Little Diomede Armory

NORTECH provided hazardous materials assessment and demolition design services for the former Alaska Army National Guard Armory on Little Diomede, a remote island in the Bering Strait just 2.5 miles from Russia’s Big Diomede. The facility, a Cold War era “Butler Type I” armory, had fallen into disrepair after decades of use, with part of the roof collapsing in 2009.

Given the island’s steep terrain and limited access, our two-person team mobilized during the weekly helicopter “mail run” from Wales, completing the site inspection within a two-hour window to avoid costly charters. NORTECH’s assessment identified asbestos and lead-based paint in the remaining structure and foundation, and we prepared both a hazardous building materials report and a detailed construction cost estimate to guide safe deconstruction and off-island disposal.

This work provided state and federal agencies with the information needed to advance safe demolition planning in one of Alaska’s most remote and logistically challenging environments.