I don’t think you want to use a skeletal mesh where you actually want a static mesh. I think you should just try to get it to import as a static mesh.
I think you have the right idea: You need to import it as smaller chunks. It looks very modular with lots of repeating sections. Can you import just one chunk of it as a static mesh and then copy/paste a static mesh actor to form the whole structure? If those sections actually are different somehow, just leave everything in place in your 3D editor, and delete and export different pieces so they all have the same origin.
But now I’m confused. You said that you’ll eventually have a big skeletal animated object? So which one is it? Is this supposed to be a skeletal mesh? Or is it supposed to be a static mesh but you imported it as a skeletal mesh as a workaround?