This community-based plan sponsored by the Municipality of Anchorage will focus on preserving historic character while planning for a sustainable future in Anchorage’s original neighborhoods.

The Anchorage Historic Preservation Plan will:

• Define the Historical Character of Anchorage’s four original neighborhoods.
• Research and recommend the preservation on certain buildings, structures, sites, objects, districts, and landscapes.
• Contribute to the development of preservation programs and projects for the four neighborhoods.
• Develop a set of historic preservation guidelines that can used throughout Anchorage.
• Involve the public at every step and milestone.
• Meet the Secretary of the Interior’s standards for the treatment of historical properties and standards for preservation planning.
• Meet the objectives of Anchorage’s local Historic Preservation Program.
• Meet the objectives of Alaska’s Historic Preservation Program.
• Make a positive contribution to the history and heritage of the people and cultures of Anchorage.
• Provide educational opportunities to our residents, including kids of every age.
• Identify locations and stories that will contribute to tourism and the visitor’s experience in Anchorage.
• Be crafted by Anchorage’s residents, interested parties, and supporters.
• Be adopted by our governing bodies as a component to the Anchorage 2020 – Anchorage Bowl Comprehensive Plan.

Learn more about the project here.

Property Tax Exemption/Deferral and Fee Waivers

In an effort to encourage redevelopment of underutilized, deteriorated properties, and to encourage economic development in downtown, the Municipality implemented a series of incentives for developers to help defray new construction costs, including:

1. Partial or total exemption from real and personal property taxation on “economic development property” for up to five years (AMC 12.35.040) to improve the feasibility or long-term viability of an operation, program or project;
2. Partial or total exemption from real and personal property taxation on “deteriorated property” for up to ten years (AMC 12.35.050) with boundaries that have been determined by the municipality after a public hearing; and,
3. Partial waiver or total exemption from municipal fees for development of deteriorated property (AMC 12.35.055).

Public-Private Partnerships for Parking

Developers building in downtown Anchorage (zoning districts B-2A, B-2B and B-2C) are not required to provide on-site parking for their tenants.  However, providing parking for employees, clients and customers is a priority for most major tenants and business owners.  Fortunately, Anchorage Community Development Authority (ACDA) is ready to work with and assist developers in identifying parking needs and providing parking solutions.  ACDA can assist in achieving economically sound projects for proposed private development by lowering parking construction costs and/or creating a potential positive revenue source for the project.

At the AkEnergyEfficiency.org website you’ll find information on some of the simple ways to save in the workplace, from establishing an office energy efficiency policy based on simple behavior changes to undertaking more significant retrofitting chores.

Where to park in Downtown

Map updated December 12th, 2008.

Save Money, Park in the Garages

Did you know that it costs $1.25 per hour to park on the street, but only $1.00 per hour to park in the ACDA-managed garages? If you’re going to be in downtown for more than two hours, why risk getting a ticket on the street — and pay more money to park there — when you can park in a garage and enjoy your time in downtown Anchorage? And if you work in downtown, there are garages and surface parking lots throughout downtown that are cheaper than parking on the street — not to mention the fact that every time a downtown worker takes up an on-street parking space, that’s one less space for customers.

Free Parking

On-street parking is free in downtown Anchorage after 6:00pm and all day on weekends.

You Can Pay for Parking By Phone

Parking in downtown Anchorage surface lots owned by the Anchorage Community Development Authority gives you the ability to add time to your parking space with your cellphone! ACDA now offers the option to pay for parking via your cellphone at 8 of their 9 parking lots throughout downtown Anchorage. Not only can parkers pay for their parking from their cellphone, but they can also add time to their parking spot remotely. Users of the Pay By Phone service also can receive text message reminders that their minutes are about to expire and add more time remotely. No more hurried trips to the vehicle to feed the meter!

Developers building in downtown Anchorage (zoning districts B-2A, B-2B and B-2C) are not required to provide on-site parking for their tenants. However, providing parking for employees, clients and customers is a priority for most major tenants and business owners. Fortunately, Anchorage Community Development Authority (ACDA) is ready to work with and assist developers in identifying parking needs and providing parking solutions. ACDA can assist in achieving economically sound projects for proposed private development by lowering parking construction costs and/or creating a potential positive revenue source for the project.

Development Links with Parking

ACDA supports public-private partnerships that are financially sound and align with the mission of ACDA linking new parking development to private development projects. As development in downtown Anchorage continues, demand for parking will grow and ACDA wants to be a part of creative parking solutions for developers looking to add or create parking as part of their downtown development or construction projects.

Private Public Partnerships

ACDA can assist in achieving economically sound projects for proposed private development by lowering parking construction costs and/or creating a potential positive revenue source for the project.

