The Alaska Contractor - Summer 2008

A tourist walks along Fifth Avenue between the Egan Convention and
Visitors Center and the Alaska Center for Performing Arts across from
Town Square. As part of the joining of the Egan and the new Dena’ina
Convention Center a community gathering focus will shift blocks south
away from downtown Fifth Avenue to Seventh Avenue.
will eventually grow up – as in there is little new space to expand,”
said Patty DeMarco, past president of the Anchorage
Economic Development Corporation in the late 1990s.
How right she was.
Evidence of DeMarco’s observations are now showing
themselves with the addition of a new parking garage,
the remodeling of the $106 million Anchorage Museum of
History and Art that is expanding by 80,000 square feet at
the Rasmuson Center, the Augustine Energy Center, Pacillo
Parking Garage and the Dena’ina Convention and Visitors
Center.
Perhaps the most obvious change downtown is the museum
expansion designed by David Chipperfield Architects.
The mirror silver building to the east of other downtown
Anchorage projects will reflect the skyline of its neighbors to
the west. Alcan General was brought on board as the general
contractor in August 2005, and has a myriad of subcontractors
and suppliers currently working on the project.
“A key element of any thriving city is a vibrant downtown,”
said Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich. “That’s true for downtown
Anchorage as we continue to make improvements.”
The largest construction zone ongoing today is located in a
quadrant between 5th Avenue and 8th Avenue from A Street
to F Street just behind City Hall to the west to just across the
street from the new Federal Building along A Street.
Surrounding streets only blocks away from cranes, loaders
and man-lifts are also showing improvements in lighting,
signage, sidewalks and new condominium developments.
The changing complexion of downtown Anchorage has
been in the works for more than 20 years. Today’s construction
is not only necessary but has been the vision of a core
group of community leaders.
Among them Begich, much like former mayors George
Wuerch, Tony Knowles and Rick Mystrom, has supported
the concept of making downtown attractive not only to visitors
but to Anchorage residents.
“There may be small growing pains associated with the
changes, but the outcome will positively benefit Anchorage
residents as well as downtown business owners,” says Begich.
Anchorage Assembly
members bask in light
reflected into the new
Dena’ina Convention
Center from the Atwood
Building in a special event
meeting room to the east of
the main ballroom.
The growing pains have annoyed some downtown business
owners who have seen a drop in revenues due to a lack
of parking downtown. The Dena’ina Center project closed
off parking for one city block square and rendered E Street
and F Street one way between 6th Avenue and 7th Avenue.
To make matters worse, the Anchorage Parking Authority
reduced parking times downtown for metered parking
and increased the rates. One downtown restaurant owner
in favor of the new convention center can hardly wait for the
project to finish.
“I lost over $50,000 last year alone because of the lack of
parking,” said Alex Vargas, co-owner of Café Savannah. The
café is popular with downtown workers as it is located on
6th Avenue directly in front of the Pacillo Garage and across
from Town Square.
As a winter city, facilitating drivers is a necessity as Vargas
experienced.