FORT MONROE DRAFT INTERPRETIVE MASTER PLAN TECHNICAL SUPPORT MANUAL - VOL. 1 PROJECT #: FMFADA -101-2009 Submitted to the: By: Fort Monroe Federal Area Development Authority Interpretive Solutions, Inc. West Chester, PA 19382 Old Quarters #1 151 Bernard Road In association with: Fort Monroe, VA 23651 Leisure Business Advisors, LLC Richmond, VA 23223 and Trudy O’Reilly Public Relations JUNE 24, 2010 Hampton, VA 23661 Cover illustration credit: "Fortress Monroe, Va. and its vicinity". Jacob Wells, 1865. Publisher: Virtue & Co. Courtesy the Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the Boston Public Library Fort Monroe Interpretive Master Plan Technical Support Manual June 24, 2010 Interpretive Solutions, Inc. FORT MONROE DRAFT INTERPRETIVE MASTER PLAN TECHNICAL SUPPORT MANUAL Table of Contents Executive Summary . 6 Three Urgent Needs . 7 Part 1: Introduction . 8 1.1. Legislative Powers of the Fort Monroe Authority . 9 1.2. The Programmatic Agreement . 9 1.3 Strategic Goals, Mission and Purpose of the FMA . 10 1.3 The Interpretive Master Plan . 10 1.3.1 Project Background . 11 1.3.2 The National Park Service Planning Model . 12 1.3.3 Phased Approach . 13 1.3.4 Planning Team Overview . 13 1.3.5 Public Participation . 14 Part 2: Background . 16 2.1 The Hampton Roads Setting . 16 2.2 Description of the Resource . 17 2.3 Brief Historical Overview . 19 2.4 Prior Planning . 22 2.5 The Natural Resources Working Group . 22 2.6. The African American Culture Working Group . 22 Part 3: Foundation for Planning . 24 3.1 Significance of Fort Monroe . 24 3.2 Primary Interpretive Themes . 26 3.3 Target Audiences . 27 3.4 Results of Visitor Survey . 30 3.5 Desired Visitor Experiences . 31 3.6 Issues and Influences . 33 Part 4: Recommendations . 34 4.1 Interpretive and Educational partnerships . 34 4.1.1 Museums . 36 4.1.2 Other Organizations . 51 4.1.3 Interpretive Networks . 57 Fort Monroe Interpretive Master Plan Technical Support Manual June 24, 2010 Interpretive Solutions, Inc. 1 4.2 Interpretive Venues . 58 4.2.1 Analysis of Potential Exhibit Spaces . 59 4.2.2 The Post Exchange (PX) as Fort Monroe’s . 61 Visitor Center 4.2.3 Evaluation of Potential Environmental . 63 Education Exhibit Venues 4.2.4 Other Interpretive Venues for Natural . 64 Resources 4.2.5 Parking and Access Issues . 71 4.2.6 Circulator System . 71 4.3 Public Programs . 72 4.3.1 The Four Phases of Development . 72 4.3.2 Interpreting Theme 1 . 87 4.3.3 Interpreting Theme 2 . 88 4.3.4 Interpreting Theme 3 . 89 4.3.5 Interpreting Theme 4 . 90 4.3.6 Interpreting Theme 5 . 91 4.3.7 Interpreting Theme 6 . 93 4.4 Education Programs . 94 4.4.1 Inquiry-based Learning . 94 4.4.2 Teacher Institute Model . 98 4.4.3 Distance Learning . 101 4.5 Program Evaluation . 104 Part 5: The Recreation Plan . 106 Part 6: The Cultural Business Plan . 109 6.1 Objectives . 109 6.1.1 Public Access . 109 6.1.2 Showcase and Promote . 109 6.1.3 Preserve Historic Assets . 109 6.1.4 Economic Sustainability . 110 6.2 Physical Planning . 110 6.2.1 Potential Visitation . 110 ` 6.2.2 Potential Interpretive Buildings and . 112 Structures 6.2.3 Visitor Center and Related Facilities . 114 6.2.4 Natural Resources . 117 6.2.5 Other Recreational Facilities . 119 6.2.6 Conceptual Site Plan . 120 6.3. Governance and Management . 120 6.3.1 FMA Role in Managing Interpretation . 120 6.3.2 Non-profit Organization . 120 6.3.3 Partnerships . 120 6.3.4 Organizational Chart . 121 6.3.5 Staffing Plan . 122 Fort Monroe Interpretive Master Plan Technical Support Manual June 24, 2010 Interpretive Solutions, Inc. 2 6.4. Financial Analysis . 124 6.4.1 Revenue Potential Assessment . 125 6.4.2 Operating Pro Forma . 126 6.4.3 Development costs . 129 Part 7: Marketing Recommendations: Public Programs . 130 7.1 Executive Summary . 130 7.2 The Marketing Approach: Situation Analysis . 133 7.2.1 Market Demographics for Hampton Roads . 133 Visitors and Residents 7.2.2 Market Trends . 134 7.2.3 Market Growth . 134 7.2.4 SWOT Analysis . 135 7.2.5 Competition . 135 7.2.6 Product Offerings for Public Programs . 136 7.2.7 Keys to Success . 136 7.2.8 Critical Issues . 136 7.3. Marketing Recommendations . 137 7.3.1 Mission . 137 7.3.2 Marketing Objectives . 137 7.3.3 Financial Objectives . 137 7.3.4 Target Markets . 137 7.3.5 Positioning . 137 7.3.6 Positioning Outcomes . 138 7.3.7 Elements of the Marketing Mix . 138 7.4 Marketing Research . 139 7.4.1 Hampton Roads Tourism-Economic Impact . 140 7.5 Marketing Strategies and Tactics . 140 7.5.1 Tools to implement strategies and tactics: . 142 Part 8: Potential Funding Sources . 144 8.1 Urban circulator Program . 144 8.2 Watershed Programs . 144 8.3 History Programs . 145 Fort Monroe Interpretive Master Plan Technical Support Manual June 24, 2010 Interpretive Solutions, Inc. 3 Figures and Tables Figure 1, Map of Fort Monroe . 15 Figure 2, Potential partner commitments: Museums . 