NOME, Alaska — After nine months of renovations, Nome’s Seaside Center has moved into a new building further down Front Street. The halfway house is now bigger, cleaner, and safer, according to Director Bob Weston.
Weston said he’s particularly excited that the new facility has three classroom spaces. The old location had none.
Now, he said Seaside will have a lot more to offer residents as they transition back into the community from the corrections system.
“We’ll be able to provide better programming for our residents with some cognitive classes that will help them become better citizens in their respective villages and communities,” he said.
Seaside will partner with the Norton Sound Health Corporation to provide those classes for residents, who come from as far north as Barrow and as far south as Stebbins.
Weston said the new 50-bed facility will also be safer and more welcoming for residents. It has 43 security cameras, while the old location had just 16. It also has new exercise and recreation rooms as well as a specific space for residents to speak privately with their lawyers.
Seaside staff and residents moved into the new building in February.
