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Former Kake Elementary School

Site Location
  • View detailed information from the database on this site.
  • Database Name: Kake Former Elementary School
  • Status: Cleanup Complete
  • Location: Kake
  • Latitude: 56.976518
  • Longitude: -133.949487
  • Key DBAC Services:
    • Site Assessment
    • Hazardous Building Materials Survey
    • Permit Application Support
  • DBACs Awarded: 2015, 2016
  • DEC File Number: 1514.57.002

DEC contact: IC Unit, 907-465-5229

Site Narrative

  • Requested by the city of Kake
Former Kake Elementary School in Kake, Alaska

Former Kake Elementary School, Kake, Alaska. Photo courtesy of ADEC site file.

The school was used as an elementary school from 1951 to 1996 when a new school was constructed at a new location. The building has since stood vacant and has become a health and safety hazard as the building deteriorated and began to collapse. Due to its age, the building likely contained Hazardous Building Materials. The community would like to demolish the former elementary school, as it is currently collapsing, and build a new community center on the property.

In SFY 2015, the city of Kake was awarded a DBAC service to conduct a Site Assessment including a Hazardous Building Material Survey. The report indicated that the building contains asbestos containing materials, lead containing materials, mercury containing fluorescent lamps, and hight intensity discharge (HID) lights. Other hazardous materials such as household chemicals, glycol and contaminated soil are assumed to be present in the building. Soils stockpiled from a UST excavation also contained petroleum constituents above DEC cleanup levels. In SFY 2016, the city of Kake was awarded a DBAC service to assist the community with applying for an asbestos monofill permit. Unfortunately, the community was denied subsurface rights for the monofill, and the project was halted.

The rough order magnitude estimate for abating all of the materials within the former elementary school totaled $2.6 million.

Project Documents

Site Assessment 2015