Eight Unalaska roofs have failed, including the high school and water plant

Eight of Unalaska's 27 city roofs have failed or are failing, among them the high school, the water treatment plant and the power substation. The City Council hired Cornerstone Architectural Group last week to design the repairs.

The others on the list are the Amaknak Island fire station, the supply warehouse, the Burma Road Chapel, the old powerhouse and the Marine Center warehouse. Most of the city's roofs were rated good to fair and need only maintenance. These eight put classes, clean water and power at risk.

The contract has no dollar figure attached, and the city owes nothing until it issues task orders. Cornerstone has held a city contract since 2025 and assessed all 27 roofs that July.

The money is the harder part. Replacing the failed sections of the high school roof alone is estimated at $3.5 million. Public Works Director Brian Thacker wrote last October that in today's dollars, the consultant estimates "fixing all the roofs will be at least $22 million to begin." The city has appropriated $12.6 million, a little over half.