Character Renewal: Sandy Hook Lighthouse and Fort Hancock

Character Renewal: Sandy Hook Lighthouse and Fort Hancock Penn State Department of Landscape Architecture Larch 312 Steve Hackett April, 2012 Dan Harold Rick Hammond Tom Lauro Ross Noe

Sandy Hook, New Jersey

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Table of Contents Context 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

Location On-site Location Proposed Project Scope Redefined Scope Informal Findings Conversational Foundation Influential Figures Preliminary Presentation Island Formation Diagram Historic Coastline Diagram Coastal Ecology Coastal Plant Communities Dune Formation Dune Formation Design Influences Existing Conditions Visitor Demographics Existing Circulation Lack of Refreshment Lack of Identity Redefined Circulation Gathering and Refreshment Character Revitalization Education Connection Concept

Design 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47

Plan Proposed Circulation Refreshment Gathering Designed Character Approach Outside Influences Coastline Placement Dune Placement Dune Construction Guidelines Dune Construction Guidelines Material Palette Proposed Experiential Sequence Diagram Experiential Sequence Perspective 1 Experiential Sequence Perspective 2 Experiential Sequence Perspective 3 Experiential Sequence Perspective 4 Education Signage Conclusion

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Location

New York Harbor

N

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On Site Location Fort Hancock is located on the tip of the island of Sandy Hook. The Lighthouse and gas station are centrally located in Fort Hancock and shown in the circle

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Proposed Project Scope Goals of the National Park Service •Rehabilitate existing dilapidated buildings before implementation •Improve the physical appearance of the plaza grounds while maintaining its historic character and continuing to safely accommodate its mixed use for pedestrians, vehicle traffic and parking.

•Identify seasonal public uses for the Firehouse and Gas Station that can be achieved with limited costs and require no additional staff.

•Recognize the existing use of Building 53 by Brookdale Community College and the parking needs of its operation.

•Enhance pedestrian use of the plaza as both a viewing spot for the Lighthouse and as an orientation place for exploration of Fort Hancock.

Project Constraints •Place traffic barriers and add road markings to delineate space change between gas stations and light house •Maintain parking spaces alongside the gas station and community college or accommodate parking elsewhere •Reroute access to the existing parking for summer interns •Relocate dumpsters for Brookdale and Marpal Trash Removal

Scope

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Redefined Scope Project Team Goals •Rehabilitate the character of our site to provide potential for more tourism •Reroute bike circulation to make connections to our site. Reroute vehicular circulation to create a pedestrian zone between the lighthouse and gas station in addition to accommodating parking.

•Create areas of outdoor public space to allow visitors to gather and interact after visiting the lighthouse.

•Enhance pedestrian use of the plaza as both a viewing spot for the Lighthouse and as an orientation place for exploration of Fort Hancock.

•Maintain and enhance the educational opportunities at Fort Hancock •Keep our clients excited and interested in the changes proposed by our design

Intermittent Deliverables •Preliminary Design Plan •Preliminary Sections/Elevations •Mid-design meeting with Pete McCarthy

Final Deliverables •Presentation •Design Process/Procedure Book •Model

Scope 6

Informal Findings First Visit Conclusions •The problems at Sandy Hook extend far beyond the site we were initially asked to address •Redefine the scope to include a master plan for the whole site •Move parking to a currently vacant lot •Convert the gas station building into a café •Connect bike paths in central location

Conclusions •Fort Hancock needs a place where people can get a bite to eat •The place has nowhere outside for people to go •The experience of visiting this site is random and undirected •The place seems deserted and uninviting •Most all of the old military buildings need renovation

Scope 7

Conversational Foundation Influential Community Partners •Pete McCarthy: NPS Gateway Unit Coordinator •Doug Adamo: NPS Gateway Chief, Division of National Resources •Tyrone Nulls: Park Ranger •Jeanne McArthur-Heuser: Park Ranger •Salvatore Cammarato: Brookdale Community College Student •Brennan Carrol: Brookdale Community College Student •Justin Grover: Brookdale Community College Student

Insight 8

Influential Figures Megan Tooker •Old Larch Professor who works for the army on historical sites •Offered helpful links to other conserved forts like Fort Hancock •Provided standard floor plans for some of the army building

Jake Powell: MLA Graduate Student •Stick to the smaller space •Creating a master plan is a waste of time because it will never be done •You have to get the NPS excited enough about the project to actually get something done •Create more drawings to communicate your thoughts

Herb Sweeney: MVVA Senior Associate •Great material choice regarding concrete with •Make path work more gestural and direct •Create vistas involving the lighthouse as well as the newly designed plaza •Create more dynamic dune forms that have varied sizes

Ken McCown: Prof. of LARCH - University of Tennessee •Create a diagram of the choreographed spatial experience with related perspectives •Use common names on buildings in every plan •Convince NPS that the natural history is just as important as human history on site •Why not fill in the entire area around the lighthouse with sand?

