Local representatives hope to facilitate restoration of the Fort Hancock buildings by requesting that the National Park Service appoint a lease liaison position and proceed on a building-by-building basis.

On July 7, U.S. Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D- 6th District) and Rush Holt (D-12th District) asked the superintendent of Gateway National Recreation Area (NRA) to select an individual to act as a liaison between the NPS and potential lessees.

“I don’t want commercialization; in other words, I’d like to see nonprofits, educational institutions, not someone who’s going to come in and open a store or a law office, but somebody whose purpose is akin to Sandy Hook,” Pallone said in an interview.

He said that optimal tenants would be nonprofits and similar organizations, and he specifically mentioned current tenants Rutgers University, Brookdale Community College and Clean Ocean Action as examples.

According to a press release from Pallone’s office, “The [liaison] would be specifically tasked with monitoring the restoration of buildings. The individual would also work as a liaison between the community and Gateway National Recreation Area’s Sandy Hook Unit to provide information to potential Fort Hancock building lessees.

“The liaison would provide logistical information about available space in the historic buildings and potential benefits such as rent subsidies and tax breaks for investing in the buildings.”

Pallone said that such a position would allow the leasing of the buildings on an individual basis, an approach that he said he and several invested tenants prefer.

“Pretty much everybody says the same thing: if you take the building-by-building approach rather than put this big package out … which is the approach that I like, building by building, you have to have some kind of liaison person who will help nonprofits and other groups figure out what has to be done and what the requirements are. They’re not going to have a huge contract or know how to figure this all out,” he said.

Pallone said that nonprofits would need assistance calculating the cost of restoration and what would be required during the process. A liaison would help provide this information.

According to the press release, “The appointment would also allow NPS to identify and move forward with optimal tenants on a building-by-building basis. The prior lease included 36 buildings and left the buildings to deteriorate until the lease was finally canceled.”

Holt emphasized the historical significance of the Hook’s fort.

“The historic buildings at Fort Hancock played an important role in our nation’s military history and it’s a shame that they have been allowed to fall into their current state of disrepair,” he said in the press release.

Pallone said that he and Holt are asking the superintendent of Gateway National Recreation Area to designate an individual with some expertise to serve as liaison.

“I think they understand what we’re asking for and why it’s a good idea, they just haven’t made a decision.”

In October 2009 an independent arbiter agreed upon by the NPS and Rumson developer James Wassel upheld the park service’s cancellation of Wassel’s 60-year lease to renovate and commercially develop at least 36 buildings at historic Fort Hancock.

The arbiter’s findings ended the 10-year process that began when Wassel’s proposal for the rehabilitation of historic buildings at the fort was selected by the park service in 1999 from among 22 submitted for consideration.

Wassel’s plans called for converting the buildings at the fort into offices, restaurants, overnight accommodations, conference centers, and educational and environmental facilities.

Wassel’s plan to commercialize the fort met with strong opposition from critics, including grassroots groups and Pallone.