US: The Northernmost state is set to welcome a Hotel Indigo to its downtown complex
The development is a partnership between local developer Irwin Development Group and California based EKN Development Group.
The hotel, to be operated by Indigo, will be aviation themed in its designs. Amenities include restaurant, bar and meeting facilities.
The development is uniquely planned to be prebuilt in China, then shipped to Alaska for assembly. Plumbing, heating, furniture, art and electrical work will all be built in advance, designed by Canadian modular designers Stack.
The development is still slated to cost around $60m, however. This will be the first hospitality development in anchorage since the construction of the downtown Mariott in 1988.
The city hopes the hotel will create a ‘domino effect’ driving downtown development in other areas. Its greatest hope is to revitalize the area near the transit station, which is currently known as a hub for illegal and anti-social behaviour.
The development will also feature 32 apartments, either one or two bed, which will also be prebuilt in China. Developers are yet to list prices.
Local authorities are keen for the possible revitalization, allowing the operators to function rent-free for three years. Estimates by The Anchorage Daily News project $2m in additional property and bed tax revenues over the next 30 years.
They are also hopeful that the 160 specialist jobs that the modular assembly process requires will spark additional local growth.
Hotel Indigo is expanding rapidly to smaller American cities. They have recently set plans for new hotels in Huntsville and Birmingham.
Read more of the originl story here.
