Mertarvik K-12 New School

Owner: Lower Kuskokwim School District

Architect: BDS Architects

Since October 2019, the residents of Newtok, Alaska have been slowly relocating to Mertarvik, Alaska due to thawing permafrost at the edge of the rapidly eroding Ninglick River. Mertarvik is located about 9 miles southeast of Newtok, across the Ninglick River. Newtok is the first Alaskan community to begin a full-scale relocation made necessary by climate change. 

UNIT COMPANY, and our partner Bethel Federal Services, were selected by the Lower Kuskokwim School District to construct the new 33,207 SF school in Mertarvik, as well as demolishing the existing structures at the School Campus in Newtok. The new highly efficient school includes two classroom wings and a gym wing to house a basketball court, locker rooms, kitchen facilities, career technology education, and a damp class/multipurpose room, which can be used for cafeteria functions. Newtok school campus structures to be demolished include existing school, WTP/WWTP building, generator buildings, teacher housing, storage buildings, portable classrooms, and storage buildings. Other scopes of work include construction of a new boardwalk, play deck and equipment, storage building, bulk fuel farm, and generator and mechanical building, as well as site improvements, utilities infrastructure (sewer, water, power, generator & fuel), and hazardous materials abatement.

The new school is currently slated to be completed by July of 2026.