•Don’t was valuable project money on making the parking area educational; rather, put all of your money into the plaza and lighthouse design •Create a boardwalk through the dunes

Insight

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Preliminary Presentation Tom’s preliminary presentation with Pete McCarthy: •Really enjoyed all of the work and the design concept •Agreed with our thoughts on circulation as well as converting the entire site into a pedestrian plaza •Largest concern was the how the dune planters could be removable

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Formation Change in Wind Direction

Direction of Channel Current

Historic Coast Progression

Sid

Bay

ean

Oc

2012 Coastline

e

e

Sid

Sandy Hook Lighthouse

Littoral Drift Bringing Sand Deposits From Downshore

N

Prevailing Wind Direction

Natural Context 11

Historic Coastlines 2012 Coastline 1853 Coastline 1776 Coastline Assumed Intermediate Coastlines Sandy Hook Lighthouse

N

Natural Context

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Coastal Ecology

Swale (depressions)

Nearshore Bar

Hind Dune

Foredune

Primary Dune

Berm Swash Zone

Surf Zone

Nearshore

There is a very distinct ecology on barrier islands such as Sandy Hook. A succession of dunes protects the shore from strong winds and harsh waves. This sequence of dunes also has a particular group of plants that accompany it.

Natural Context

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Coastal Plant Communities Primary Dune

1.

Foredune

Dunegrass Foredune

2.

Beach Heather 3.

Shrub Thicket

Hind Dune

4.

Dune Woodland

Natural Context 14

Dune Formation Dunes forming along barrier islands/spits form in a lateral sequence parallel to the shore and perpendicular to the prevailing wind.

This sequence creates voids (ridges) and solids(depressions). In order to navigate through these dunes, at most beaches, boardwalks are strung perpendicularly through them. The dunes create thresholds (visual cues that one has entered a space) as people walk the boardwalks.

The thresholds created by dunes are very distinct due to the specific slopes on the seaward and landward sides. These uniform slopes are vital to mimic when attempting to emulate the dune experience.

Natural Context 15

Dune Formation Dunes typically form in linear shapes; however, more interesting dune forms are sometimes created by aeolian and tidal processes. These curvilinear dune forms go further than parallel dunes to define space inside the windward slope.

Purple Arrows indicate wind direction

Natural Context 16

Historic Influences Military Base

Lighthouse

Barrier Spit Formation

Dune Ecology

National Park Service

Human Context 17

Existing Conditions

Excessive asphalt around vacant buildings

Vacant lots harboring invasive species

Un-screened, unattractive loading dock

Lighthouse and living quarters

Human Context 18

Visitor Information 80% Tour Without A Guide Sandy Hook Lighthouse

2.5 Million People Visit Sandy Hook Each Year

500,000 Tour Fort Hancock

History House

50,000 People Visit:

Fort Hancock Museum

Battery Potter

The key here is to get more people visiting other parts of the island to visit Fort Hancock and the Lighthouse

Weekend Ferry Carries 5,000 Visitors

Human Context 19

Existing Circulation Pedestrian Circulation

1

Experiential Space Bike Path Vehicle Circulation

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2 3

6

5 1

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Site Analysis

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Lack of Refreshment The only area of refreshment near the Fort Hancock site is 2.5 miles south. To gain more yearly visitors, the NPS must provide visitors with a place to refresh themselves. This addition could rally a lot of visitation from local beaches.

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Site Analysis

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Conclusions

Throughout the changing land uses Sandy Hook has faced, it has developed many different characteristics; nevertheless, some of these are no longer relevant in their current state. The outdoor spaces have not adapted to functions that accommodate visitors.

Moreover, Fort Hancock and the Lighthouse do have valuable experiences to offer. To ensure tourists will glean these experiences, we must ensure there is a comfortable space where they can spend time resting and socializing. People typically don’t go to the coast to stay in doors, a comfortable outdoor environment is crucial to the future success of Sandy Hook.

