Governor Spanberger Announces $20 Million for Housing Redevelopment Projects at Fort Monroe

HAMPTON, VA - Governor Abigail Spanberger today announced that Echelon Resources Inc. - a Virginia-based, family-owned real estate development firm - will invest $20 million to redevelop two historic buildings into residential housing at Fort Monroe.

These projects will rehabilitate and adaptively reuse Fort Monroe's historic Post Hospital and Old Arsenal Building, creating at least 80 new units and increasing the supply of available housing in Hampton. The new $20 million investment builds on two existing redevelopment projects led by Echelon Resources Inc. at Fort Monroe, which have created 78 new apartments that will begin leasing next month. In total, Echelon Resources Inc. has committed to investing more than $35 million in sustainably redeveloping the Fort Monroe National Historic Landmark District.

"Across our Commonwealth, one of the things I hear most from Virginians is the need for more housing options," said Governor Abigail Spanberger. "This public-private partnership between the Fort Monroe Authority and Echelon Resources Inc. is exactly the kind of project that can increase the supply of housing in every corner of the Commonwealth. Not only does this continued investment work to address Virginia's housing shortage, but it does so in a really innovative and exciting way through adaptive reuse of historic buildings."

Governor Spanberger continued, "This is a long-term investment in Fort Monroe. The history at this site is important to Virginia's story - as the first landing of enslaved Africans in North America - and it is paramount that we make sure to treat this location with respect and dignity."

"Fort Monroe has a unique landscape, steeped in American history - a place where preservation, conservation, and economic growth can work together to increase local options for housing," said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Carrie Chenery. "I look forward to working with Governor Spanberger and the entire cabinet on finding ways we can increase housing production at the state level. Today's announcement is an example of the type of collaboration we hope to see more of across the Commonwealth."

"Fort Monroe is truly one of Virginia's most historically significant places. Today, I am excited that we are celebrating Fort Monroe's latest chapter by embracing our history while also addressing one of our Commonwealth's most pressing issues - access to housing," said Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources David Bulova. "Virginia's historic tax credit program is essential to creating these public-private partnerships and making a real difference in the lives of Virginia families."

"There's no better example of adaptive reuse than what we are seeing here at Fort Monroe," said Vice-Mayor Steven Brown, City of Hampton. "This project will preserve the history of this site, while at the same time, leveraging public-private partnerships so more Virginians can call this beautiful place home."

"Jane Jacobs said that the success of communities is when new ideas come to old buildings," said Fort Monroe Authority CEO Scott Martin. "Today we elevate that notion as Virginia, through this partnership, creates new family residences in a National Historic Landmark."

"These historic buildings have long predated us. And if we do our jobs right, then they will long outlast us," said Echelon Resources Inc. Owner Edwin Gaskin. "My role as developer is one of responsible steward. By breathing new life into these buildings, we can make sure Fort Monroe continues to serve as a home to Virginians for generations to come."

The Post Hospital, constructed in 1898 with later additions, served as Fort Monroe's primary military medical facility for decades. The adjacent Old Arsenal Building - constructed circa 1860 following the destruction of the original post arsenal in 1855 - is a Civil War-era masonry structure. Both projects will utilize the Virginia Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits Program that supports property owners who undertake the rehabilitation of historic buildings in compliance with the Secretary of Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.

BACKGROUND

Fort Monroe in Hampton, Virginia is a 565-acre National Historic Landmark and national monument where pivotal events in American history - including the 1619 arrival of the first Africans in English North America and the 1861 Contraband Decision - shaped the nation's story of freedom. Through a comprehensive Landscape Action Plan, the Fort Monroe Authority is guiding strategic investment in historic preservation, resilient infrastructure, and public access to strengthen the site's long-term sustainability, economic impact, and national and international significance.

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