Anchorage Ends Minimum Parking Requirements

In a landmark vote, the Anchorage Assembly has voted unanimously to eliminate minimum parking requirements citywide. The proposed repeal of the parking requirements united Assembly members on both ends of the political spectrum, as it was championed by David Volland, a liberal, and co-sponsored by Kevin Cross, a conservative with a background in real estate. Mayor Dave Bronson, a conservative who  has often found himself at odds with the liberal-majority Assembly, is also a supporter of the repeal and took to Twitter after the repeal's passing to write that "there's no daylight between myself and the Assembly when it comes to the need for housing."  

The citywide repeal of minimum parking requirements actually represents a major leap forward for the city. Initially, the city's planning department drafted an ordinance calling for parking reform to only certain sections of the city. As this blog has noted in years past, efforts at zoning reform have usually focused on midtown and downtown Anchorage, with some attention also given to creating various "town centers" across the Anchorage Bowl. As the Sightline Institute notes, however, coverage of the relaxed regulations was extended citywide following input from members of the Assembly. 

While this is of course fantastic news, it does not mean that the wide barren swaths of asphalt between the island buildings of midtown Anchorage will fold overnight. It does, however, mean that we may see more creative uses of the existing parking lots littered throughout the city. With minimum parking requirements mandating that a property fit enough parking under a scenario of absolute maximum building occupany, many parking spaces are left untouched throughout the year. Thanks to the repeal, much of this unused space can instead become developable land for housing and offices in prime locations in the city. It was with the urgent crisis of the city's housing shortage in the backdrop, after all, that city leaders were able to pass this dramatic repeal. AK_Urban, a Twitter user who writes about Anchorage and its urban issues, made this excellent image that envisions new housing being built on the parking lot belonging to the Century 16 theater in midtown, under a scenario in which parking requirements are lifted.     

Unfortunately, even with no parking minimums, there will continue to be new developments that will voluntarily include new parking spots. Even Elizabeth Place — a new apartment building that was highly praised for reintroducing housing into the heart of downtown Anchorage, an area of the city that already does not require any parking — contains new parking spaces. The continued need to voluntarily supply parking highlights the deeper systemic problem of automobile dependency, which was compounded through the decades by minimum parking requirements and traffic engineers prioritizing the smooth travel of cars over all other modes of transportation. It was very easy to leave the boundaries of downtown Anchorage half a century ago and create car-centric haphazard development to the point that now the vast majority of its population cannot imagine getting by without a car. It will be slow going and will require decades of work and new development to make these areas outside of downtown into actual, livable places. But the citywide end to minimum parking requirements is certainly a leap  forward in the right direction. 

Demolition of the 4th Avenue Theater now Underway

The city of Anchorage is now witnessing what will undoubtable go down as the most significant — and controversial — demolition work in the city's more-than-100-year history. Demolition work at the 4th Avenue Theater is now fully underway as part of a larger redevelopment project being overseen by Peach Holdings LLC — which, in addition to the historic theater, now owns every property on the block. The demolition puts an end to a decades-long battle to preserve and restore the building.  

While much of the artwork and other artifacts inside the theater will be taken down and transferred to the city, the building itself is to be demolished entirely. According to the building's owners and city officials, internal structural problems were too severe to warrant a full restoration of the Art Deco-styled building. Issues concerning asbestos and lead were also brought up by the mayor, Dave Bronson. Additionally, Peach Holdings LLC states that restoring the Lathrop Building — the official name of the building housing the theater — back into operation as a theater or other similar use did not pencil out. However, Trish Neal, board president of the Alaska Association for Historic Preservation, disagrees about the building being in such poor condition and told Alaska Public Media in an interview that the opinions of structural engineers vary widely. 

