Public to get look at plans for Hook
Environmental assessment of Fort Hancock plan to be released for comment
SANDY HOOK — The public could have access to information on the environmental impact of a plan to redevelop part of historic Fort Hancock on Sandy Hook as early as today.
According to Richard Wells, Sandy Hook deputy superintendent, the park service plans to make available its 120-page Environmental Assessment of the entire redevelopment planned at Fort Hancock, including the Fort at Sandy Hook, a proposal for the adaptive reuse of 36 historic buildings by a private developer, sometime between today and Tuesday.
Once the environmental assessment becomes available, the public has 30 days in which to comment before the agreement with Sandy Hook Partners, based on Sandy Hook, can be finalized.
The assessment will be posted on two Web sites and will be available in print format at libraries and at the National Park Service headquarters on Sandy Hook.
It is also available at the Greater Media Newspapers Web site: www.gmnews.com.
Information about the environmental assessment of the proposal by Sandy Hook Partners, which has signed a letter of intent with the park service for a 60-year lease of 36 properties, including 17 of the 19 Officers Row buildings, has been unavailable to the public because the National Park Service Web site has not been operational for several months.
Under pressure to make the information available to the public, the park service has arranged to have the environmental assessment posted on two hosting Web sites as early as today. The Web sites are www.littoralsociety.org, the Web site for the American Littoral Society, Sandy Hook; and www.njparksandforestry.org, the Web site for the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection and Energy, Division of Parks and Forestry.
Print copies will be available to read at local libraries and municipal buildings and at public buildings and park service headquarters on Sandy Hook.
Copies may be obtained for $5 at the Office of the Superintendent of Gateway National Recreation Area, Sandy Hook, 589 Magruder Road, Fort Hancock, or by mail by writing to Superintendent, Sandy Hook, P.O. Box 530, Magruder Road, Fort Hancock, NJ 07732.
According to Wells, the park service will also distribute 4,000 informational flyers about the plan and will place advertisements about the project in local newspapers.
Park staff will also be available to talk to local groups about the redevelopment project. Presentations can be scheduled by contacting the office of the superintendent at (732) 872-5910.
Wells said the park service plans to hold one or two open houses during which the public can tour some of the buildings proposed for redevelopment, see the Sandy Hook Partners’ plan, discuss the project with park officials and make oral or written comments.
The environmental assessment focuses on the environmental impact of the park service plan for the adaptive reuse of Fort Hancock and the Sandy Hook Proving Ground, referred to by the service as Fort Hancock Gateway Village, including the portion to be redeveloped privately, Wells said.
The assessment by the park service focuses on the impact on the Sandy Hook environment of plans to rehabilitate a total of 97 buildings by the park service, nonprofit educational and environmental organizations headquartered on Sandy Hook and Sandy Hook Partners. In addition, the park service plans to construct two new buildings.
In November, the National Park Service signed a letter of intent to lease 36 buildings at Fort Hancock to Sandy Hook Partners.
The private developer has made a commitment to secure $80 million to $90 million in financing for the Fort at Sandy Hook and tenants for the buildings.
According to the park service, the project will be divided among commercial, educational and environmental uses.
Environmental groups have expressed concern over the impact of the project on the fragile Sandy Hook ecosystem.
Additionally, conservationists have questioned whether reuse of the historic Fort Hancock structures for commercial uses including a restaurant, pub, conference center and office space would be appropriate.
The park service maintains it does not have the funding to preserve the deteriorating buildings and that private funds are the only way to save the historic structures.