4th Avenue: One Year Ago and Today

I stopped by recently to take the "after" picture of the stretch of 4th Avenue that is now under redevelopment. It is a jarring contrast to see this stretch without buildings. It is also a reminder of just how important buildings are to a street — they define a street. Throw in an architectural gem, especially one that incorporates the street's name into its design, and that street becomes an outright destination. A lot of debate will be had about the building that will one day occupy this block. But while the development that will replace this block may not live up to what was once here, I think it can be agreed that there is a worse alternative: nothing at all. 

This worse case scenario of nothing being built is not far fetched. In fact, Anchorage has already seen a former theater be torn down and replaced with nothing but a surface lot. Of course the theater in question — The Alaska Experience Theater, which occupied a purely utilitarian '70s-era building — did not tug at the heartstrings of Anchoraites, and it was demolished with little, if any, commotion. But similar to the current redevelopment project slated for 4th Avenue, The Alaska Experience Theater, too, was to be replaced with a much larger development. Actually, it was to be replaced by what would have been the tallest building in Alaska. Rising at over 20 stories, the Augustine Energy Center was supposed to take the form an office building on a parking garage podium that would take up the whole block, from G Street to H Street. But the project was to see groundbreaking at the worst time possible: 2008. The tower never got built. Today, though the debt ceiling crisis has been averted, talks of an upcoming recession continues, and interest rates meant to tamp down on unusually stubborn inflation are at historic highs, with more rate hikes forecasted for the second half of 2023 as of the time of this writing. 

Currently, the 10-story First National Building, which is also to be demolished for the redevelopment project, remains standing. But once that building is gone, nearly the whole block will be flat. Should the redevelopment project stall, whether due to macroeconomic forces or something else, downtown Anchorage will be left with a traumatic scar on its most famous street. This is not a defense to putting up anything on the site. I wouldn't be surprised if this redevelopment project, which I deem a superblock project as it will occupy most of the block, ends up a failure. All one has to do is look at the other superblocks on 4th Avenue: the Post Office Mall and the Sunshine Plaza, both of which are spectacular urban failures. The ConocoPhillips complex, the Egan Center, and the numerous parking garages in downtown are other examples of failed superblocks. 

This project is the largest undertaking in 4th Avenue since the post-1964 earthquake rebuild. Occupying the most centrally located real estate on the street, the developers will have to be very thoughtful with what they build. Hopefully they will think about 5th Avenue as well, as that side had long been an urban dead zone. Time will tell whether the redevelopment project was worth the demolition. But should the site instead go on to become a surface parking lot, we won't need time at all to appraise what got built. 

Block 41 Redevelopment Project

As of the writing of this post, the 4th Avenue Theater has been completely demolished, and demolition of the neighboring Adams Building, another building that has stood for many decades, has begun. For those who have not been keeping up with the news and are wondering what the demolitions are all about, it is part of a $200 million dollar redevelopment project being called "Block 41" by the developer, Peach Holdings LLC. The new development is to include Class A office space, retail, a hotel, housing, parking, and entertainment venues. 

Though artist renderings of the project were unveiled last spring, an article from Alaska Public Media confirms that the final architectural design is yet to be decided. This comes as no surprise as the renderings that were unveiled, displayed above, feature both the 4th Avenue Theater and the Adams Building beneath what looks to be a four-story structure (an official floor count has thus far not been given, from what I can tell). This initially caused confusion as some on social media speculated that this meant the theater was not going to be demolished after all. Of course, we now know that preserving the theater or at least the facade was not part of the plan. But with the developer saying that "elements" of the theater will be recreated, it has left people guessing as to the final design. We do know that the neon letters of the theater's marquee were taken down and stored away before demolition commenced. Whether the letters will be brought back for a new sign remains to be seen.

In all, every building on this block — except for the former Key Bank tower, which is presently undergoing refurbishment — will be demolished. Downtown Anchorage has not seen a demolition site at this scale since the 1980s, when whole blocks were demolished to make way for numerous redevelopment projects, including Town Square, the 5th Avenue Mall, and the ARCO tower. Before the '80, demolitions sites at this scale were last seen in the aftermath of the 1964 Good Friday earthquake. 

Demolition has started on the Adams Building

As I shared in my last post on this subject, I'm quite shocked that the developer went ahead with demolishing the 4th Avenue Theater in its entirety. It was very jarring to see the half-demolished theater in person when I went to visit the site late last summer. I never had a chance to watch a movie in that building, so I don't have any sentimental memories of the place, but nonetheless it was shocking to see it in its torn-up state. You think you are prepared to see it half demolished, but you really are not. I think it's safe to say my shock is over the fact that this was the most notable and famous building in all of Anchorage. And that's why this project is a gamble. 

I can understand demolishing the building but saving the facade. Countless projects across the globe have made use of old facades and incorporated them into new buildings. To demolish the theater in its entirety is a very gutsy move. It will be interesting to see what ultimately gets built, but unfortunately, I think future generations will look at whatever is built and bemoan the fact that the theater, with its ornate Art Deco architecture that stood out from a sea of '80s office buildings and utilitarian strip malls, was demolished to make way for whatever replaces it. 

A new tower (left) will replace the First National Building

I wish this project all the success it can get. As an urbanist, I'm a fan of new projects, and I love to see construction cranes in the air. Indeed, I am one of those who thinks a high-rise building is more attractive during its construction phase, with all its steel beams exposed to the elements before the curtain wall is installed. The worst-case scenario is that the project stalls and a giant parking lot in the heart of downtown Anchorage is all the city has to show for it. It certainly would not help the current mayor's legacy, a legacy that is already tarnished by resignations and investigations. Here's to hoping Block 41 really does bring life to this part of downtown.  