As for my take, I just want to write that I'm actually quite surprised that the entire building is coming down. In May, when Peach Holdings LLC unveiled their sweeping redevelopment project to the press, it was speculated afterward on social media that a portion of the theater, or perhaps just the facade, would be preserved. This speculation was due to the 4th Avenue Theater appearing seemingly untouched in the renderings for the new development. And a number of years ago, the owners made a slight reference to the possibility of the building being gutted of the actual theater space while disguising its new use by maintaining the facade. I therefore assumed that this was to be the case following the announcement of this new project. As of now, it is reported that the theater's facade will be knocked down, and a reconstruction of the facade will take its place — it's something I find a bit bizarre. Projects around the world have creatively preserved and utilized old facades for the ground level of new high-rise buildings — a new project doing just that is about to get underway in Seattle — so I don't see why the same could not be done with the Lathrop Building. 

This project is going to be quite a gamble, and I am quite nervous about how this will pan out. As alluded to earlier, the Lathrop Building is just one of several buildings to be demolished. The Adams Building next door will also be razed, as will the two-story building that once housed Woolworth's. First National Bank, which is next to the former theater, will have to vacate its premises after being at the same location for more than 50 years. Apparently, the owners of Cabin Fever had held out and refused purchase offers from Peach Holdings for its two-story building at the corner of 4th Avenue and G Street. Ultimately, however, a deal was made, and Cabin Fever along with an adjoining business will be moving across the street to recently vacated space. The nine-story First National Building will also be demolished, with plans calling for it to be replaced with a new high-rise of similar height.

I think I'll go ahead and wait until construction begins on the new redevelopment project before I discuss more about it. For now, this is about the 4th Avenue Theater. I have been going past the old theater every week since this summer, and it was this morning that I saw the theater in its current half-demolished form. Its mutilated appearance is quite grisly, and it actually hurt to see the building looking the way it does now. The thick concrete that makes up the building is going to make for a slow-going demolition, I guess. All I can think of is the unfortunate circumstances the theater, and the city, found itself in. Sitting largely abandoned since 1982, there are adults today entering middle-age who have never had the opportunity to step inside the theater. But nobody walks down 4th Avenue or the surrounding streets anymore — it's a product of the automobile age and suburbanization. Downtown needs new investment. But the argument, of course, is how that new investment should be handled. From now, it will be up to Anchoragites and visitors to Anchorage in 50 years, in 100 years, to decide whether demolition of the 4th Avenue Theater was worth it. 
 

Stone Law Building Rises in Downtown

Construction has continued at a rapid pace at the corner of 5th Avenue and A Street in downtown Anchorage, site of what will become the Stone Law Building. As the name makes quite clear, the new building will be home to Stone Law Group, an Anchorage-based law firm that I believe already has a presence downtown. Despite the building being just two stories, it appears that it will be split to house two tenants. A real estate website lists the building as having restaurant space. 

Architecturally, I appreciate that the building's corner that faces the intersection will be curved. Facing a one-way street on the outer boundary of downtown, it softens the building's impact as drivers coming from the Glenn Highway into downtown approach it. As for the building's main color, while I originally thought of it as a bit odd, black does seem to be the fashionable color of choice for building facades these days, as can be seen when looking at the new building projects that arose recently in downtown Anchorage. I'm also glad to see that the building goes up to the sidewalk, giving that street corner a more urbanized definition. Interestingly, a closer look at the artist rendering shows what appears to be a large taxidermized bear ready to greet at the entrance. Should this bear actually materialize and be visible from the street, it will make for an excellent "welcome to downtown" marker. 

The Stone Law Building replaces a mid-century, one-story building that once housed the Rice Bowl, a restaurant that offered Chinese-American cuisine. By the 1990s, the restaurant had abandoned that building in favor of another location, and the building had since remained vacant with the exception of a brief time when it was a cafe in the mid-2000s.  

The Changing Face of Spenard

I've been wanting to cover this story for a while now. Those who have passed through Spenard over the last year may have noticed that a multi-building project has been underway at the corner of Spenard Road and 36th Avenue as well as alongside Chugach Way. The three buildings under construction are to make up what will be known as Ch'bala Corners, an affordable residential development that will feature multifamily and senior housing. Two of the buildings that will be fronting Spenard Road and Chugach Way will be three stories high and contain a combined 40 rental units. A third building that is also located on Chugach Way, a once seedy side street, will be two stories and contain eight units. The buildings will open in phases, with all three expected to be open for residents by the end of July. As can be seen in the image above, Ch'bala Corners (left) replaces a used-car lot and an abandoned mechanic shop. 

