Full Text NOI for P19AC00404.docx

Full Text NOI for P19AC00404

PROJECT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

This project renews and expands a partnership among Historic Annapolis, the City of Annapolis, and the National Park Service to present Annapolis City Dock as a Chesapeake Gateway. Historic Annapolis and the City are working closely on an effort to provide expertise and resources to create City Dock as a unique space that will enhance the character and livability of the downtown while ensuring that all residents and visitors can access and enjoy the waterfront. Building on the recommendations of the Urban Land Institute Technical Assistance Panel report issued in January 2019, the City and Historic Annapolis, in partnership with the National Park Service, are seeking opportunities to bring the history of this working waterfront to life through programming, education, and investments which will enrich Annapolis' Maritime heritage.

The objectives of the award are three-fold: (1) craft a feasibility study for adaptive reuse of the William Burtis house to serve as a hub for activity at Annapolis City Dock; (2) engage stakeholders in building consensus on improvements to the character of the overall City Dock environment and expanding physical access to the Chesapeake Bay, including water-based experiences and connections with other gateway sites; (3) produce a detailed implementation strategy for carrying out those improvements; and (4) outline an interpretation and education plan for better connecting people with Annapolis’ historic maritime heritage.

STATEMENT OF PUBLIC PURPOSE

This National Park Service Chesapeake Office (NPS Chesapeake) award supports these particular public purposes: (1) the project engages recipients, partners, communities, and/or visitors in shared environmental stewardship; (2) the information, products and/or services identified or developed by this project will be shared through a variety of strategies to increase public awareness, knowledge and support for historic preservation and stewardship of the nation’s cultural and historical heritage; and (3) the project assists in the creation, promotion, facilitation, and/or improvement of the public’s understanding of natural, cultural, historic, recreational and other aspects of areas such as ecological conservation areas, and state and local parks.

Public purposes of this NPS Chesapeake financial assistance stems from the following:

A new Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement was signed in 2014 by the Governors of Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware and New York, the Mayor of the District of Columbia, the Chesapeake Bay Commission and the federal government. The agreement, authorized under the Clean Water Act, sets out goals, outcomes and processes for conserving and restoring the Chesapeake Bay watershed through 2025 through a collaborative partnership among federal, state and local governments, non-governmental organizations, and citizens. The agreement tasks the National Park Service with leadership responsibilities in fostering public stewardship, promoting and increasing public access, and conserving lands of highest value for hunting, fishing, wildlife and maintaining water quality.

The Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-312, Sections 501-2) authorizes the NPS to: identify, conserve, restore, and interpret natural, recreational, historical, and cultural resources within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed; identify and utilize the collective resources sites for enhancing public education of and access to the Chesapeake Bay; link sites with trails, tour roads, scenic byways, and other connections; develop and establish watertrails comprising water routes and connections to sites and other land resources within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed; and create a network of sites and watertrails.

The National Park Service Chesapeake Bay Office has long recognized the significance of Annapolis City Dock. The National Park Service has a history of partnering with the City of Annapolis (City) and Historic Annapolis to promote this area as an internationally recognized resource of outstanding significance. In 2001, a Memorandum of Understanding was executed between the City (in partnership with Historic Annapolis) and the National Park Service to formalize Annapolis City Dock’s participation in the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network. The purpose of this agreement was to advance the goals of the Gateway Network through educational opportunities, conservation and restoration practices, and by promoting access for Bay-related resources. Further, Annapolis City Dock sits within the Annapolis National Historic Landmark District, recognized by the National Park Service, and the William Burtis house at City Dock is a contributing resource to the district and is historically significant due to its association with the Burtis Family and Annapolis' maritime heritage.

STATEMENT OF WORK SUMMARY

This project will produce the following:

1. Feasibility study for the adaptive reuse of the Burtis House. The Burtis house is one of the last surviving remnants of the working maritime community at City Dock. The feasibility study will build on the analysis and recommendations provided in a 2017 Historic Structures Report on the building to evaluate: (a) resiliency considerations – modifications that can be made to the building under current zoning and protections for flooding; (b) Harbormaster relocation – the feasibility of relocating the harbormaster function to this property; and (c) Visitor services: interpretation and recreational programming and potential for modifying this building to provide visitor amenities that may include a welcome center and/or interactive exhibit space.

