History of the Institute

The Concrete Preservation Institute is dedicated to adding new dimensions to the art, science, understanding, and advancement of preservation and concrete repair. CPI partners with the National Park Service (NPS) at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) and with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy (Conservancy). The GGNRA is administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, through the National Park Service, which cooperates with partners to preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations throughout this country and the world. The Conservancy is a nonprofit public benefit organization that partners with the GGNRA to support planning, design and implementation of park projects; to support volunteerism and seek philanthropy for park projects and programs; and to work with the community and other partners to fulfill the NPS mission at the GGNRA.  The GGNRA and Conservancy, building on their successful collaboration on Alcatraz Island in delivering a world-class visitor experience amidst challenging logistical and environmental conditions, have undertaken a joint initiative to further improve the stewardship of the Island in the face of declining capital improvement budgets. Many of the degrading resources on Alcatraz Island (and throughout the GGNRA) consist of historic or repaired structural and architectural concrete. The NPS and Conservancy identified a need to acquire expertise on the preservation of these resources within the park.  Four years of a successful Preservation Field School Stewardship Program led by CPI staff through the Concrete Industry Management (CIM) program at California State University, Chico, in collaboration with GGNRA, the Conservancy, and industry sponsors, engaged CIM undergraduate students to repair and preserve small-scale features on Alcatraz Island during the summer months. Their success proved the concept that preservation work can be accomplished while engaging young people in stewardship and training programs. CPI, GGNRA, and the Conservancy followed this by committing to jointly develop an expanded program that aligns with the National Park Service Director’s Call to Action and GGNRA, the Conservancy, and CPI’s strategic goals.  The Partnership focuses on collaborative efforts to fund and accomplish the preservation of historic and repaired concrete within the GGNRA focused on, but not limited to, Alcatraz. The CPI program emphasizes engaging and training new audiences as future industry leaders and park stewards, developing and leading collaborations with industry and academic experts as they align with broader cultural resource preservation objectives of GGNRA, engaging in advanced preservation and technology applications and research in harsh environments, and contributions to GGNRA’s long-term stewardship needs and asset management efforts.