Looking west from 36th Avenue.

It's pleasing to see how the design of this project came out, and on a larger scale, it's pleasing to see the trajectory that this part of Spenard has taken in recent years. Regarding Ch'bala Corners — formerly known as Spenard East — the buildings are placed alongside Spenard Road, 36th Avenue, and Chugach Way, with surface parking and parkland located in the rear from which the buildings will somewhat wrap around. The first building that rose last year sits at the corner of Spenard Road and 36th Avenue. With the corner of the building meeting two busy thoroughfares, it would be great to see a greengrocer or some sort of retail space occupy that portion of the building. Unfortunately, it appears none of the buildings making up the Ch'bala Corners project will be mixed-use. I have read before that Cook Inlet Housing Authority, the non-profit group behind this project, has had trouble with signing retail tenants to its other mixed-use properties in Mountain View and Muldoon. But overall, the design of Ch'bala Corners is nonetheless an improvement when compared to Cook Inlet Housing's previous high-profile project, 3600 Spenard, which disappointingly fronts Spenard Road with a parking lot in the front. That said, having a new apartment building along Spenard Road that is single use with no retail at ground level is going to make for an awkward and bizarre site. It's quite unfortunate.  

Ch'bala Corners as seen from Chugach Way.

As alluded to earlier, the Ch'bala Corners development marks the latest in a string of projects along Spenard Road that is giving the area a new identity and sense of place while also providing Anchorage with rental units that are badly needed. Cook Inlet Housing closed the previous decade with the opening of 3600 Spenard, a three-story mixed-use residential building that sits opposite to Ch'bala Corners. The non-profit group then went on to open ThirteenTen West 32nd, a three-story apartment building that sits just off Spenard Road on—you guessed it—West 32nd Avenue. Outside of downtown, I cannot think of a better location for these new developments other than Spenard. For more than a decade, Cook Inlet Housing has been focusing on building affordable units in Mountain View and Muldoon, but those neighborhoods are located in the far-flung corners of the city. Mountain View itself is cutoff from the rest of the city due to the Glenn Highway. In contrast, Spenard sits between downtown, midtown, and the airport. The Spenard neighborhood also carries a cultural cachet and identity that no other neighborhood in Anchorage has been able to match, particularly among the bohemian crowd. It's obviously no match to Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood, but for Anchorage standards, it's a destination with character that is worthy of more housing. Going forward, the city should seek ways to spur private market-rate housing in Spenard, so as to not rely solely on public housing initiatives.  

Transit Center Tower Project is Revived

A once-proposed 12-story hotel for downtown Anchorage that was later shelved has been revived, this time with the city partnering with a local group of investors to take on the project. Located at the transit center on 6th Avenue, the development initially made headlines in early 2020, when its unique design was first revealed to the public. Rather than demolishing the existing parking structure, the hotel would be attached to the side of the parking structure, with the building itself made up of prefabricated modular units that are built overseas and shipped to Anchorage, whereupon they would be "stacked" piece by piece. 

The project was to originally be built by a Bellevue-based developer, but after several disagreements with the city in 2020, the project was ultimately cancelled. This time, the founder of RIM Architects and several local investors are looking to revive the project. Having been recently granted a 99-year lease to the property by the Anchorage Assembly, the investors — organized under the name 6th Avenue Center LLC — now seek to secure private funding to bring about the new development. 

The downtown transit center in its current form.

While the new renderings of the hotel project feature a different design, the founder of RIM Architects states that the overall plan will remain the same. In fact, RIM Architects was tasked with the previous design for the original plan, before things fell through. Like the previous plan, the building will house a hotel; however, unlike the previous plan, a new hotel brand will be pursued to occupy the building. Previously, Hotel Indigo, an international boutique hotel chain, was slated to operate the hotel space. While the numbers are not exact yet, the building will have around 200 hotel rooms in addition to around 30 apartment units. The now boarded-up transit center, which would become the tower's base, is expected to have restaurant and retail space. 