Contact ACDA

Ron Pollock, ACDA Executive Director
rpollock@acda.net
Tel. (907) 297-4431

Governments establish and administer public policy – Policy should encourage and stimulate downtown development. To reflect this role, city hall should be located downtown, in the heart of the community.

Governments need to lead by example – Why would developers invest in the downtown when government is moving to the edge of town?

Downtown locations reduce auto travel – Downtown locations are well connected to transit. Government workers and the public have more options than auto travel. When government services are located in a central location, shopping and work trips can be combined with trips to government offices, reducing the length and number of auto trips.

Government workers support the downtown economy – Workers use downtown retail, restaurants and businesses on a daily basis. Their patronage is an important part of the downtown business economy.

Customers of government services support the downtown economy – Citizens visiting government offices will often use other downtown services. If government services move out of the downtown, businesses feel the impact.

Recommendations From the Downtown Comprehensive Plan:

1. Strengthen the hub of civic facilities, offices and employment Downtown.
2. Make Downtown a priority location for federal, state and local government administrative employment and services.
3. Concentrate on attracting and retaining Municipality of Anchorage offices and services, specifically.
4. Develop a targeted office recruitment program aimed at identifying and attracting corporate employers, such as native corporations.
5. Leverage public and private partnerships with assistance from the Anchorage Community Development Authority.
6. Seek to reduce development costs (e.g. for structured parking) through tax incentives or other means to enhance office feasibility.
7. Encourage office developers to utilize the Downtown parking exemption to enhance the feasibility of development, and ensure that other public parking (publicly or privately owned) is adequate to serve a growing employment base.
8. Co-locate office development with new parking garage development.
9. Consider parking provisions that offer parking providers with incentives to share parking resources.
10. Support a new Downtown location for the transit center.
11. Provide capital improvements to the surrounding streetscape environment along with marketing Downtown amenities to employers.
12. Establish incentives to make rehabilitation and/or redevelopment of older properties, underused parcels and surface parking lots cost-effective.

Innovative online mapping tool to attract business

“Now businesses will no longer have to leaf through reams of Census Bureau reports for demographic information or contact multiple city departments for basic data and documents,” according to Bill Popp, president & CEO of AEDC.

The free site gathers economic, planning, infrastructure, geographic and demographic information often sought by businesses looking to relocate or expand into a ‘one-stop-shop’ business portal on the Web. It allows users to view, create and print maps; find available commercial or business property; and develop custom demographic radius reports.

Commercial realtors are invited to post their properties on the site. Check it out here.

Security Ambassadors

Cell Phone (907) 529-8003
Main Number (907) 277-SAFE (7233)

Maintenance Ambassadors

Main Number (907) 277-0141

Office

Main Number (907) 279-5650

Mayor’s Office

343-7100

Neighbor Crime Watch

786-8585

Crime Stoppers

561-7867

Street Maintenance

343-8277

Street Light Repair

343-4557

Potholes

343-6363

Code Enforcement

343-8380

Broken Signs

343-4384

Municipal Clerk

343-4311

Park Operations

343-4473

Animal Control

343-8119

City Ombudsman

343-6864

Public Restrooms

Alaska Public Lands Building 605 W. 4th Ave. (4th Ave & F Street)
Alaska Visitors Center 733 W. 4th Ave.(4th Ave. & H Street)
Dena’ina Center 600 W. 7th Ave. (7th Ave. & F Street)
Downtown Transit Center 700 W. 6th Ave. (6th Ave. & G-H Street)
Egan Convention Center 555 W. 5th Ave. (5th Ave. & E-F Street)
5th Avenue Mall 320 W. 5th Ave. (5th Ave. & D Street)
4th Avenue Marketplace 333 W. 4th Ave. (3rd Ave. & C-D Street)

Info & Maps

ACVB Log Cabin Visitors Center 524 W. 4th Ave. (4th Ave. & F Street) AK Info, Maps
Alaska Visitors Center & Tours 733 W. 4th Ave. (4th Ave. & G-H Street) AK Info, Tours, Maps, ATM, Internet, Fishing/Hunting Licenses
Alaska Public Lands Building 605 W. 4th Ave. (4th Ave & F Street) Maps

Banks & ATM

Advancial Credit Union 7th Ave. & G Street
Credit Union 1 824 W. 8th Ave.
Denali Alaska FCU 632 W. 6th Ave. (6th Ave. & G Street)
First National Bank (2 locations) 646 W. 4th Ave. (4th Ave. & G Street) + 222 W. 7th Ave. (7th Ave. & B Street)
Key Bank 601 W. 5th Ave. (5th Ave. & F Street) Currency Exchange
Northrim Bank 550 W. 7th Ave. (7th Ave. & F Street)
Wells Fargo (3 locations) 320 W. 5th Ave. (5th Avenue Mall) + 510 L Street + 5th Ave. & Gambell Currency Exchange

