The Fort Seward barracks building has been named to a list of the 10 most endangered historic properties in Alaska.
The Alaska Association for Historic Preservation listed the barracks because of its deteriorated condition, its importance to Alaska and U.S. history, and its potential for re-use, said Allegra Hamer, director of the private, non-profit group that advocates for historic preservation.
“There are a lot of potential community uses there,” Hamer said.
The building was nominated by Christina Baskaya, who serves on the board of barracks owner Port Chilkoot Co. Potential uses she cited in her nomination request included as a historic interpretation center, community center, arts school or activity center for senior citizens.
Other structures making the statewide listing include Anchorage’s Fourth Avenue Theatre, McCarthy General Store, Alaska Railroad Station Water Tower in Willow and St. George’s Church in Cordova.
Statewide listings, made since 1991, are aimed at bringing public attention to aging structures facing demolition, deterioration or significant alteration. Owners of listed structures are eligible for up to $5,000 in matching grant money.
Battered by weather and time, the 110-year-old barracks has lost its rear porch and soffets, several windows, and other features. Deteriorating brick chimneys, which leaked water into the structure, have been removed or sealed in recent years.
Lee Heinmiller, president of barracks owner Port Chilkoot Co., said the endangered listing is the second for the Fort. The entirety of Fort Seward was listed as endangered about 15 years ago.
Heinmiller insists the barracks is still structurally sound, and a National Park Service architect who recently toured the structure apparently came to a similar conclusion.
“A lot of it is cosmetic stuff. The size of the project is the daunting thing, and how to fund (restoration),” Heinmiller said. “We haven’t even thought of possible uses,” he said, adding that he once thought it could be a hotel, but was told that the building is too large to maintain a level of profitable occupancy.
Heinmiller said he welcomed the listing, which could increase the building’s profile. The barracks building recently received $5,000 from the state to restore the building’s porch and put interpretive displays about Fort Seward there.
“It’s good for exposure, but not a big slice of the pie because there’s not a big pie to start out with.” Heinmiller said. “But if for nothing else than for visibility reasons, it helps.”
The previous endangered listing for Fort Seward, that Heinmiller said came about 15 years ago, helped spur changes that led to municipal adoption of historic design standards for fort buildings, including windows, roof pitch, porch railings and siding.
The municipality established a historic district, including designating the borough planning commission as the Historic District Commission.
The endangered listing got the ball rolling by inspiring University of Washington architecture students to analyze buildings and identify design standards. “The borough adopted those standards into code,” Heinmiller said.