I was quite surprised to find out that the People Mover's transit center is now boarded up. Apparently, the two-story transit center closed up entirely in 2020. I had not been to the transit center in more than five years, but in my last few visits, the place did indeed noticeably go further down hill. Numerous efforts have been made in the past to revitalize and upgrade security at the transit center, but, in the end, the hoodlums apparently won out. Now, plans call for the transit center to reopen with the new hotel complex, albeit its footprint will presumably be smaller as it shares the base of the building with new retail space. If all goes according to plan, construction is expected to commence in October, with the building complete by September of next year. 

Well-known Local Retail Moves Into Downtown Anchorage

Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop, a popular family-owned bakery that has been in operation for just over a decade, has completed the move to its new location at 718 K Street in downtown Anchorage. Located in a former medical clinic, the bakery will later be joined by Johnny's Produce, a shop that serves smoothies as well as fresh produce. Also moving into the building are La Bodega, a wine and liquor store with a loyal customer following, and That Feeling Co., a cafe that also sells houseplants. A physical therapy office is also expected to later join in what is being called the K Street Market. I'm quite astonished that this many businesses will be housed in one single-story building, but nevertheless, this is very promising news for this portion of downtown.

For those unfamiliar with the area, the building is located at the corner of K Street and 7th Avenue in a portion of downtown that is bordered by three major thoroughfares. While the three-lane one-way thoroughfares that make up the perimeter are bustling with fast-moving traffic, the area within this eight-block portion of downtown is characterized by its quiet two-way streets and unassuming businesses. It's an area that is ripe with potential for residential development in the core of the city. I have long identified this area as being a great candidate for such development, as has the city, as seen by the construction of Elizabeth Place, an apartment building that was built with financial help from the municipality three years ago. But while the opening of Elizabeth Place was a significant marker of achievement for the area, the opening of K Street Market is equally significant.

Until now, this area was known for housing small law firms and other non-public-facing businesses. But in order to attract residents, retail needs to have a presence. Thanks to the opening of K Street Market, that essential component is now in the area. In an interview, the owner of Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop mentioned the revitalization of downtown as being among her goals while also stating, "We're hoping people bike and walk here and make it part of their lifestyle." With the new shops opening in an area primed for residential development (and just one block away from the new Elizabeth Place apartment building), it's clear that the owners involved in this new venture share the same vision for the area as everyone else who wish to see a healthy downtown with residents living north of 9th Avenue.

As for the building itself, 718 K Street will retain its mid-century modern appearance. Built in 1958, the building housed a clinic for decades and watched as its nearby neighbors, Providence Hospital and Alaska Regional Hospital, left downtown for more open space. I myself was briefly a patient at this clinic toward the end of my high school years in the mid-2000s. My doctor was a bit of a cranky guy, but at least I got exposed for the first time to The New Yorker magazine and its droll cartoons while in the waiting room. As a one-story building, I think this might be, in my mind, the most aesthetically pleasing building in Anchorage. It exudes 1950s modernism and is uniquely characterized by its colored glass blocks sprinkled throughout the facade. I do worry, however, that should the area successfully transform into an urban residential neighborhood, there might be a community-led effort to preserve the building under the guise of historical preservation. Despite some of its charm, the building, with its blank walls and setback from the sidewalk, does not contribute to the area's street life but rather turns away from it by having its main entrance face its rear parking lot. I hope one day to see elements of the building's brick and colored-glass facade adorn the ground level of a six-story mixed-used building, with retail at ground level and residential units above.  

Downtown Anchorage in 1980

Just wanted to share this impressive aerial photo of Anchorage that was posted on Twitter the other day. The photo, taken from the eastern end of downtown, was purportedly taken in 1980. Visual evidence immediately suggests this must indeed be the case as both the ConocoPhillips and Atwood buildings on 7th Avenue are noticeably missing from the scene (both would be completed later in 1983). The reason why this photo really grabs me is that it finally reveals to me what the site of the present-day Anchorage Museum looked like before the 1986 expansion — arguably the most dramatic expansion in the museum's history. But before I get to that, I want to note some other interesting points about this photo.

A before and after view looking down 5th Avenue.

