Downtown ‘Pocket Park’ demolition nearly complete

The demolition of Gunakadeit Park, the first phase in demolishing the Gastineau Apartments, is substantially complete, according to an email from the City and Borough of Juneau Chief Architect Richard Ritter.

Gunakadeit Park, known commonly as Pocket Park, started Nov. 23 and is expected to conclude mid-December. City officials said it had to come down to successfully demolish the fire-damaged apartment buildings.

CBC Construction, the Sitka-based contractor bringing down the complex left vacant after a fire on Nov. 5, 2012, has delivered all artwork and the decorative gates to the CBJ Thane storage facility.

The contractor installed a gravel working pad in the demolished park area Monday, which will eventually serve as a staging area that will give the contractor and its subcontractors room to work on the complex.

Contractors have moved a baffled-sedimentation-filtration tank onto the site. It will be used to treat water pumped from the building’s basement.

Traffic controls and security fencing remain in place. Work in the area will pause Dec. 4 for First Friday activities.

Demolition of the three apartment buildings is still scheduled to commence Jan. 12.

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