Native American Affairs seeks $17M to rehabilitate Stewart Indian School gym and $428K for quad lighting

The Department of Native American Affairs presented two Stewart campus projects to the joint subcommittee: a seismic stabilization and architectural rehabilitation of the historic Stewart Indian School gym and a small project to install LED pole lighting in the campus quad to permit evening events.

Nut graf: The department told the committee the gym project will rehabilitate a 1938 gym (roof previously replaced) into a functioning historic facility capable of hosting programs, and that the quad lighting project will permit expanded public and tribal events at night; the department said the rehabilitated gym could also generate revenue from outside rentals.

Brian Walker of Public Works described project C14 as a $16.8 million seismic and architectural rehabilitation to restore the old gym into a conference/assembly space. The building was constructed in 1938; previous CIP action replaced a collapsed roof but interior systems remain limited and the remainder of the building requires significant work. The department—s director, Stacy Montooth, said the space would support cultural programming, art demonstrations and speaker series, and indicated the department expects to use the facility for both internal programs and as rentable space for third parties under existing statutory authority for campus rentals.

Project C21 is a $428,000 install of four 30‑foot LED pole lights and associated underground electrical work to enable evening use of the Stewart quad for public and special events.

Ending: The department said restored spaces will support programming and possible revenue generation to support ongoing operations; the department asked the committee to consider both projects in the governor—s recommended CIP.