New housing for concessions workers is coming to Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve/NPS file

Better housing for concession workers is coming to Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in Alaska, where nearly $17 million in Great American Outdoors Funds are being used to replace the current, worn-out housing at Bartlett Cove.

The $16.7 million project will demolish three existing outdated dorms and replace them with one building that will lower operation and maintenance costs and provide a safe, accessible, and energy efficient living space for the concession staff who provide essential services for park visitors, a park release said.

"We are excited that we will be able to provide better accommodations for the concession employees who serve park visitors by replacing this critical piece of our infrastructure," said Glacier Bay Superintendent Philip Hooge. "The project is also a significant step toward restoring the character of the Glacier Bay Lodge Historic District.” 

The facility is a key part of the park visitor services complex, which includes the historic Glacier Bay Lodge and the Bartlett Cove dock. The existing concessions housing facilities, containing a total of 32 rooms, are undersized for their typical staffing of around 60 employees. The other existing employee housing is in poor condition. As a result, some concession employees have been housed in cabins intended for use by park visitors. The project will enable the cabins to be repurposed for visitor use.  

The new dorm buildings will have a larger capacity and will meet current safety, fire, and accessibility standards. In addition, a non-historic service building within the historic setting will be demolished and the administrative and maintenance operations will be relocated to a structure outside of the historic area which will allow for more visitor-centered activities in the space. This construction project will eliminate over $4.7 million in deferred maintenance and repairs associated with these facilities.

The Glacier Bay Lodge Historic District is centered around the lodge, which was constructed in 1966. Located approximately nine miles from the rural town of Gustavus, this front-country development is a destination for park visitors and provides a wide range of public services for backcountry campers, marine vessel operators, day tour passengers embarking at Bartlett Cove, and other visitors. The lodge offers the only in-park overnight accommodations as well as food service and amenities for visitors. The facility hosts approximately 30,000 visitors per year through the main lodge and guest services, as well as with the associated guest rooms.

The construction contract was awarded to Ahtna, an Alaskan Native Regional Corporation, and the Unit Company. On-site work is expected to begin in mid-April. No service interruptions or facility closures are expected during this project because the new facility will be constructed adjacent to the existing structures before they are demolished.