Grocery, Pharmacy, Essentials

Carrs Safeway 13th Ave. & Gambell Street Pharmacy & Grocery Store
K Street Convenience Store & Market 434 K Street Essentials, Drug Store & Deli
New Sagaya City Market 13th Ave. & I Street Grocery Store & Deli
Once in a Blue Moose (2 Locations) 4th Ave. & F Street + 5th Ave. Mall – 1st Floor Essentials
Sourdough Tobacco & Internet 735 W. 4th Ave. (G-H Street) Essentials

Florist

Muffy’s Flowers & Gifts 333 W. 4th Ave. (4th Avenue Marketplace) Flowers & Gifts

Liquor Stores

Crush/Cellar 6th Ave. & D Street Specialty Wine & Beer
Downtown Wine & Spirits 5th Ave. & K Street Beer, Wine & Liquor
Grape Expectations 6th Ave. & E Street Specialty Wine & Beer

Post Office

5th Avenue Mall 5th Ave. & D Street 3rd Floor Mon – Sat, 10am – 6pm
4th Avenue Marketplace 3rd Ave. & C-D Street 1st Floor Mon – Fri, 10am – 5:30pm

Safety: Police

In an emergency: 911
For non-emergencies: (907) 786-8500

Safety: Security Ambassadors

Mon – Sat (907) 277-7253

Transportation: Taxis

Alaska Cab Company (907) 562-6805
Alaska Yellow Cab (907) 222-2222
Anchorage Checker Cab (907) 274-3333

Transportation: Bus & Trolley

The People Mover 700 W. 6th Ave. (907) 343-6543
Shuttles/Trolley Station 4th Ave. & F Street (Schedule posted here)
Available Trolleys/Shuttles: Alaska Native Heritage Center, Alaska Zoo, Anch. City Tours, Anch. City Trolley Tours, Salmon Berry Tours, Ulu Factory

Parks

Delaney Park Strip 9th & 10th Ave., from A – P Street
Elderberry Park 5th Ave. & M Street Access Tony Knowles Coastal Trail

Bike Rentals

Lifetime Adventures Bicycle Rental 5th Ave. & L Street (907) 279-3334 Rentals
Downtown Bicycle Rental 4th Ave. & C-D Street (907) 279-3334 Rentals, Hiking shuttle to Flat Top
K Street Convenience Bicycle Rental 5th Ave. & K Street (907)334-6401 Rentals
Pablo’s Bicycle Rental 5th Ave. & L Street (907) 272-1600 Rentals

Free Wifi

Alaska Gourmet Subs 601 W. 7th Ave.
Avenue Bar 338 W. 4th Ave.
Bernie’s Bungalow 626 D Street
Cake Studio 608 W. 4th Ave.
Country Kitchen 346 E. 5th Ave.
Crow’s Nest @ Hotel Captain Cook 4th Ave. & K Street
Crush Wine Bistro 343 W. 6th Ave.
Dark Horse Coffee 646 F St.
Darwin’s Theory 426 G Street
Downtown Deli 525 W. 4th Ave.
Fletcher’s @ Hotel Captain Cook 4th Ave. & K Street
Glacier Brewhouse 737 W. 5th Ave.
Humpy’s Alehouse 610 W. 6th Ave.
Kaladi Bros Coffee 621 W. 6th Ave.
Kodiak Kafe 225 E. 5th Ave.
Midnight Sun Café 245 W. 5th Ave.
Mixx Grill @ Inlet Towers 1200 L Street
Modern Dwellers Chocolate Lounge 423 G Street
ORSO 737 W. 5th Ave.
Panhandle Bar 312 W. 4th Ave.
Phyllis’s Café 436 D Street
Sacks Café 328 G Street
Sandwich Deck 400 K Street
Simon & Seafort’s 420 L Street
Snow City Café 1034 W. 4th Ave.
Snow Goose Restaurant 717 W. 3rd Ave.
Solstice Bar & Grill @ Westmark Hotel 5th Ave. & G Street
SubZero 614 F St.
Sourdough Tobacco & Internet 735 W. 4th Ave. (G-H Street)
Sullivan’s Steakhouse@ 5th Avenue Mall 320 W. 5th Ave.
Town Square Diner 508 W. 6th Ave.
Whale’s Tail @ Hotel Captain Cook 4th Ave. & K Street