Summer 2010 Downtown Association of Fairbanks Newsletter Something New Under the Sun Summertime has brought the flurry of activity that is linked to agreeable weather and Inside this Issue: endless hours of sunshine. Downtown in particular has been changed for the better because of a myriad of improvements and new construction. A bridge, a huge mural, an Something New.................1 antler arch, new retail and the emergence of an art cooperative all reveal the promise and the potential of good times to come for our downtown. First Friday Downtown......2 There is truly a fantastic assortment of new additions and renovations downtown. 2010 Members..................3 Glow Putt Miniature Golf moved outside with a brilliant new Alaska-themed miniature golf course on Sadler‘s parking lot. David Whitmore, Architect, has added a beautiful Retail, Retail, Retail.........4-7 round window and colorful mural to the side of his Third Avenue building. Ten talented artists have come together to form an art cooperative in the historic Co-Op building on Support for Security...........6 Second Avenue. In The Bag!, an attractive new retailer featuring gently used clothing and fantastic hand bags has infused new life into the Northward building. Connie’s, a Midnight Sun Sponsors.....8 beautiful new designer shop with name brand clothing, purses and perfumes has opened on 1010 Cushman Street. The Department of Transportation is constructing a new bridge over the Chena. And Big Ray’s has brought fly fishing to our downtown fish pond Board of Directors: via a new fly fishing shop. All great new things under our extraordinary summer sun. Gary Conaster President Ken Henry Vice President Peter Beaver Treasurer Nelson Traverso Secretary Georjean Seeliger Scott Wilkes Cindy Schumaker Frank Eagle Buzzy Chiu Bart LeBon Charles Bettisworth Be a part of the Probably the most remarkable addition to our downtown is the Antler Arch near the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center. At the start (or the end, depending on excitement! which way you are heading) of the Chena Riverwalk, this striking arch with moose and Join the Downtown caribou antlers donated by villages and individuals from all over our great state, is Association of quintessentially Alaskan and is sure to become an icon for downtown Fairbanks. The Fairbanks today. consummate work of Sandy Jamieson brought this Downtown Association of Fairbanks and Morris Thompson Center joint project to fruition. Downtown Association of Fairbanks Newsletter Page 2 Is your company bulletin board looking a little parched for excitement these days? Then put up one of our vibrant First Friday Downtown posters! If you are hosting a First Friday Downtown or are an artist participating in First Friday Downtown, call Kara Nash at 452-8665 so she can include you on our 11‖ by 17‖ inch colorful posters and on our website. Or, if your business would like to display the posters, let us know and we will distribute to your establishment. Over the past year we have had ten to fifteen venues participating in First Friday Downtown on a regular basis. Please support the arts ~ Display the poster and attend First Friday Downtown every month! Benefits of Zoning Zoning is a revitalization tool. Creating new zone types can encourage investment in the downtown core by assuring potential business owners that the ground level will be devoted to activities that will complement a retail or commercial use typical of an urban environment, which is highly dependent on foot traffic at the ground floor. The use of the ground level for retail activities is linked to successful business establishments and economically healthy, active downtowns. Additionally, the continuous use of ground floors for retail activities can increases property values. Borough Ordinance 2010-09 contains two new zone types to create revitalization tools. The ordinance will come before the Borough Assembly sometime this fall. This Member Spotlight ran in the Downtowner, News-Miner and on our website in July. Downtown Association of Fairbanks Newsletter Page 3 3 B EARS B ED AND B REAKFAST 5 TH AVENUE D ESIGN & G RAPHICS, INC. 907GROUP I NFORMATION I NSIGHTS, INC. A B ED AND B REAKFAST I NN ON M INNIEINNIE S TREET I NNER K NIT ADVANCE P RINTING C O., INC. I NTERIOR ALASKA F ISHISH P ROCESSORS, INC. AH, ROSE M ARIE