MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE
Municipal Offices
632 West 6th Avenue
Anchorage 907-343-7100
www.muni.org
Chamber of Commerce
1016 W Sixth Avenue
Anchorage 907-272-2401
www.anchoragechamber.org
The attractive city of Anchorage is nestled in south-central Alaska, serving as the hub of communication, education, transportation, healthcare finance, and industry for the state. Adorned with hundreds of blooming flower beds and hanging baskets each spring, the city is surrounded by the natural beauty of miles of seacoast, mountain ranges, lakes and rivers, glaciers, and nearly 20 state parks. Nearly half of the population of Alaska lives in or near its largest and most dynamic city.
Services
Newcomers to Anchorage will be pleased with the quality of educational opportunities in a city that was recently ranked 15 out of U.S. cities for the best-educated workforce by Business Facilities. The Anchorage School District underlines the public school system, producing above-average student scores on standardized tests and leading the nation in the median number of school years completed. The options for higher education close to home include local universities and colleges that often earn top ratings for academic excellence, student satisfaction, and quality of environment. The University of Alaska Anchorage offers a complete range of graduate and undergraduate degrees in nearly 135 disciplines. The university also provides a number of unique opportunities, from Global Logistics degrees to one of only three of the nation’s Federal Aviation Administration certified training centers for control tower personnel and pilots. Alaska Pacific University is a private, four-year institution known for a distinctive educational philosophy and a hands-on, experiential approach. Charter College, also private, focuses on bachelor’s degrees in Information Technology and associate degrees in several other career fields.
State-of-the-art healthcare is available to meet routine and specialized needs, including acute care, neonatal, chiropractic, dental, physical rehabilitation, hospice, skilled nursing, and home health. The city is home to the two largest hospitals in the state: Providence Alaska Medical Center and Alaska Regional Hospital. The federally funded healthcare institutions of Alaska Native Medical Center and Elmendorf Air Force Base Medical Center are also in this area. Families will appreciate the 24-hour urgent care centers and facilities like the Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center. The flagship hospital, Providence Alaska Medical, maintains a staff of 600 physicians and features the most advanced diagnostics and treatment systems in the state. Highlights include The Children’s Hospital at Providence, a Maternity Center with the state’s only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Heart and Cancer Centers, and Alaska’s largest Emergency Department with air ambulance transport, a Family Practice Center, Sleep Disorders Center, the Providence Imaging Center, Providence Home Health Care, and telemedicine services for other Alaskan communities. Alaska Regional Hospital adds a wide range of valuable healthcare services and just completed a $7 million renovation project including a new trauma/open heart surgery room. The hospital’s new LifeFlight critical care ambulance service provides rural residents across the state with timely access to the hospital’s trauma facility.
Lifestyle
Anchorage is one of the world’s most unique cities, a place where residents can catch a 50-pound salmon, enjoy a Broadway play, and dine in a five-star restaurant without ever leaving town. The idea that the city is cold and dark much of the year is highly overstated. The area enjoys a surprisingly mild maritime climate with low humidity, reflective of San Francisco in the spring and summer and similar to Rocky Mountain ski resorts in the winter. Newcomers will discover vast acres of parks and greenbelts, well-developed sports centers and facilities, and 120 miles of scenic city trails for multi-purpose recreation. The 500-acre Chugach State Park borders Anchorage for hiking, climbing, mountain biking, snowmobiling, and horseback riding opportunities. The city is world-renowned for fishing and winter sports like skiing and snowboarding against the backdrop of spectacular natural beauty. The George Sullivan Sports Arena is one of the highlights of the entertainment scene, showcasing everything from athletic events and tournaments to concerts.
Those who love the arts will find a culturally rich environment anchored by a number of exceptional venues and attractions. Residents enthusiastically support local programs delivered by more than 75 arts organizations, headlined by Anchorage Symphony Orchestra, Anchorage Opera, Alaska Light Opera Theater, University Group, and the Anchorage Concert Association. In addition to the grand Alaska Center for the Performing Arts, popular venues include the Anchorage Museum of History and Art, the Sullivan Arena, The Alaska Native Heritage Center, The Alaska SeaLife Center, The Imaginarium, and the ZJ Loussac Public Library. The city provides an outstanding quality of life with a large array of housing options and commutes that average 15 minutes. From every angle, Anchorage provides an idyllic place to live, play, work, and raise a family—the perfect place to call home.
