Homer Council picks partial HERC demolition over full cleanup

The Homer City Council adopted Resolution 26-039 on May 26, directing demolition of the HERC 2 building while declining cleanup of the larger structure at the Homer Education and Recreation Complex.

Resolution 26-039 selects a cleanup alternative for Kenai Peninsula Borough Parcel ID 17510070 that removes the smaller HERC 2 building but does not pursue remediation of the larger former high school building. The decision determines near-term land use and capital spending for the city-owned site and frames future redevelopment or public facility planning on the parcel.

The resolution continues a phased process that began in 2020 when the council authorized hazardous material and demolition cost estimates for both HERC buildings, advanced in 2022 when the council directed the city manager to fund HERC 2 demolition, and reached capital appropriation in the FY23 budget when the council set aside $126,917 from the HERC Real Estate Fund for the smaller building's removal. Hazardous materials reports identified significant contamination issues that increased projected demolition costs beyond earlier estimates.

Public communications in Homer have invited comments on cleanup alternatives for the HERC site, indicating that multiple remediation and reuse options have been considered for the complex.