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Juneau’s City Hall Situation Update

The City and Borough of Juneau is in need of alternative office space for its 160+ downtown employees due to deteriorating conditions and expiring leases in its current facilities.  CBJ staff and services are currently spread across four leased and one owned building (City Hall). At least two of the leased spaces will no longer be viable in the near future and the aging City Hall requires over $14M in structural, safety and systems repairs and no longer meets the current or future needs of CBJ.

In October 2023, Juneau voters turned down a bond proposition to fund the construction of a new city hall to consolidate all downtown CBJ employees and services into one building. CBJ is now investigation commercial lease options to respond to the very near-term need to secure office space for its employees due to both expiring leases and safety concerns.

Latest News & Updates

  • Assembly considers responses to office space RFI, directs CBJ staff to evaluate lease options
  • CBJ issues Request for Information regarding available office space in Juneau (Dec 21, 2023)
  • Proposition 1 fails to pass in October 3 Election (Detailed Election Results from Oct 17, 2023)
  • Community members share their support for a new city hall (See “Community Support” tab below) (Sept 14, 2023)
  • CBJ to hosts New City Hall Open House on September 13, 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. (Sept 13, 2023)
  • New! Animated explainer video from local artist & business owner, Pat Race: Watch here.
  • July 10, 2023 – Assembly approves Ordinance 2023-31 authorizing the issuance of general obligation bonds of $27,000,000 to finance construction and equipping of a new city hall for the City and Borough, and submitting a proposition to the voters at the October 3, 2023 election. (Meeting Recording and Materials)

Current Status: 

The CBJ Assembly directed staff to explore commercial office space available for lease to accommodate CBJ staff under three proposed scenarios outlined in the Request for Information (RFI).

The Assembly and CBJ staff are currently evaluating the RFI responses. 

2023 New City Hall Bond Proposition

In October 2023 election, the City & Borough of Juneau invited voters to weigh in on a bond proposition to help fund the construction of a new city hall building at 450 Whittier Street. The measure failed to pass with 4263 YES votes and 4896 NO votes. The CBJ thanks all the voters who participated in the election.

Below is a look back at the details of the bond proposition and information shared during the 2023 election.

Community Support for a New City Hall

Members of Juneau’s community share their support for a new city hall and Proposition 1:

“Let’s build that city hall!”

– Richard Chalyee Éesh Peterson, President, Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (Tlingit & Haida). (Said during his welcome remarks at the 2023 Southeast Conference on September 19, 2023.)

“The location, physical arrangement and scattered offices of the current City Hall are intimidating and burdensome for many to navigate. A new city hall that is ADA accessible, with all city services in one place would make is much easier for all Juneau-ites to participate in their local government.”

– Joan O’Keefe, SAIL, Inc.

“The Juneau Building Trades are in full support of Proposition No. 1 to build and equip a new City Hall for the City and Borough of Juneau, Alaska. We believe that the Capital of Alaska deserves a building that represents and serves the residents of Juneau.

This project will be bid as a design build, allowing the City to make modifications with the builder to keep costs on budget. Additionally, owning one building versus renting multiple properties allows the City to see controlled costs in the long term, ultimately saving costs for current and future generations.“ (Read the Full Letter)

– Brad Austin, Juneau Building Trades President

“Throughout my career, I worked hard to find the most efficient and effective use of taxpayer dollars.  Voting no on one won’t bring down costs or improve city services, but voting yes will give us the ability to construct a new, efficient and purpose-built facility that will bring city staff together to better serve Juneau for decades to come.” 

 – Mary Becker, Former Juneau Mayor, Assembly Member, School Board Member and Educator

“Stack up all the cash we’re using to band-aid the old building and rent office space and it quickly becomes more cost-effective to build something new…. something practical, functional and purpose-built for city government, in a single location with all of our core city staff under one roof – that isn’t leaking. It will be our building, something we all own together and can take pride in as a community.” (Watch the short video)

– Pat Race, Juneau filmmaker, illustrator, and small business owner

“My first job out of college was as a city planner for the City of Wilmington, Delaware. The offices of that municipality were spread out over multiple buildings with many of us crammed into offices that were little better than closets.  After a few months we were all moved and consolidated into a new building that housed all of the administrative offices.  In bringing all of us under one roof there was a noticeable improvement in communication, efficiency and morale.  Not to mention increased accessibility by the public.  I can attest from direct, personal experience that a new city hall would be a huge asset for Juneau.”