NOTABLE NEIGHBORHOODS
Downtown
Many Anchorage residents have chosen to live Downtown, “where the action is” whether economic, cultural, or entertainment. Considered the central business district of the municipality, Downtown pulsates with successful businesses and corporations, vital shopping opportunities, fine and casual dining, and glittering nightlife establishments. Today’s Downtown was the original site of the Anchorage Land Auction of 1915 that gave way to the present-day grid street pattern. The original town site was a “tent city” located off the banks of Ship Creek, currently Government Hill. Downtown serves as a major employment center for the greater Anchorage region, drawing commuters from as far away as the Matanuska-Susitna Valley. The Anchorage skyline features the tallest buildings in Alaska, most notably the Conoco Phillips Building and the Atwood Building.
Government Hill
Situated in northwest Anchorage, the Government Hill neighborhood was named for the 100-foot “hill” upon which it rests that bears the same name. Government Hill is distinguished by many as the oldest and first Anchorage neighborhood, chosen by some of the area’s original settlers. This diverse area is situated along the Knik Arm of northern Anchorage within walking distance of Downtown. Many residents are employed Downtown or at Elmendorf Air Force Base to the north. Government Hill is important to the regional economy as the location of a shipyard that transfers millions of tons of fuel each year as well as an Alaska Railroad connection. The local elementary school has been highlighted for its innovative bilingual teaching methods using both Spanish and English.
Hillside
The Hillside community of Anchorage is one of the most vaguely defined areas of the municipality. In the past it described rural property on spacious lots of one-half acre or larger that were located from Abbott Road south. Hillside was always considered to be a desirable location, so many developers began describing their new subdivisions as “hillside property.” Today the terms “upper hillside” and “lower hillside” are commonly heard. Subdivisions like Kempton Hills, Turnagain View, Huffman Hills, and Tamaron tend to brand themselves as “lower hillside.” Neighborhoods like Goldenview and Prominence call themselves “upper hillside.” While some properties still offer large lots, the area is characterized today as urban. One exception may be Stuckagain Heights, which still meets the original “hillside” criteria of spacious lots. Families in this area enjoy the local attraction of the Hilltop Ski Area with its designated snowboarding area.
Sand Lake
The Sand Lake neighborhood takes its name from the stocked lake it surrounds in the southwestern part of the city. The lake boasts a surface of 78 acres and is one of the few urban lakes in the world with Common and Pacific Loon populations. Its shores are primarily privately owned but a small park to the northeast allows public access. Opportunities for kayaking, fishing, picnicking, and birdwatching bring visitors to the neighborhood who mingle with locals who enjoy the same pastimes. Sand Lake is south of the Ted Stevens International Airport and Lake Spenard. Another local attraction is Kincaid Park to the west. Homes in Sand Lake generally become more affluent in closer proximity to the lakefront. One of the recent developments is the West Park subdivision, one of the larger residential additions to Anchorage.
University-Medical District
The bustling University-Medical District combines residential neighborhoods with some of the state’s most respected healthcare and educational institutions. The sprawling campuses for the University of Alaska Anchorage and Alaska Pacific University combine with Providence Alaska Medical Center, the largest hospital in the state, to form the centerpiece of the neighborhood. Charter College, Alaska Regional Hospital, several specialty hospitals, and public and private schools are also situated in and around residential developments. The energy in this neighborhood is youthful and progressive in this area of the city that brings together thousands of medical professionals, faculty members and professors, and college students of all ages and backgrounds.
ANCHORAGE COMMUNITIES
Birchwood, Peters Creek
Anchorage Offices
907-343-7100
www.muni.org
Anchorage Chamber
907-694-4702
www.cer.org
The neighborhoods of Birchwood and Peters Creek are actually situated in the Chugiak area but bear special mention for their popularity and rapid growth. Birchwood runs west of the Glenn Highway and encompasses Birchwood Loop from the south to north exits. This area features a wide variety of attractive homes that range from starter prices to million-dollar properties. Like Peters Creek, Birchwood has remained a favored location for several years, due in a larger part to the availability of buildable land. The highly desirable community of Peters Creek provides a quaint, rural atmosphere just 20 minutes from downtown Anchorage. Peters Creek continues to grow rapidly as the city sprawls northward and newcomers arrive looking for vibrant new housing in attractive settings. The area’s namesake of Peter’s Creek meanders through the neighborhood, creating a panoramic backdrop of natural beauty.