Through this photo, we get a clearer view of what the site that is today home to the 5th Avenue Mall looked like shortly before the mall's construction and 1987 opening. I already had an idea of what the block looked like then, but it required detective-like work of scanning through numerous ground-level photos, often taken years, if not decades apart, thus resulting in a hard-to-grasp idea of what the block looked like by this time period. We also get a view of the block that is now entirely occupied by the mall's parking garage. We see that only half of the block was lined with buildings, while the southern half had become surface parking by this time period. The businesses on the northern half of the block were mostly made up of bars; that end of the block was on 4th Avenue, after all. 

Photo by Stephen Cysewski. This block no longer exists.

Interestingly, today the block has sort of flipped and it is now on the 5th Avenue side that businesses can be found, as the parking garage is a mixed-use structure housing retail space at the ground level. Unfortunately, however, retail has struggled to take hold below this garage, and most of the retail spaces today lie vacant. I suspect that the garage's location next to C Street does little to help matters. Since becoming a major arterial road, C Street has become the unofficial demarcation point that divides the more prosperous west downtown from the more stagnant east. I know I've alluded to C Street in this manner in previous posts over the years when discussing the boundaries of west downtown Anchorage. 

Overall, I think this block was better off as it was in 1980. I don't like parking garages — nobody really does. I'm sure city leaders were celebrating the demolition of that collection of "seedy" businesses on 4th Avenue at the time. But when compared to what faces 4th Avenue now, those buildings, and the businesses they housed — no matter what kind of judgement and prejudice they may have endured — were far better for the overall streetscape and vitality of the area. I suppose the overall economic trade-off leans in favor of the parking garage as it meant thousands of residents were coming back downtown for modern retail shopping, vastly outweighing what economic benefit those bars were bringing in. But the fact that a trade-off had to be made in the first place speaks to the sad state of affairs in which automobile traffic and the storage of cold steel machines must take priority over established businesses that supported the livelihoods of its owners and employees, all in the name of economic well-being. Ideally, both the mall and the businesses on 4th Avenue would co-exist without the need for a garage, though I suspect some will go further and argue that a truly ideal world would be one in which there is no mall to begin with. After all, shopping malls represent commerce relocating to the suburbs in order to remain near the American upper and middle classes whom had fled city centers in the second half of the 20th century. Urban malls were a remedy to this problem, but with largely mixed results.   

The same stretch of 4th Avenue today.

Finally, I want to get back to what initially intrigued me the most about the aerial photo. I know that the Anchorage Museum in its current incarnation is the fifth generation in a series of changes that go back to the museum's first major upgrade in 1973. But while I was around for the museum's latter two upgrades in 2008 and 2016, I was not witness to the museum's pre-1986 existence. That is to say that while a portion of the original 1968 building (and its 1970s slight extension) survived the sweeping 1986 upgrade and provided me some clues, I largely had no idea as to the original building's relation to the block it once solely occupied. Questions like, "Did it occupy the entire block?", and even, "What direction did the building face?" lingered in my mind whenever I thought about the original museum's footprint. This picture answered all those questions. What immediately surprised me was the fact that there was once surface parking on the property. I realize this should not be particularly shocking — this is Anchorage after all — but when the post-1986 renovation is all you've ever known, it can nonetheless be jarring to see a familiar urban site in a suburban-style layout. 

Naturally, a photo like this is also encouraging because it demonstrates that suburban-style properties can indeed evolve to make maximum use of the land and increase the density of a given area. It reminds me that, for instance, the Office Depot on 5th Avenue and Cordova Street, with its on-site surface parking lot, does have the potential to be replaced with something that contributes meaningfully to downtown. But what's particularly striking is that not only was the Anchorage Museum not afraid to kill off its surface parking lot, but it did not bring back on-site parking even when the opportunity presented itself again decades later. When the neighboring fire station was demolished in the late 1990s to make way for the 2008 museum expansion, the westside of the block, today parkland, could have easily become a parking lot. After all, we live in a suburban nation in which development must cater to drivers, with their demands for convenient parking and drive-through access. But rather than resurrect free on-site parking, visitors to the museum have to find parking in the surrounding city blocks (and often for a fee). A subterranean garage does exist beneath the 1986 portion of the museum, but it isn't large enough to accommodate all visitors, and it's closed during weekdays. It was quite an admirable move on the museum's part to choose good urban form over automotive convenience. 

