The Alaska Contractor - Summer 2008

southern U.S. building techniques and
those needed to build in the sub-Arctic.
Considered the air crossroad of the
world in the 1950s up until the end of
the 1980s, today Anchorage status as
an Arctic city is bolstered by its geographic
position for air cargo.
Ted Stevens Anchorage International
Airport’s No. 1 landed weight
for cargo in the U.S. is not lost on FedEx
and UPS, both of which have hubs
here along with Northwest Air Cargo
which uses the airport as a fuel stop
and freight transfer station.
Located between Europe and China
at the top of the world makes Anchorage
a top competitor with major
cities in the world.
Taking advantage of the city’s winter
attributes Anchorage is now billing
itself as a winter city.
“The changes will not only help
increase business downtown, but projects
such as the ice-free sidewalks in
the downtown core will help make Anchorage
a true winter city,” Begich said.
Widened sidewalks with rounded
corners on the streets that access both
the Egan Convention and Visitors
Center and the soon-to-be-completed
Dena’ina Convention and Civic Center
will be heated to keep them clear of
ice and snow for convention-goers.
The new $107 million Dena’ina
Convention Center built by Neeser
Construction is meant to showcase the
Convention Center District of downtown
Anchorage, according to Begich.
The Dena’ina is slated to open in
October with the new Linny Pacillo
Parking Garage built by Davis Constructors
and Engineers Inc. opening
in September.
Across the street from the Atwood
Building just next to the Dena’ina Civic
Center the $37 million Pacillo Garage
will host 836 parking spots in its 10story
structure. The bottom floor will
be filled with retail, a restaurant and a
branch of the Northrim Bank.
“At the same time that this is opening,
the Egan Center will be getting a
renovation to upgrade it to the standard
of the Dena’ina Center,” Begich said.
The Egan Center is receiving a muchneeded
facelift, new carpet, paint, named
rooms and alcoves and some redecoration
to fit the theme of the Dena’ina.
“The Egan Center has been a wellused
venue by the city, its residents and
Workers, complete with safety harnesses,
belay via a cable system to install windows
and retainers on the outside of the Linny
Pacillo Parking Garage.