Seal Plant Building Restoration Web Report

The buildling before the project started in 1998.

The United States acquired St. George Island when Alaska was purchased from Russia in 1867. From 1867 to 1910, private companies, under contract to the United States government, ran the fur seal harvest and pelt processing operation on St. George. Then, in 1910, the federal government became the sole administrator and operator of the St. George fur seal operation. This continued until 1983 when the federal government withdrew its operations from St. George Island.

A sealing plant located on St. George was used to process sealskins and render remains. This sealing plant, the last one of its kind, was designated to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. This building, the largest one on the island, was disintegrating from the combined attack of salt, water, and frosts and was in danger of collapse and being lost forever.

Interior of the building after restoration.

To restore the structural integrity of the plant, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, in accordance with Public Law 104-91, engaged consultants to produce studies and designs. St. George Tanaq Corporation, an island entity, made an unsolicited proposal to do the construction work required by the designs and specifications provided by NOAA. Notice to proceed on this cooperative agreement was given on June 1, 1998, under award #NA87AE0322. Fieldwork commenced in the fall of 1998. The project was completed November 30, 1999, with project superintendents and most of the workers residents of St. George.

Exterior view of the completed project.

The proposal budget was $2,444,712 and the actual project cost was $2,047,294. The $397,418 in savings were the result of experienced project management by the St. George Tanaq Corporation, the use of St. George's local work force, value engineering by Polarconsult, St. George Tanaq Corporation's engineering subcontractor, and professional oversight by NOAA.