Aside from the museum, I cannot really think of another large-scale example in Anchorage in which post-war suburban development has given way to a dense, pedestrian-friendly development. The only place that comes to mind is the 188 WNL tower in midtown. Once housing a single-story restaurant with a large parking lot, the site is now home to a 14-story tower that extends out to the sidewalk with room for retail space at street level. In contrast to its car-oriented surroundings, 188 WNL is decades ahead of its time, which was the reason why I dubbed it "Project of the Decade" years ago. With the city running out of developable land and a climate crisis at our hands, formerly car-oriented sites like the Anchorage Museum and 188 WNL represent the way forward for midtown, east downtown, and other commercial hubs in the Anchorage bowl. 

The 1973 extension is the oldest remaining piece left in the museum complex.

Downtown Anchorage Construction Rundown

It's been years since I've last posted a construction rundown list, so I thought I should get on this now that we do have a few projects that are either under construction or have been recently completed. 

Key Bank Plaza Renovation

It's hard to believe that the Key Bank Plaza was built a half-century ago. But indeed, the midrise building opened in 1972, then as the home to Alaska Mutual Savings Bank. Having been built during one of the more unfortunate periods of architecture, it isn't really surprising to see this building get a facade makeover. The building was damaged by the 2018 earthquake, and with the departure of Key Bank and the flagship Starbucks store, the owners apparently decided now was the time to give the building a facelift. I should note that Peach Investments owns the building -- the same company that owns other properties on the same block, including the First National Building and the 4th Avenue Theater. If I recall correctly, they also own 188 WNL in midtown. The new facade will without a doubt make this the boldest piece of mid-rise architecture in the city. Right now, I would say the most unique-looking building in Anchorage is the ASRC building in midtown. But unlike the ASRC building, the new facade for the former Key Bank Plaza has more grace and aesthetic appeal without trying too hard. According to the architects, the facade is meant to evoke the form of glaciers -- a design inspiration you would have thought would be tried by other developers by now. Fun fact: as a teen in the early 2000s, I thought at the time that the Key Bank Plaza would be a good candidate for a complete facade makeover. My idea for a design was nothing like what we're seeing now though. 

Condominiums on the Park Strip

            

I'm really happy with the way these two condominium blocks turned out. Each replacing single-family homes, both buildings house four units each, and they continue the trend of residential densification along Delaney Park on the 10th Avenue side. I dream of one day seeing both sides of the park strip lined with two to five story buildings with the park serving as a common space for recreation and relaxation. Each weekday morning would witness "the great crossing" in which South Addition residents would walk en masse across the park to their jobs in downtown (this already happens to a small extent). There is just so much potential for 9th Avenue and 10th Avenue. Delaney Park, originally a firebreak and then a runway, is such an incredible asset for downtown Anchorage. Unfortunately, the 9th Avenue side of the park from L Street onwards hasn't seen new construction in decades. With there being a strong call for housing in downtown, 9th Avenue seems like a logical place for low to mid-rise residential buildings. Back to the two condominium blocks under review here, I'm really glad that there is no garage or driveway in the front. Residents here walk down the stairs and onto a path linking to the sidewalk. In the late 2000s, another set of condominiums further east on 10th Avenue were built as snout housing, with the garage taking up prominent space in the front. It's not a pretty site...

Bootleggers Landing

Here is another residential development that has come into being since my time off. Bootleggers Landing is among the latest residential properties to sprout up in the Bootleggers Cove neighborhood just west of downtown. The property contains eight units in total with each unit being three stories tall. A garage fitting one car is also included with each unit. Considering that there is no garage visible from the street, it's safe to conclude that parking is in the rear -- another win for this development. Instead of a garage greeting passersby, the Scandinavian-inspired building features mini lawns with a sidewalk reaching up to each door; these are basically a modern take on rowhomes. I should note though that there is one garage entrance in the front, which is how vehicles access the back area. What I found personally interesting as I drove up to see this development for myself was the shapeshifting form it takes as I drove towards it going west on 8th Avenue. Coming from the east, the building appears as a large black windowless mass -- a very striking and unusual site for any neighborhood. This is due to the fact that the units and their windows are slanted westward so as to get the most out of the view of Cook Inlet to the west. But the result is you get a building that is akin to Darth Vader when approaching from the east. I suspect some will see this as a design flaw that does not take the neighborhood into consideration, but I find the building to be a great addition to the neighborhood nonetheless. Its architecture is beautiful and looks to have been designed using superb materials. And of course, more density is always welcome. Previously, the site was a grassy empty lot that housed a small cottage that had been on the site for many decades.   