– John Decherney

“Besides economics and functionality, there is another important reason we will vote yes and it relates to being good stewards of our capital city. We are proud to reside in Alaska’s capital and are grateful to the fine citizens who for many years have served on the Alaska Committee striving to keep it here. The current mish-mash of local government offices does not represent the high standard and image a capital city should depict. We can do better, not only for Juneau’s residents, but for all Alaskans who come here for a myriad of reasons and services. 

We invite you to join us by voting yes to support a new City Hall — one that will be properly sized, energy efficient, and a modest facility designed to best serve its customers, the citizens of Juneau and all of Alaska. We think it’s the responsible thing to do. 

– Paul & Sioux Douglas 

“As a business owner and active member of our community, I look for sound business decisions for Juneau. When it comes to our City Hall, it’s time for Juneau to stop spending millions on rent and stop-gap repairs on a failing building that doesn’t meet our needs.” 

– Kenny Solomon-Gross, Juneau business owner 

“Not only is a new city hall the better financial decision for our Juneau, but the ability to house all CBJ employees in one location is so important for collaboration and productivity. Keeping Juneau’s city hall and staff downtown, in the nucleus of Juneau commerce, is critical to our economy and helps our city thrive in all seasons.” 

– Midgi Moore, Owner of Juneau Food Tours

“As a longtime member of the downtown business community, I look for projects that support a vibrant and sustainable Juneau.  Not only would the new proposed city hall save millions on rent and necessary repairs, but it would also provide a real, long-term and functional solution by bringing all of CBJ’s staff and services into one easily accessible City Hall that meets the needs of all of Juneau.

– Eric Forst, Partner, Red Dog Saloon

“I believe we need a new, well designed, energy efficient facility for most if not all of the administrative offices required to manage this city. A Municipal Building for the City of Juneau.

I believe that spending money on rehabilitating 155 South Seward, is a bad option and a poor use of public funds including my tax dollars. The same goes for maintaining leased office space in the Marine View Building. Aside from the much discussed maintenance required for both of these properties, these working environments have been subpar for years, possibly decades. Some overheated, others under heated, and all poorly ventilated. Possibly a contributing factor in our inability to fill positions within the CBJ.”

– Daniel Glidmann,  CBJ resident for 49 years

Community Survey Information

Pie chart visualizing the answers to this question: How supportive are you of CBJ developing a new City Hall versus continuing to rent office space. 39% very supportive, 35% supportive, 8% opposed, 10% very opposed, 9% Don't Know

In fall 2021, the City & Borough of Juneau asked residents to participate in a survey regarding the need for a New City Hall.  A total of 1,326 Juneau residents responded. 74% indicated they were supportive of a new facility with parking for public and staff as the highest ranking factor. Other factors included in the survey were the length of service life, energy efficiency, location, and access.

Support for development for a new City Hall was geographically consistent with over 70% support from all areas of town. Full survey results are available here.

This communication was paid for by the City and Borough of Juneau, 155 Heritage Way, Juneau, AK 99801.

Why New? Why Now? 

New Video: Juneau’s City Hall Situation – Explained in two minutes

Local filmmaker, illustrator, and small business owner, Pat Race, explains why now is the time for a practical, functional, and purpose-built City Hall for all of Juneau in this animated video.

Why New? 

New City Hall: The Fiscally Responsible Choice

CBJ is at a crossroads when it comes to the location of its center of government. For the reasons listed below and more, doing nothing is not an option but Juneau voters have a choice when it comes to how their money will be spent.  The choice is between a.) an inefficient and expensive combination of leased space and costly necessary renovations, and b.) funding a centralized and cost effective facility that is fully owned by Juneau’s residents.