New Archway Proposed for 4th Avenue

On Saturday, what was suppose to be a day at the dogsled races was nothing of that sort. With little snow, and temperatures hovering above freezing, this year's Fur Rondy dogsled championship was cancelled. But what did go on was a ceremony dedicating a new archway in honor of George Attla, a veteran of the races who took more victories during the race's long history than anyone else, and who recently passed away. But I'm not sure whether the arch was intended as a memorial to him originally. After all, this archway, which will apparently dub the area as the Mushing District, has been floating around for more than a year. But whatever the case, there you have it. 

I find the idea of archways intriguing. I was in San Diego last year and saw archways hanging at the Gaslamp Quarter, Hillcrest, and Little Italy neighborhoods. But whereas people in San Diego have been referring to those neighborhoods by those names long before the arches went up, I'm pretty sure nobody in Anchorage had ever regarded this section of 4th Avenue as the Mushing District. In other words, it feels too contrived. What sets this part of downtown apart so as to deserve its own place name? There's no theme among the areas businesses and no unifying architecture that defines the area. Part of me thinks this is the city's way of trying to spur positive development along this portion of 4th Avenue. After all, the arch will stand next to the one remaining block of "seedy 4th Avenue". But I don't think there's much that can be done to the more general area. Unlike west 4th Avenue, with its quaint small shops lined up next to each other, a block into the new Mushing District is met with block-sized buildings with blank walls. It kills pedestrian activity and explains why nobody bothers to venture east past C Street. It was a mistake to allow a parking garage to take up an entire block on one side and allow Holiday Inn to build a block sized hotel on the other side. And having the miniature highway of C Street going through it also doesn't help. But I digress. 

By the way, this isn't the first time an archway has been called for in Anchorage. A few years ago there was a proposal to put archways in Spenard. But while Spenard attempts to display its bohemian credentials, its not-so-bohemian reliance on automobiles makes Spenard a non-memorable place in which parking lots dominate the fronts of buildings, and where nobody walks from one place to another, with the exception of the giant strip mall that the neighborhood revolves around. Placing an archway in an suburban environment like Spenard would just look awkward. As miffed as I am about this new "Mushing District" arch, downtown is certainly a better venue to be hosting this kind of street decoration.

Alaska Legislature Building Update

Before on the right, after at left. Click to enlarge

  While I'm at updating how the new CIRI building looks, I might as well also provide a photographic update of the Alaska Legislature Building downtown. As you can see, it is a huge difference. When the building was built some 40-plus years ago, the sides of the building had no windows -- those were added later. Now, as you can see, natural sunlight dominates the interior. And no, you're not imagining things, the front of the building did get wider. The Anchor Pub was a two story building that sat next to the Legislature building and actually got its start as the Empress Theater nearly 100 years ago. The theater was shut down and the buildings facade was recladded in concrete to look like the Legislative building next door. Both buildings were at the time used by Interstate Bank. So yes, it was kinda sad to see the old theater go, but it's not like the building was being preserved to keep its 1920s appearance or anything.

Before and after as seen from 4th Avenue.

And while I'm at that, I might as well also provide a comparison of 909 Ninth Avenue, which itself was recladded about three years ago in what in my mind was a badly needed makeover.

909 Ninth Avenue. After at left, before on right.

                      With all these 70s era buildings being recladded, it makes me wonder what else will get a change of skin. Downtown is afterall dominated by 60s and 70s era concrete slabs. I suppose the new candidate in need of change are the two Westward Anchorage buildings that flank the Hilton's East Tower. Anyways, while the legislature building and 909 Ninth Avenue have been given new life, I'd still say the most famous restoration was the McKinley Apartments tower.

Legislature Building Remodel Takes Shape

I was downtown today and just thought I'd snap a pic of the new facade going up on the western side of the Alaska Legislature building on 4th Avenue. This is the culmination after years in which the legislature looked around for a new place to do business. Eventually they settled on staying in their current digs but not without an extensive remodel. Originally the Interstate Bank building when it opened in the 1970s, the original facade had no windows. Later on some windows were punctured through, but they appeared more like peep-holes in the overwhelming concrete wall. In addition to the current remodel of the six story high-rise, the former Empress Theater next door was demolished so as to expand the footprint of the tower. Not many people realize that the Empress Theater building still existed for its original façade was replaced when the theater gave way to becoming a bank. Mark Pfeffer, the developer overseeing the project, wants to utilize a piece of the old theater in the remodeled building. LaBomba Shelter blog has great coverage on the fate and history of the old Empress Theater. I encourage you to check it out.

I suspect that the reason the original façade had no windows was because the developers of the building assumed that it would not be long before their new high-rise would be sandwiched between two other buildings of good height. With high-rises sprouting allover in late 60s/early 70s downtown (and midtown), it was inevitable, they may have reasoned, that high-rises would show up on 4th Avenue. In a way, this is kind of sad for the new glass curtain gives nod to the fact that any building of measureable height will not be built on the neighboring parking lot. I'm not saying I necessarily want high-rises, I think they're out of scale for 4th Avenue. But any building on that parking lot would be nice. Way back in the day, a three story building sat on the site of the present day parking lot.

While I'm at it, here's a look at another pipeline era building that recently got a face lift. Built in the 1970s, 909 Ninth Avenue once housed Union, then Unocal, and then Chevron in the later 2000s before being restored to host its new main tenant, NANA Corporation. I was most especially happy to see the building stripped of its gold tinted windows. Interestingly, the state legislature was looking at this building as a possible site for re-location before the deal fell through.