National Park Service awards two contracts to complete housing construction at Harden Farm

Contact: Amanda Pollock, 207-412-8623

Bar Harbor, Maine - The National Park Service recently awarded two major contracts to complete the construction of employee housing at Harden Farm. A $3.4 million contract will connect the site to the town of Bar Harbor's sewer system, and a $7.4 million contract will construct an additional 28 bedrooms for park employee housing.

In September 2024, the National Park Service awarded a contract to King Construction of Machias, Maine, to construct the first 28 bedrooms of employee housing. The contract for the second phase of construction, also awarded to King Construction, will bring the remaining 28 bedrooms to life, adding a total of 56 bedrooms between the two phases to the park's housing inventory. The National Park Service awarded the contract to connect the site to the town of Bar Harbor's sewer system to McKenzie Construction and Site Development of Washington, D.C.

"Thanks to generous donations from Friends of Acadia and the National Park Foundation, along with significant federal funds, seasonal employees at Acadia will have a place to live," said Superintendent Kevin Schneider. "As we have seen this summer, Acadia National Park needs employees to clean and stock restrooms, rescue injured adventurers, manage visitor centers, and complete countless other tasks to keep Acadia open and accessible. The future housing at Harden Farm will make it possible for the best and brightest rangers to accept positions in Acadia."

The construction at Harden Farm is possible because of a total of $9.5 million in donations from Friends of Acadia, a $2 million grant from National Park Foundation, funding from the National Park Service's Centennial Challenge and Housing Improvement Programs, and Helium Act funds.

"Friends of Acadia is proud to partner with Acadia National Park to help create attainable housing that supports the seasonal staff who make the park's visitor experience possible," said Friends of Acadia's President and CEO Eric Stiles. "These employees are essential to protecting Acadia's resources and welcoming millions of visitors each year, and they deserve a safe, stable place to call home. By investing in housing, we're investing in the future of the park and the people who care for it. We are incredibly grateful to our members and community who helped make this possible by contributing to our Raise the Roof campaign and to the National Park Foundation for their support."

"We're proud to support Acadia National Park and the Friends of Acadia in their effort to address the need for employee housing. By working together, we can find creative, local solutions to take care of the dedicated professionals who care for our national parks and create unforgettable experiences for visitors," said Lise Aangeenbrug, chief program officer at the National Park Foundation.

Identified as a potential site for workforce housing since 1959, Harden Farm is home to eight existing bedrooms constructed in 1960. Over the past several years, the National Park Service designed a plan to add 56 bedrooms of employee housing on the Harden Farm campus.

Learn more about the progress at Harden Farm on our park website: https://www.nps.gov/acad/learn/management/housing.htm