An investment that pays for itself. An economic analysis model prepared in an independent report by Rain Coast Data shows that a new, purpose-built city hall as proposed at 450 Whittier Street would result in immediate operational cost savings as soon as the 25-year bond on the October ballot is paid off. By foregoing increasingly expensive rental payments, a new city hall would save Juneau over $190 million in capital and operational costs alone over the next 70 years. When combined with the sales and property tax benefits of the previously leased office space, these cumulative savings would pay for the entire cost – or reach the “break-even” point – of the $43.3 million project after approximately 32 years and result in over $220 million in net benefits over 70 years.

Costs referenced above include operations & maintenance (O&M), repairs and replacements (R&R), and either rent payments (Current City Hall) or debt service payments (New City Hall). This analysis factors in a nearly 50% increase in total O&M from the current to a new city hall and a 30% decrease in the O&M cost per square foot due to the larger, more efficient, consolidated building.  O&M and R&R for leased spaces are factored into rent costs.  Scenarios in the chart also note initial capital investments of $14.1 million in renovations and repairs to the Current City Hall or $16.3 million in construction for a New City Hall.

Why Now?

Rent – Nearly $1 million per year:

  • CBJ staff and services are currently spread across four leased and one owned building. The aging City Hall which requires significant structural, safety and systems repairs and no longer meets the current or future needs of CBJ.
  • Due to space limitations at the current 16,000 square foot City Hall, less than 40% of CBJ staff are located on site. The majority of CBJ offices are spread across four other rental spaces in Downtown Juneau, at the current cost of $820,000 per year in rent, with increases expected.
  • Two of CBJ’s four currently leased office spaces will no longer be viable in the near future. CBJ will need nearly 30,000 sq ft of office space for the 80+ displaced employees, regardless of whether it maintains the existing City Hall building. Any new leased office space will have a higher cost per sq foot and annual rate increases conservatively estimated at $2.60/sf and  3-4% (industry average), respectively.

Repairs – More than just a coat of paint:

  • Originally built as a fire house in 1951, and renovated in the 1970’s, the existing City Hall building at 155 South Seward requires over $14 million in known interior and exterior mechanical, electrical, and plumbing system repairs to bring the building up to code and in ADA compliance. From the roof to the restrooms, the age of the building means there is no such thing as a quick fix. Even with these significant repairs, the size and layout of the building would require CBJ to continue to rent additional off site office space for the majority of its employees.

Real Estate – Stronger market, lower inventory:

  • The market for commercial office space has tightened significantly in the last year. While the trend is a boon for the Juneau economy, a recent professional analysis found that there are no existing commercial properties that could accommodate CBJ staff and necessary services without displacing other tenants and requiring cost-prohibitive renovations.
  • By renting commercial office space, CBJ is occupying of nearly 34,000 square feet of desirable downtown real estate that could be repurposed for residential housing or commercial use in the private sector.

Return on Investment:

  • The condition of City Hall requires critical near-term and costly repairs (over $14M) in addition to the over $820,000 currently spent annually on rent for less than functional office space for over half of CBJ employees.
  • Given the potential instability of the rental market, and the fact that CBJ will be in operation forever, it makes good financial sense for CBJ to own its own purpose-built and modest facility that is energy efficient, properly sized, and customer service oriented, and will provide real cost savings in just 25 years.

This communication was paid for by the City and Borough of Juneau, 155 Heritage Way, Juneau, AK 99801

Wait… didn’t I just vote on this?

No, not exactly. A lot has changed and CBJ needs to hear from you.

In October 2022, Juneau voters were asked to decide on a ballot measure proposing a $35M bond to design and construct a new City Hall. At the time, very little information was available to voters regarding the reasoning and community need for the project due to state elections rules which prohibited CBJ from disseminating information without specific financial authorization from the Assembly.

However, significant changes in the last year to both the economics and operational conditions of CBJ’s owned, rented and proposed city hall facilities have brought the organization to a crossroads. The Assembly chose to provide voters a new opportunity to decide on the future of City Hall with a full understanding of the latest available information. (Read the CBJ ordinance.)