Site Analysis

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Circulation

Connect two existing bike paths at a new, central location

Redirect pedestrian traffic away from vehicular traffic

Goals 23

Gathering and Refreshment

Convert the excessive asphalt areas into a pedestrian plaza

Goals 24

Character

Natural Influences + Human Influences = New Character

Goals 25

Education Sandy Hook Child Care Center

Historic Lighthouse Brookdale Community College

FORT HANCOCK

M.A.S.T

Mother Teresa Regional

Bayshore Middle school

Highlands Elementary

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Elementary

N

Henry Hudson Regional High School

Citizens in many different levels of education, in and around the island, stand to benefit from educational installations on Sandy Hook

Goals 26

Concept

We must crack the shell of this utilitarian landscape to expose the natural assets lurking beneath

Design 27

Plan

N

Design

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Circulation Primary Pedestrian Circulation Secondary Pedestrian Circulation Vehicle Circulation Bicycle Circulation ADA Parking Bus Parking

N

Design

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Refreshment

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To satisfy our goal of refreshment we recommend the existing gas station building will be converted into a care. One of the existing garage doors will be converted into the front door of the cafe.

Design

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Gathering Lighthouse Waiting Area Outdoor Eating Area Community College Access Dune Plaza Welcome Area

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Design 31

Approach Man-Made Elements

Military Base

NPS

Military Base

Lighthouse

Barrier Spit Formation

Dune Ecology

Natural Elements

Dune Ecology

NPS

Lighthouse

Barrier Spit Formation

Man-Made Elements Redefined by Natural Elements

Barrier Spit FormationM

ilitary Base

NPS

Lighthouse

Dune Ecology

Design

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Influences

Green Carpet By: Gaelle Villedary

Wavefield By: Maya Lin

Our largest design influence of all lies in the coastal/ beach aesthetic.

We harness the experiential qualities of boardwalks and walking through thresholds created by dunes to define the relaxing ambiance of the space

Design

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Coastline Placement

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By superimposing maps of historic coastlines onto the site to determine the proper placement of our historic coastline/grass line. In an attempt to reveal the historic processes that created Sandy Hook

Design 34

Dune Placement

N

Our most important stipulation involves the prevailing wind direction. Dunes are always aligned parallel to the direction of the wind. The repetition of this lateral alignment creates patterns that evoke the near shore experience.

Design 35

Material Selection Existing Turf Dunes With Grass Dunes With Shrubs Boardwalk Coastline Grass Shell Aggregate Concrete Yellow Brick

Design 36

Dune Construction Dune Plantings

Weed Seed Free Mulch Collected On Local Beaches

Sand With Mineral and Organic Additives

Three Foot Deep Pit With Drain At Bottom

Dune pit cut into existing ground plane

Design Character 37

Dune Construction Ensuring structural integrity of Soil Composition these dune forms will require a diverse selection of plant material.

Essentially, the roots of plants will be the main stabilizer of the dune forms. Species selections range from grasses (mostly around the dunes) and small shrubs (mostly in the dune plaza).

Grasses Dunegrass Ammophila breviligulata

Sandgrass Triplasis purpuea

Sand Mineral Additives Organic Matter

To ensure the structural integrity and stabilization of the dune forms, clay/silt minerals as well as organic matter will be added to the sand dominant soil mixture.

Little Bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium

Sea Panic Grass Panicum amarum

Shrubs and Perennials

Beach Pea Lathyrus japonicus

Beach Heather Hudsonia tomentosa

Seaside Spurghe Sea Rocket Euphorbia polygonifolia Cakile edentula

Seaside Goldenrod Solidago sempervirens

Cocklebur Xanthium strumarum

Design

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Experiential Sequence Pedestrian Movement

1

Experiential Moment

1. Vehicular Approach 2. Lighthouse Arrival 3. Lighthouse Waiting Area 4. Mortar Battery 5. Cafe 6. Plaza

Design

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Experiential Sequence 1.

Design

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Experiential Sequence 2.

Design

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Experiential Sequence 3.

Design

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Experiential Sequence 6.

Design

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Education Cafe Seating Area

The use of the dunes and the creation of the dune plaza adjacent to the community college is an intentional move towards education. These dunes will be planted with native plant flora important to the study of coastal ecology with respect to local animals and climatic processes

Path Approaching Lighthouse

Design

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Signage Signage will be required along the lighthouse boardwalk imploring guests to keep of the dunes. These signs will bring a familiar presence from the rest of the island into the space.

A historic landmark sign is recommended to delineate the historic coastline that runs through the site. Signs like this will further enforce the educational atmosphere we are trying to instill here.

Design

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Greetings from Sandy Hook

Conclusion

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Final Presentation •Presented a 1”=10’ Scale model as well as a presentation with a accompanying book •Faced and overcame trials regarding model touch-ups on the road and setting up the presentation on one of our laptops on the fly •We were teleconferenced out to the Gateway Headquarters office on Staten Island •We were able to answer all the posed questions, mostly regarding the feasibility of the dune forms in the design •All those in attendance were impressed by our conceptual design process and really appreciated the new idea of representing the natural history of the site as well as the human history

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