Chugiak-Eagle River
Anchorage Offices
907-343-7100
www.muni.org
Anchorage Chamber
907-694-4702
www.cer.org
Chugiak-Eagle River is a rapidly growing residual community under the municipal government of Anchorage. The population nearly doubled between 1980 and 1990 and the growth rate has been impressive in recent decades as well. Neighborhood community councils are very active in Chugiak-Eagle River, an area that takes in a number of smaller neighborhoods. Social, recreational, and civic organizations are highly developed in this family-oriented community, giving residents of all ages a chance to become involved and remain active. One of the annual highlights is the Bear Paw Festival: Barnum and Bearly under the Bigtop, drawing enthusiastic crowds to the welcoming downtown district. Other points of interest include the breathtaking Thunderbird Falls and Southfolk Falls, the Chugach State Park Eagle River Nature Center, and the Eklutna Village Historical Park centered in the native village of Eklutna. Arctic Valley is a unique ski experience in this area, distinguished as south-central Alaska’s oldest ski club and for the volunteers who enable the ski area to keep prices low.
Elmendorf Air Force Base
General Information
907-552-1110
www.elmendorf.af.mil
Adjacent to the city of Anchorage, Elmendorf Air Force Base is the largest Air Force installation in Alaska and plays a major role in the thriving regional economy. The base is home to the Headquarters for the Alaskan Command, Alaskan NORAD Region, the 11th Air Force, and the 3rd Wing. The latter trains and equips an Air Expeditionary Force lead wing made up of nearly 7,000 personnel and tactical aircraft that provide air superiority, surveillance, airlift, and combat support forces for global deployment. Elmendorf focuses on supporting and defending America’s interests in the Asia Pacific region and around the world but it also serves as a military healthcare hub. In the early ‘90s, the hospital at Clark Air Base in the Philippines closed and Elmendorf was selected as the place to begin construction of a greatly expanded hospital. The 3rd Wing also moved from Clark to Elmendorf in the early 1990s. Military personnel assigned to Elmendorf AFB will find a comprehensive military community that offers a variety of housing options as well as a wide range of recreational and social activities and facilities.
Fort Richardson
General Information
907-384-0425
http://www.jber.jb.mil
Fort Richardson, adjacent to the city of Anchorage and Elmendorf Air Force Base, is another military installation that dramatically and positively impacts the local economy. Established as the headquarters of the United States Army, Alaska in 1947, the post is home to the Task Force 1-501 combat unit. After the September 11, 2001 attacks, Task Force 1-501 was expanded into an airborne unit flagged as the 4th Brigade and is now the primary strategic response force for the Pacific Theater. The post’s largest military tenant is the Alaska National Guard, which takes advantage of nearby mountain ranges for mountain/glacier warfare and rescue techniques. The fort provides the full range of family and soldier support facilities that are common to any U.S. Army community, ranging from housing and child care to recreational facilities. Dental and medical clinics are small, since nearby Elmendorf maintains a full-service hospital. The Joint Military Mall is also available at Elmendorf AFB.
Girdwood
Anchorage Offices
907-343-7100
www.muni.org
Anchorage Chamber
907-272-2401
www.anchoragechamber.org
Girdwood Chamber
Online only
www.girdwoodchamber.com
The unincorporated ski resort community of Girdwood lies within the Municipality of Anchorage just 38 miles southeast of the central core of the city. This charming recreational community nestled in a valley in the Chugach Mountains near the end of the Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet and is surrounded by seven glaciers. Summer activities include hiking, fishing, and rafting as well as the Girdwood Forest Fair. However, the area is best known for winter skiing and snowboarding at Alyeska Resort on Mount Alyeska. From its roots as a turn-of-the-century gold mining town named Glacier City, Girdwood has evolve into Alaska’s only year-round resort community. The dream of a world-class ski resort area was decades in the making but eventually became reality in the later decades of the 20th century. Today, Girdwood is home to a diverse population of outdoor enthusiasts, local business, convenient services, and Anchorage commuters.
