Anchorage

Historic Anchorage Theatre Inspires State-Level Preservation Support
The Anchorage Historical Commission declared the 4th Avenue Theatre in downtown Anchorage a culturally and historically significant building that needs state protection.
Anchorage Joins the Cohousing Movement
After five years of development, the Ravens' Roost Cohousing in Anchorage is now a reality. There are approximately 163 cohousing communities in the United States.

Anchorage Reconsiders Iconic 4th Avenue Theatre Development Proposal
Request for tax breaks to redevelop deteriorated property in downtown Anchorage are recommended for denial by Chief Financial Officer Robert Harris.

Anchorage to Renovate a Prominent Public Space in the Name of Public Safety
A popular public meeting space in downtown Anchorage faces renovations due to claims of illegal activity. A now defunct water fountain feature has created conditions that some believe are unsafe with a need for more eyes on the street.
Expected Budget Cuts Hurt Port Modernization Prospects in Anchorage
The Alaska Legislature snubbed the Port of Anchorage due to a huge state budget shortfall. The port handles 90 percent of the state's freight and is a vital national security facility.

Anchorage Plans for the Future
Municipal officials and staff in Anchorage, Alaska, are hard at work drafting an updated land use plan that incorporates modern planning principles in the city's vision for development.
Anchorage Updates Land Use Plan Map
After 34 years the Municipality of Anchorage is updating its land use plan map, a companion piece to its comprehensive plan adopted in 2001. The land use plan map sets the stage for future growth and development in this Northern City of 301,000.
Op-Ed Details Sordid Anchorage Development Deal
Local officials accused of being "gullible" as they mull a proposed development deal that would redevelop an iconic downtown theater and knock down a derelict hotel in Midtown Anchorage, Alaska.
Anchorage Officials Seek State Lands to Ease Housing Crunch
Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz has asked Alaska Governor Bill Walker to transfer more than 24 parcels of state land for high density housing.
Anchorage Considers Densification
In a city of sprawling surface parking, increased density may help close a serious affordable housing gap as Anchorage, Alaska, seeks ways to make development more affordable.
Shut It and Gut It: Anchorage Takes Hard Look at Transit Center
After 500 hours of analyzing its downtown transit center, Anchorage officials have come to one conclusion: The only way to fix this building is to shut it and gut it. The transit center, over three decades, has become a blight on Downtown.
Anchorage Changes Policies for Cell Towers in Neighborhoods
Draft regulations under consideration in Anchorage "would prohibit building large cellphone towers next to homes in dense urban settings."
Anchorage to Provide Permanent Housing for the Homeless
Newly elected Mayor Ethan Berkowitz has unveiled a new plan to end homelessness in Alaska's largest city, Anchorage. It focuses on providing permanent housing over the next three years for 300 adults who are living on the street and in camps.

Anchorage Releases Draft Land Use Regs for Marijuana
Commercial marijuana operations to be restricted to industrial areas.
Anchorage Tweaks Land Use Regulations for More Infill Development
The Anchorage Assembly has updated its land use regulations to allow taller apartments and spur redevelopment and infill in neighborhoods near major transit corridors and the employment centers of Downtown and Midtown.

How Planning Can Reduce the Threat of Gender Violence
A piece from Anchorage, Alaska discusses problems that can arise when planners don't address gender-based safety. Walkable, populated, well-lit streets and transit are the best remedy.

Where to Go in the Event of Climate Change
Anchorage, Seattle, and Detroit will be pretty cozy compared to just about everywhere else in the United States if climate change models hold true.

Infographic Compares How Cities Prioritize Urban Parks
The latest installment of the GOOD Cities Project has produced an infographic that provides a look at the "ever-vital urban park" by comparing the park efforts of cities around the country.
Preserving Native Culture Amidst a Commercial Building Boom
The city of Anchorage, Alaska has a number of new developments in the pipeline—some of which are located adjacent to residential neighborhoods. Can new development respect the values of native culture?
New Zoning for Design Stirs Controversy
In Anchorage, Alaska, planners are rolling out a substantial new version of their zoning code, which includes some design requirements like no blank walls. Business owners are up in arms over the proposed changes.
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