B ED & B REAKFAST I NTERIOR G RAPHICS & P RINTING AIRLINKIRLINK S HUTTLE & T OURS JL P ROPERTIES, INC. ALASKA H ERITAGE H OUSE K ENNETH A M URRAY I NSURANCE, INC. ALASKA P UBLIC L ANDS I NFORMATION C ENTER K OHLER, SCHMITT & H UTCHISON ALASKA R AG C OMPANY L64 D ESIGN LTD. ALASKA S ALMON B AKE L’ ASSIETTE DE P OMEGRANATE ALASKAN G OLD R USH F INEINE J EWELRY L AVELLE’ S B ISTROISTRO ALL S EASONS B ED AND B REAKFAST I NN L AW O FFICE OF N ELSON T RAVERSO AMERICAN T IREIRE & AUTO L ORETTA ANN I NN ARCTIC T RAVELERS G IFTIFT S HOP M AC F EDERAL C REDIT U NION AURORA E NERGY, LLC M ARSHALL ARTS D ESIGN B AHN T HAI M CC AFFERTY’ S, A C OFFEE H OUSE, ETC. B EADS AND T HINGS M ECCA B AR B ETTISWORTH N ORTH ARCHITECTS AND P LANNERS, INC. M ETAL M ASTERY S TEEL ART & D ESIGN B IGIG D ADDY’ S B AR-B-Q M IDNITEIDNITE M INEINE B IGIG I PUB & L OUNGE M OCHA D AN’ S C AFE B IGIG R AY’ S M ORRIS T HOMPSON C ULTURAL AND V ISITORSISITORS C ENTER B OBBY’ S D OWNTOWN M T. MCK INLEYINLEY B ANK B RIDGEWATER H OTEL M USIC R OOM C&A D ISTRIBUTORSISTRIBUTORS N EW Y ORK L IFEIFE C ALYPSO F ARM & E COLOGY C ENTER N ORTHRIM B ANK C ARLSON C ENTER P AW S FOR ADVENTURE S LED D OG T OURS C HARTREUSE P HOTOS YMPHONY P RODUCTIONS C HATANIKA L ODGE P IKEIKE’ S W ATERFRONT L ODGE C HEZ W ORLD C OOKING S CHOOL P UMP H OUSE R ESTAURANT & S ALOON C OOK & H AUGEBERG, LLC R ED C OUCH D ANCE T HEATRE F AIRBANKS R EGENCY F AIRBANKS H OTEL D AVID A W HITMORE, ARCHITECT R ENT- A-W RECK D ENALI S TATE B ANK R IVERIVER C ITYITY C AFE & E SPRESSO D ENNY’ S OF ALASKA R IVERIVER C ITYITY I NVESTMENTS, LLC D ICKICK R ANDOLPH I NSURANCE AGENCY, INC. R ON’ S S ERVICE & T OWING I NC. E AGLIN L AW O FFICE R URAL ALASKA I NSURANCE AGENCY, INC. E BONY & I VORY S S ALON & S TUDIO E LEGANT M EMORIES ANTIQUES S ADLER’ S H OME F URNISHINGS F AIRBANKS B ED & B REAKFAST S ANTA’ S V AGABOND T RAVEL F AIRBANKS C OMMUNITY M USEUM S OAPY S MITH’ S P IONEERIONEER R ESTAURANT F AIRBANKS C ONVENTION & V ISITORSISITORS B UREAU S UNRISE B AGEL & E SPRESSO F AIRBANKS I CE M USEUM S UZANNE W AUGAMAN F AIRBANKS M EMORIAL H OSPITAL & D ENALI C ENTER T HE ALASKA H OUSE ART G ALLERY F AIRBANKS P ADDLE & P EDAL T HE C AT’ S M EOW F AIRBANKS P ARKING AUTHORITY T HE C RAFT M ARKET F AIRBANKS S HAKESPEARE T HEATRE T HE D INERINER F AIRBANKS T ITLEITLE AGENCY T HE F UDGE P OT F AIRBANKS U RGENT C ARE C ENTER T HE F UR F ACTORY F ESTIVAL F AIRBANKS T HE K NOTTY S HOP F IRSTIRST N ATIONAL B ANK ALASKA T HE T URTLE C LUB G AMBARDELLA’ S P ASTA B ELLA T OWNE H OUSE M OTEL & S TEWARD APARTMENTS G LOW P UTT ALASKA UAF T ANANA V ALLEY C AMPUS G OLDEN V ALLEY E LECTRIC ASSOCIATION U SIBELLI C OAL M INEINE, INC. G OLDPANNER C HEVRON S ERVICE USKH I NC. G REAT N ORTHWEST, INC. W ALSH, KELLIHER & S HARP, CP A’ S G REATER F AIRBANKS C HAMBER OF C OMMERCE W ELLS F ARGO H OLIDAY I NN E XPRESS W ESTMARK F AIRBANKS H OTEL & C ONFERENCE C ENTER H OPS H ALLMARK W ILLOWILLOW P HYSICAL T HERAPY , LTD. HYDZ Y UKON Q UEST I NTERNATIONAL I F O NLY… A FINE STORE Y UKON T ITLEITLE C OMPANY, INC. Downtown Association of Fairbanks Newsletter Page 4 DowntownFairbanks.com, is rich with information about happenings in our great little river city. We have added an event calendar which is growing quickly in popularity, and you can also follow us on Twitter. We routinely post as many topical articles reporting on downtown news as possible. Visitation to our website is on the rise, so make sure you keep us in the loop about what‘s happening, we are here to serve you as the place for downtown news and events. Website traffic is up due in part to the Downtowner, our semi-monthly email full of up-to-date news, sent to over one thousand locals. All of the articles in the Downtowner link directly to our website. Visitors perusing our website can then click through to even more details and photographs on any given topic. In addition, we have created a ‗tag cloud‘, a series of words linking to past and current information on DowntownFairbanks.com. Our ‗tag cloud‘ allows visitors to discover unexpected information on our website, and it also provides an excellent overview of perennial topics particular to downtown Fairbanks. Subscribing to the Downtowner is free and easy! You can simply sign up right from our homepage at DowntownFairbanks.com, or you can contact Kara Nash at 907-452-8665 or [email protected].