Photo by McKIbben Jackinsky Warren Beachy, of Beach Construction, prepares concrete where above-ground fuel tanks will be placed at Petrol Marine's fuel station in Anchor Point.

"There were some substandard structures and old underground storage tanks that didn't meet environmental standards of the day," Beckham said. "We've cleared all that out - tanks, pipes, all that sort of thing - to make sure it's a clean site."

The new site will have above-ground tanks and a 24-hour fueling station, with brand new, brightly lit, state-of-the-industry dispensers and credit- and debit-card service.

The finely choreographed project began in July, when Ray's Construction, owned and operated by Raymond Drake of Anchor Point, was hired to demolish and remove a two-story 24-foot-by-80-foot neighboring structure. Careful dismantling of the building has made it possible to recycle the materials, which are being used to construct a privately owned residence at another site.

That done, Pinnacle Construction of Anchorage was hired to completely remove the fuel station, including the fuel dispensers, cement area on the ground around and canopy over the dispensers, all the piping and the underground tanks.

Ron Rozak of Rozak Engineering in Kenai, a certified environmental engineer, was brought on board to oversee closure of the site. Rozak did an environmental assessment, sampling at appropriate locations and field-testing to confirm there was no risk of contamination or that contaminated soils had been removed. Approximately 200 cubic yards were identified as being contaminated, according to Rozak, and are, for now, secured on top of a polyethylene liner, under a reinforced poly covering and surrounded by a containment berm, awaiting a decision regarding remediation.

"I have lab results that show the majority of the site meets cleanup levels," Rozak said. "There are just a couple of places I had to resample and I'm expecting those will come back satisfactorily."

Rozak also certified the tank closures, overseeing the physical removal of the dispensers, piping and tanks, ensuring the site was safe and that items, such as the tanks and piping, were properly disposed of.

Ray's Construction worked with Pinnacle for the demolition of the old station. It included removal of a building that at one time housed a counter to pay for fuel, snacks and beverages, an espresso business and restrooms. Drake and his crew moved the building to a piece of privately owned land on the Old Sterling Highway south of Anchor Point, where it is being remodeled and converted into a private residence.

Employing southern peninsula companies, Ray's Construction, along with Beachy Construction and Liberty Electric of Homer, are continuing to work with Pinnacle to install the new, updated facility.

"It's all been local hire. It's been a fantastic deal for us," Drake said, adding, "I had no idea so much was involved in making a gas station work."

Providing easier access by the public to the fuel dispensers, fill was brought in to raise the new facility almost to the same elevation as the Sterling Highway.

"That helps with the whole customer experience," Beckham said. "If you're not down in a hole, you don't have all the drainage. It tended to be a little wet how it was graded before. And the visibility is a little better if you're up higher."

Paving the area is being discussed, but no definite plans have been made other than to say, with winter closing in, it won't happen this year.

The new facility will have four dispensers, offering unleaded, super-unleaded, a mid-grade option and highway diesel, according to Beckham. The design allows for additional dispensers to be added in the future, said Pat Lovell, Pinnacle's superintendent.

"We're hoping to be done before Thanksgiving," Lovell said of Pinnacle's part of the project.

For now, Beckham isn't putting an exact date on when the facility will be open to the public. "It'll be before the end of the year," he said.

McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at mckibben.jackinsky.@homernews.com.