Ft. Monroe to transfer to Va. by 2012

HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) - Fort Monroe is on schedule to close on September 15, but the transfer of the property to the state of Virginia will not be complete until early 2012.

All Army personal property will be removed from the 375 acre base over the next several months. The Army will also complete all regulatory documentation and get facilities on the property that will not be immediately used ready for the transition.

Fort Monroe will be managed by the Fort Monroe Authority once the transfer is complete.

The Board of Trustees says the five key essentials for reuse of the Army mission are:

• Respect the site's historic assets
• Open the site to the public
• Achieve economic sustainability
• Create an open space park
• Allow new development within strict limits

Finished in 1834, Fort Monroe is the largest stone fort ever built in the United States. It was slated for closure by the federal government in 2005 as part of a round of base closings intended to save money.