2. Outreach Strategy for Community Engagement and Consensus Building: This effort will engage stakeholders in building consensus around incorporating the most promising elements of the numerous planning efforts for improving the City Dock into a cohesive approach for a public experience that is more walkable, water accessible and greener. The outreach strategy will identify the expectations and needs of the community, working with groups to identify ways in which that access can be expanded. Stakeholder groups would include: City-wide residential and community interests; existing youth, community groups and non-profits; downtown businesses, specifically city dock businesses; business organizations (Downtown Annapolis partnership, Maryland Avenue association, the Chamber of Commerce); working Maritime businesses and clubs; advocacy groups, to include art, recreation, bicycling, sailing and maritime disability groups; city boards/agencies; and federal, state and local agencies.

3. Implementation Strategy for the Annapolis City Dock: This will reflect the priorities identified during the community outreach effort which will include but are not limited to the following future investments by a wide range of partners: expanded open space and activity area at the end of City Dock to create a ‘Sense of Place’ which will serve as a ‘Gateway to the Bay’; replacing blacktop and parking with extensive greening and water-compatible, natural surfaces; programmed Activity Areas with direct access to the Bay; phased resiliency efforts in coordination with the United States Naval Academy; walkway adjacent to the water with pedestrian and bicycle connections; enhanced Maritime Heritage activities and displays, including in-water displays; and Burtis House repurposing with accessible public information, services and educational displays. The ‘Implementation Strategy’ will identify necessary actions including funding sources, timing and phasing and responsible departments with interagency coordination.

4. Interpretive Education Master Plan for City Dock. This planning effort will research, develop, and interpret the history of the City Dock area and prepare interpretive programs and program opportunities to enrich the visitor experience. A goal of the interpretive education master plan is to link Historic Annapolis, the City and the National Park Service to school programs, to the civic and business community, and to the broader maritime community through boating events and activities. As part of the education master plan, we will explore partnership opportunities with other heritage sites and organizations, such as the Maritime Museum and Gateway Network organizations.

UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS

Historic Annapolis, Inc. is the leading nonprofit preservation and history organization in Annapolis with a long successful record of resource protection and visitor service. They have developed strong partnerships and networks with several cultural and tourism and community organizations and have a large network of volunteers and supporters. Historic Annapolis and the City are working closely together to create a unique space in the City Dock that will enhance the character and livability of the downtown while ensuring that all residents and visitors can access the waterfront. Building on their mission and long, successful track record of completing projects and initiatives through effective collaboration, Historic Annapolis is uniquely qualified to advance the development of Annapolis as a Chesapeake Bay Gateway.

Established in 1952, Historic Annapolis, Inc. is the leading nonprofit preservation and history organization in Annapolis, Maryland. Its mission is to “preserve and protect the historic places, objects, and stories of Maryland’s capital city, and provide engaging experiences that connect people to the area’s diverse heritage.”

Historic Annapolis was founded to ensure that the legacy of Annapolis’s past would continue to enrich the city’s future. The organization was instrumental in getting the NPS to list the Colonial Annapolis Historic District as a National Historic Landmark in 1965. Historic Annapolis has successfully advocated for ordinances and zoning restrictions that continue to safeguard the city’s unique architecture, welcoming waterfront, and scenic vistas. Because of these efforts, Annapolis has one of the largest concentrations of colonial buildings in the nation. The organization hosts interpretive tours, museum exhibits, educational programs, and social gatherings for residents and the millions of visitors to Annapolis each year.

Historic Annapolis and the City of Annapolis nominated Annapolis City Dock as a Chesapeake Bay Gateway and the National Park Service Chesapeake Office designated it as such in 2001. The purpose of the designation is to advance the goals of the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network through educational opportunities, conservation and restoration practices, and by promoting access for Bay-related resources.

Historic Annapolis and the City are working closely together on an effort to provide expertise and resources to create a unique space in the City Dock that will enhance the character and livability of the downtown while ensuring that all residents and visitors can access the waterfront. Working cooperatively with the City’s elected officials and other partners, Historic Annapolis recently contracted with the Urban Land Institute to develop a Technical Assistance Panel report for guiding next steps; the report was issued in January 2019.

Building on their mission and long, successful track record, Historic Annapolis is uniquely qualified to collaborate with NPS to advance the development of Annapolis as a Chesapeake Bay Gateway.