Fort Monroe Authority director outlines landscape action plan, funding and design competition

Scott Martin, executive director of the Fort Monroe Authority, told the Hampton City Council the authority will begin a landscape action plan and pursue physical and programmatic improvements to the Fort Monroe site as part of a new phase of stewardship.

Martin said Fort Monroe, a National Historic Landmark managed jointly by the Commonwealth of Virginia and the U.S. National Park Service, hosts roughly a half million visitors annually and has about 600 residents, with roughly 99% of residential units leased. He said private residential development projects underway include the Echelon project, which he said would add roughly 150 new residents, and that the Commonwealth has allocated about $50 million for infrastructure work to repair water and sewer lines.

Why it matters: Fort Monroe is a high-profile public historic and ecological site in Hampton. Martin described the coming landscape plan as an opportunity to balance historic preservation, ecological resilience and public programming, and to make the site more pedestrian-oriented and “sacred” in the sense of quiet, reflective public space.

Martin framed the effort as design-led and partnership-driven. He described the authority’s intent to run an international design competition judged by a jury that will include architecture deans from the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech, the president of the U.S. Cultural Landscape Foundation, and Hampton University’s chair of architecture. He said more than 130 firms reviewed the site at a recent RFP site visit, including designers of the High Line, Bryant Park and The Presidio.

Martin said the authority is funded to proceed with the landscape action plan and that Phase 1 utilities are funded; he added the authority had requested funding for Phase 2 utilities in the governor’s budget and expected an update when the governor’s budget is released later in the summer. He also noted ongoing work on historic building preservation and an African Landing Memorial scheduled to open this fall; he said Fenwick Road will be closed to vehicle traffic to make the memorial a pedestrian experience.

On sustainability and revenue, Martin identified four revenue streams the authority will rely on to operate the site long term: earned revenue, philanthropic investment, partnerships (including with the City of Hampton), and Commonwealth support. He cited The Presidio’s model — revenue-generating leased buildings and adaptive infrastructure such as buildings on rails to respond to sea-level rise — as an example of balancing public access and financial sustainability.

Martin emphasized the authority will honor existing governance commitments and previous design studies rather than discarding earlier work. He described the landscape action plan process as civic engagement–centered and said a draft plan would be presented to the Commonwealth and the city in July 2026. He said the authority will host public events when finalists for the design competition come to town.

Quotes: “This is about a new Fort Monroe… It will build from its history while leaving room to make history for people that have yet to arrive,” Martin said. He also told council, “This stuff ain’t cheap… Ecological. It’s non negotiable,” emphasizing cost and ecological priorities.

What council heard and next steps: Council members and the city manager thanked Martin and noted connections between the Fort Monroe effort and wider city planning work; the city manager said consultant Mitchell Silver will join a joint planning retreat in September that will coordinate Fort Monroe concepts with citywide planning. Martin said the authority will return with design competition finalists and community engagement opportunities as the plan develops.

Ending: Martin closed by saying he looked forward to working with the city and community. The authority’s timeline calls for a draft landscape action plan by July 2026 and ongoing fundraising and utilities work in phases as budget approvals occur.