Downtown Edge North                            

Another new housing development in downtown that I checked out sits not in Bootleggers Cove, but on the northern bluff of downtown overlooking Ship Creek. Downtown Edge North saw construction commence in 2018, when a warehouse occupying a small portion of the unoccupied land was demolished. The project, which is located on Christensen Drive, was made possible with cooperation from the Alaska Railroad, which is leasing out the land on a 95-year term. The development is to contain 22 condominium units, according to The Peterson Group. I'm not sure whether the project was downsized as an earlier news report in 2018 stated the project was to contain 35 units. When I drove by the site late last year, it appeared that roughly half the units had been completed, with the rest of the site remaining vacant. I'm hopeful the project will be fully realized. Unlike housing in Bootleggers Cove, residents at Downtown Edge North will have more immediate access to downtown Anchorage businesses, giving it a huge advantage over other condominiums in the area. The housing project also sits right next to the starting point of the coastal trail that goes out to Kincaid Park.  

Coastal Place

Heading back to Bootleggers Cove, Coastal Place is a condominium completed in 2021 and located near the top of the bluff. In the photo above, you can see the Peterson Tower looming close behind. With the best views of the inlet coming from the top of the bluff, it is not surprising to see a development like Coastal Place come into being at this location. Prior to construction, a small cottage sat on the property for a number of decades. As of January 2022, half of the six units have been sold. Not surprisingly, the two units on the top floor were the first to go off the market as they each contain a 2,000 square foot private deck on the roof.   

Susitna Flats

Among my more favorite projects to rise out of downtown Anchorage recently is the Susitna Flats apartments. Located at the west end of 9th Avenue facing Delaney Park, the building contains eighteen units -- twelve one bedroom and six two-bedroom units, with parking underground. Though rent starts at more than $2,000 per month, I'm just glad to see new apartments go up downtown. For so long, downtown Anchorage has had a drought when it comes to apartment construction. Not including Elizabeth Place, another new apartment building mentioned earlier in this blog, I believe the last time new apartments came into the market in downtown was around 2009 with the opening of the McKinley Tower Apartments -- yet that was merely a restoration of an apartment building that fell into disuse decades earlier. When I saw construction start on Susitna Flats three years ago, I had assumed this was just another condominium, especially given its location next to Bootleggers Cove. 

The wall of facades running along the Delaney Park strip.

Besides being apartments and not condominiums, I'm also glad to see this building extend the wall of building facades that face the Delaney Park strip on the 9th Avenue side. From L Street westward, there is a bit of a consistent wall of three-story building facades that face the park. Yes, there are major gaps between some of the buildings, but for Anchorage standards, this is the closest we'll get to the Central Park feel. The addition of Susitna Flats gives this stretch of 9th Avenue a nice bookend, though if there is one thing I would wish for, it would be for the Susitna Flats to be at least one floor higher. 

Qanchi Place

Finally, I want to return back to the heart of downtown Anchorage where we find this recently converted apartment building. Located on 8th Avenue, this four-story building was originally built in 1961, and until becoming apartments was home to Duke's 8th Avenue Hotel. Cook Inlet Housing Authority had since acquired the property and converted it into a 28-unit apartment building with one and two-bedroom units. Rent starts at $750 with the website stating that income restrictions may apply. With Qanchi Place now complete, downtown Anchorage is now home to two new apartment buildings in the central business district. It's quite a feat, considering that the heart of downtown has not had new housing of this sort and at this scale in decades. This was made possible thanks to Cook Inlet Housing Authority, which besides Qanchi Place was also behind Elizabeth Place.