May 11, 2011--Rehabilitation work at the historic Many Glacier Hotel in Glacier National Park will continue this summer, the latest phase of a project that has been under way for the last decade.

Swank Enterprises of Kalispell was awarded a $9.5 million contract last year for work that is expected to continue into next summer.

The contract called for rehabilitation of administrative offices, about half of the hotel's 214 rooms, the main dining room, the Interlaken Room, kitchen, the employee dining room and other employee and maintenance areas.

"We have about 100 rooms that will be closed for the season," said Ellen Blickhan, the park's public affairs officer.

Construction activity will be focused on the north half of the hotel and work will be limited to daylight hours during weekdays to limit disturbances for hotel guests.

Dining will be available at the hotel's Swiss Lounge and Interlaken Room.

The Many Glacier Hotel was built on the east side of Glacier Park in 1914 and 1915 by the Great Northern Railway. The hotel overhaul effort has been under way since 2001, with a total of about $25 million directed to the project so far.

The most recent funding comes from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Swank completed three work projects at the hotel in 2005. That work focused on the building's exterior and structural stabilization.

Blickhan said further work is anticipated on the southern half of the hotel over the next few years, but money has yet to be secured for that work.

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by email at [email protected].

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