Site Summit Background

  • Fort Richardson (FRA) received a Legacy Grant in 1994 to evaluate Site Summit for eligibility for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).

    - Under a contract, the Alaska State Historic Preservation Officer (AK SHPO) evaluated and formally nominated the site for listing in the NRHP. Site Summit was formally listed on the NRHP in 1995.

    - Under the same contract, AK SHPO prepared a public brochure: "Site Summit Nike Hercules Missile Installation."

  • FRA received an additional Legacy Grant in 1996 for conducting a feasibility study to look at management options for Site Summit.

    • - Under a contract, AK SHPO conducted the feasibility study. AK SHPO completed the study in 1997 with recommendation that Fort Richardson implement Non-Military Management for Public Use.

  • AK SHPO requested permission to form a Nike Site Summit Task Force (Task Force) to identify management options compatible with USARAK’s mission. The Task Force was formed in September 1999.

    - With money remaining from second Legacy Grant, the Task Force contracted the University of Alaska Anchorage College of Business and Public Policy to conduct a market analysis of Site Summit to find the best use of for the property.

    - Task Force’s final "Nike Site Summit Task Force Management Recommendations" included continued Army ownership; remediation of environmental, health and safety hazards; opening the site to the public; designating the site an Affiliated Area; securing additional funding; and developing partnerships and an oversight committee.

  • The Task Force was informed on 19 December 2001 by Col. Fredrick Lehman, Garrison Commander that the site would continue to be managed by the Army and it will stay closed to the public. The Task Force was ended.

  • The Commanding General directed DPW to begin the steps needed to secure Site Summit by demolition. Section 106 for the demolition of Site Summit was initiated on 24 July 2003. An initial agency meeting was held 27 February 2004.

    - AK SHPO and National Park Service (NPS) argued that consultation had not occurred in the proper order and insisted that USAG Alaska consult on issues of managing the site and opening it to the public as a historic site.

    - USAG Alaska’s Section 106 consultation and NEPA stalled for three years because of a lack of available NEPA funding as well as the initiation of multiple higher priority Army stationing and construction projects that consumed 100% of available staff resources.

  • USAG Alaska conducted oral history interviews with men that had formerly served at Site Summit or worked in association with other Alaska Nike sites. Based on the oral interviews, USAG Alaska produced the report, Nike Hercules operations in Alaska: 1959-1979

  • In November 2006, USAG Alaska began work on an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed management of Site Summit. USAG Alaska considered management activities including demolition, removal, stabilization and/or securing of structures at Nike Site Summit.

  • In late February 2008, the Garrison Commander chose the Preferred Alternative of selective retention which included securing of structures that were critical to the historical understanding of Site Summit, demolition of unused structures and securing of other remaining structures at Site Summit.

  • USAG Alaska conducted or participated in a number of meetings pertaining to the management of Site Summit Historic District since winter 2007.

    - Wed 2/21/2007 – Management of Site Summit Scoping Meeting – It was hosted by USAG Alaska and split into two parts, an agency portion with representatives from AK SHPO, NPS and BLM attending and later, a public portion.

    - Tue 4/24/2007 - Management of Site Summit Meeting – This meeting included USAG Alaska, AK SHPO and NPS and consisted of a presentation on the Preferred Alternative and mitigation measures. Both NEPA and Section 106 were discussed.

    - Tue 6/19/2007 – Site Visit to Site Summit – USAG Alaska hosted a visit to Site Summit for representatives from the AK SHPO, the mayor’s office, Anchorage HPC, NPS and the Friends of Nike Site Summit.

    - Thu 6/28/2007 – Management of Site Summit EA Agency Meeting - USAG Alaska hosted several agencies (ADEC, ADF&G, USFWS, DNR State Parks, AK SHPO, BLM and NPS) to collect comment on the Nike Site Summit EA. The meeting was at the Anchorage Marriott Downtown on 7th Avenue from 10am to noon.

    - Thu 6/28/2007 - Nike Site Summit Public Meeting – Also held at the Marriott Downtown Anchorage, this consisted of a USAG Alaska presentation on the findings of the EA and the Preferred Alternative.

    - 09/05/2007 – USAG Alaska representatives attended the Friends of Nike Site Summit meeting.

    - Mon 10/15/2007 - Site Summit Section 106 Meeting – Held at the Anchorage Museum of History, this meeting included Don Klima and Dave Berwick from the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), USAG Alaska, AK SHPO, Friends of Nike Site Summit members and BLM.

    - Mon 11/5/2007 – Meeting between USAG Alaska and NPS (Darrell Lewis and Bruce Greenwood) to discuss Affiliated Areas.

    - Mon 01/7/2008 – Planning/ Guidance meeting between USAG Alaska and Kelly Yasaitis Fanizzo from the ACHP

    - Thu 01/31/2008 - Phone meeting between USAG Alaska, SHPO and ACHP to discussed plans for multi-party consultation for Site Summit

    - Thu 02/07/2008 – USAG Alaska’s Environmental Chief attended Anchorage Historic Preservation Commission meeting to discuss Site Summit.