Wrangell is getting closer to a major expansion of its downtown waterfront, building a new rock wall and adding fill to gain a couple of acres for expansion of the Marine Service Center, a public park, covered pavilion, parking and possible future commercial development along Campbell Drive.
The overall project also includes an extension to the City Dock.
City Hall staff briefed the borough assembly on plans at a work session July 28.
The entire project could total around $15 million.
The borough has requested $10.3 million from the federal Economic Development Administration, with a decision on the grant application anticipated later this summer.
The borough also has more than $4 million available from a bond issue approved by the assembly in April 2025 to put toward waterfront development.
The extent of the fill and development of the new uplands will depend on how much money is available and the costs when the borough goes out for bids.
Much of the federal grant would go toward adding a 150-foot-long floating extension to the north end of the City Dock, to better accommodate cruise ships at various tides than the fixed dock.
That project also would include a new gangway and also a new mooring dolphin at the south end of the dock.
The marine center expansion would create new uplands between the Nolan Center and the water to allow more boats and a larger work area for the busy facility.
A big driver for the expanded downtown fill is to accommodate American Cruise Lines, which plans to install a 300-foot floating dock and ramp next year.
American Cruise Lines operates two 170-passenger ships in Southeast Alaska and is scheduled to add a third ship, with 130-passenger capacity, next summer.
The line is converting its unused paddlewheel cruise ship, the American Empress, into a floating dock. The ship’s superstructure was dismantled last winter at Tideline Construction’s yard at 6-Mile in Wrangell, then the hull was towed to the JAG Marine Group shipyard in Ketchikan for refurbishing and painting.
American Cruise Lines will bring it to Wrangell next spring, where it will go to work after the company has piles driven to hold it in place.
