there are strict rules the developer will have to follow. But it’s a challenge the company president Edwin Gaskin said he's looking forward to.
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“This is a process with a lot of stakeholders, as it should be, because these buildings are very old. Beyond just being old, they play a vital part in both the fort’s history and, frankly, in American history. So we’re honored to walk that path with those stakeholders," said Gaskin.
Federal and state historic tax credit programs will be used to help cover the roughly $16 million cost. The company is confident changes in Washington or Richmond won’t impact the project.
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“We feel like these projects, financially, are well-positioned. The setting at Fort Monroe is singular, so we think we could adjust to any changes that are thrown at us," Gaskin said.
The two buildings are the first of 14 at Fort Monroe the company will eventually renovate. As of May 9, design work for the next three was expected to start in the summer.
