Notice of Intent: Repair Wind Damaged Adobe Building at Cow Creek | P17AS00686

Opportunity Information: Apply for P17AS00686

This grant opportunity, titled "Notice of Intent: Repair Wind Damaged Adobe Building at Cow Creek" (Funding Opportunity Number P17AS00686), comes from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, and focuses on stabilizing and repairing a historic adobe structure in Death Valley National Park. The project targets Building CC64, located within the Cow Creek Historic District, a listed historic area where individual structures contribute to the district's overall significance. The award is offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement, meaning the National Park Service expects to be actively involved in shaping or participating in the work rather than simply issuing funds with minimal oversight.

Building CC64 has a long service history tied to the park's operational development. Constructed in 1939 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, it originally functioned as a small, one-room hydroelectric plant providing steady power for tools, and supporting practical needs like fire protection and irrigation for the nearby maintenance and administrative area. After being out of use for about a decade, it was rebuilt in 1953 to serve as a radio communications structure, reflecting how park infrastructure evolved as operational priorities changed. Physically, it is a small building of about 320 square feet, built with adobe brick walls, a concrete floor, and a corrugated metal roof. Inside, remnants of its early hydroelectric function remain, including the stand for a Pelton wheel on the south end of the interior; later, the Pelton wheel system was replaced with a gasoline-powered generator. Exterior features also changed over time, especially on the west wall, which originally had five windows with wooden louvers beneath them but was later altered when the windows were replaced with louvers to improve airflow for generator combustion.

The immediate reason for the project is storm damage that occurred in 2016, when a high-wind event tore the roof off the building. With the roof removed, the adobe walls were left exposed to weather, creating an urgent preservation problem because adobe can deteriorate quickly when unprotected. The core goal of the funded work is to assess and repair the damaged adobe walls and return them to a stable, "good condition" state so the structure can safely receive a replacement roof. The roof itself is not part of this specific grant effort; it is expected to be restored later through a separate project, but the wall repairs funded here are a necessary prerequisite for that future work.

A major feature of the project is its training and educational approach. Instead of being treated purely as a construction job, the work is set up in a field school format that will train a mix of students, interns, and volunteers. Participants will learn foundational concepts in historic preservation along with hands-on methods for evaluating and repairing damaged adobe. In addition to basic repairs, the project will incorporate seismic retrofits to reduce earthquake vulnerability, which is particularly important for unreinforced masonry and adobe structures. The work will also be designed to better connect the roof structure to the adobe walls, specifically to lower the risk of another wind event lifting the roof off in the future.

Seismic retrofitting options will be developed as part of an academic and applied engineering component. Engineering students at New Mexico State University will produce various retrofit proposals, present them to park staff, and the park will select which approach to implement. That setup reinforces the cooperative nature of the agreement: the park is not only funding outcomes, but also coordinating decision-making, reviewing technical options, and integrating preservation and safety considerations before construction methods are finalized.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity was created on August 17, 2017, with an original closing date of August 27, 2017, indicating a short response window typical of certain intent notices and partnership-driven projects. The expected number of awards is one, with an award ceiling of $1, which is a common listing artifact for notices that may be tied to a specific partner or a predetermined cooperative arrangement rather than a broad, competitive funding pool. The activity category is natural resources, and the CFDA number listed is 15.945. Eligibility is described generally as "Others," with additional clarification normally provided in the full eligibility text associated with the announcement.

Overall, the project is designed to keep a historically important CCC-era building viable and contributing to the Cow Creek Historic District. By repairing the adobe walls, integrating earthquake-related reinforcements, improving how the future roof will be anchored, and training participants in preservation practice, the National Park Service aims to stabilize the structure now and set it up for a successful roof restoration later, ultimately returning CC64 to serviceable condition and preserving its role in the National Register-listed historic district.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Notice of Intent: Repair Wind Damaged Adobe Building at Cow Creek" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.945.
• This funding opportunity was created on Aug 17, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 27, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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