50 Figure 3, Visitor kiosk at Gettysburg National Historic Park . 62 Figure 4, Front view of Building #32, current RV office . 64 Figure 5, Rear view of Building #32, current RV office, showing . 65 site that could be modified for launching paddle craft. Figure 6, Shoreline of Mill Creek offers potential site for . 65 amphitheater Figure 7, Typical marker identifying cell phone information . 66 Figure 8, Map of Upper Peninsula . 67 Figure 9, View of live oak stand at Fort Monroe parade grounds . 68 Figure 10, Example of typical wayside exhibit in park environment. 68 Figure 11, Existing infrastructure supporting wildlife viewing . 69 Figure 12, Grassy area between the Bay Breeze and Battery Church . 70 Figure 13, Map of Phase 1 . 77 Figure 14, Map of Phase 2 . 80 Figure 15, Map of Phase 3 . 83 Figure 16, Map of Phase 4 . 86 Figure 17, Map of Recreation Venues . 108 Table 6-1, Targeted Annual Visitation to Fort Monroe . 111 Table 6-2, Visitor Center Sizing Based on Visitation for . 114 Comparable Historic Attractions Table 6-3, Size of Selected Nature Centers . 115 Table 6-4, Recommended Visitor Services and Heritage- . 116 Related Program Components Fort Monroe Interpretive Master Plan Technical Support Manual June 24, 2010 Interpretive Solutions, Inc. 4 Table 6-5, Recommended Visitor Program Components . 118 Involving Natural Resources Table 6-6, Recommended Recreational Components . 119 Figure 6-1, Recommended Organizational Chart for FMA’s Public . 122 Programs Department Table 6-7, Recommended FMA Staffing Plan for Public . 123 Programs Table 6-8, Potential Revenue-Generating Concessionaires or . 125 Tenants Table 6-9 & 10, Operating Pro Forma for Fort Monroe Public . 127 Programs Table 6-11, Indicative Capital Cost Amounts . 129 Fort Monroe Interpretive Master Plan Technical Support Manual June 24, 2010 Interpretive Solutions, Inc. 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Interpretive Master Plan for the Fort Monroe Authority creates a vision for public and educational programming at this former Army base that supports the creation of a vibrant residential, business, and resort community that will also attract tourists to its outstanding historical, natural, and recreational assets. The plan recommends: • An “umbrella” theme that emphasizes the Fort’s role throughout history in the long and continuing struggle to achieve and protect American freedoms. • Interpretive themes that address The Natural Environment, The Virginia Indians, The African American Experience, The Civil War, The Defense of the Nation, and The Old Point Comfort Resorts, all braided together in a story that embraces thousands of years of American history. • Diverse target audiences, including: o Day visitors seeking both heritage and recreational experiences o Longer-stay vacationers o Learners School groups Teacher learners Distance learners Family learners Adult life-long learners o Residents and office workers • Programming provided through interpretive and educational partnerships with a wide range of museums, interpretive networks and other organizations. • The buildings and other venues that provide the best settings in which to interpret Fort Monroe’s many stories, including the Army’s former PX, transformed into a Visitor Center that will function at the heart of the visitor experience. • Interpretive media ranging from brochures to guided tours to living history programs to exciting new technologies that build on the national leadership of Hampton Roads industries in the field of modeling and simulation. • Educational programs conducted on site and via the Internet, including a Teacher Institute that empowers teachers to bring inquiry-based learning to their classrooms. • Development of recreational facilities that highlight Fort Monroe’s location on one of the largest undeveloped beaches in Virginia. • Forward-looking strategies for interpretive and educational programming that will enhance their sustainability and contribute to the financial success of this exceptional opportunity to serve the public. • Development (start-up) costs of $1,160,000 in the first year and annual operating budgets of $1,038,000-$1,705,000 for Fiscal Years 1-10 (today’s dollars; not adjusted for inflation) Fort Monroe Interpretive Master Plan Technical Support Manual June 24, 2010 Interpretive Solutions, Inc. 6 THREE URGENT NEEDS While the Interpretive Master Plan calls for a large number of initiatives over the next fifteen years, three steps are critical to the success of the Plan and should be undertaken immediately. These are: 1. Provide more support for African American theme. Most of the primary interpretive themes identified for Fort Monroe/Old Point Comfort are sponsored by partners with the expertise and wherewithal to support them and to help present them to the public. This is not the case with the African American Life theme.