How much can change in a year?

Quite a lot.

Here are some of the key differences between the 2022 bond proposition and the ballot measure to be included in the municipal election on October  3, 2023:

Rental Changes Coming: The current CBJ rental arrangement, with 160+ employees spread across five downtown buildings is no longer sustainable for many reasons. With the 2023 sale of the Municipal Way building, CBJ needs to find new office space for the more than 30 CBJ employees currently housed on the first and second floors to make way for new ownership when the lease expires in June 2028. The Marine Way building, which houses 50 employees, is in poor condition and suffers from leaks, plumbing shut offs, and poor heating controls. There is very limited commercial office space available to accommodate up to 80 employees in Juneau, and it is likely more expensive than CBJ’s existing lease rates.

Market Changes: The market for commercial office space tightened significantly in the last year with the sale of the Walmart building and other downtown properties. A recent professional analysis found that there are no existing commercial properties that could accommodate CBJ staff and necessary services without displacing other tenants and/or requiring cost-prohibitive renovations. A more competitive real estate market is also contributing to both lower interest rates and the potential for higher rent costs.

Changing Conditions: The current City Hall building continues to degrade, creating functional challenges as well as potential health and safety concerns for CBJ employees. The building requires over $14M in known repairs and maintenance to extend its usable life.

Lower Bond Amount: The 2023 ballot proposition proposes a lower $27M bond at an estimated 4.77% interest rate. The previous 2022 ballot proposed a $35M bond at an estimated $4.88% interest rate.

The Assembly has appropriated $16.3M in general funds for the remaining cost of the $43.3M project (see Proposed Location tab for more on project costs).

More Information: Per ordinance 2023-30, CBJ will have the opportunity to better communicate the need for and benefits of a new city hall prior to the election. A comparable ordinance did not exist in 2022.

If approved, would this bond increase my property taxes?

In short, no.

The proposed bond issuance would not require an increase in property taxes from their current rate due to CBJ’s significant debt service capacity.

The CBJ property tax mill rate (which determines the annual property tax rate) is comprised of an operational mill levy and a debt service mill levy. The operational mill levy supports all aspects of local government including schools, police, fire protection, roads, libraries, parks, public transportation, etc. The debt service mill levy pays for voter-approved bonds. In FY24, the operational and debt service mill rates are 8.96 and 1.2, respectively, for a combined total of 10.16. Read more about the CBJ mill rate here.

CBJ has substantial debt capacity as many large projects are and will continue to be paid off in the coming years. This chart and corresponding memo show that there will be significant capacity in the coming years for a new city hall project and others without raising property taxes. If this bond issuance is approved, the debt service portion of the property taxation rate will not increase and a significant amount of capacity will remain for future debt issuances without exceeding the current 1.2 debt service mill rate.

Paid for by the City and Borough of Juneau, 155 Heritage Way, Juneau, AK 99801. Rorie Watt, City Manager. Approved by Rorie Watt.

Project Cost 

Total estimated construction and development cost of the 450 Whittier Street location is $43.3 million. This estimate includes new construction of a 46,200 square foot energy efficient building with class B office space for 160+ employees, new Assembly Chambers, public meeting rooms, public restrooms and dedicated public parking, while factoring in 5% escalation costs to reflect anticipated inflation.

Project Funding

CBJ’s significant debt capacity will allow for a new city hall bond issuance without increasing resident taxes.

The project would be funded through a combination of $16.3 million in previously appropriated general funds and a potential $27 million bond, to be decided by voters during the October 3 election.

From the 2023 ballot proposition:

“The proposition will authorize the issuance of $27,000,000 in general obligation bond debt for paying the cost of construction and equipping of a new City Hall, including below ground parking. The total annual debt service costs, assuming an interest rate of 4.77%, will be approximately $1,870,000. The estimated annual levy rate of $28.03 per $100,000 of assessed value is within the current debt service levy rate capacity of the City and Borough, and as such, the property tax mill rate is not currently expected to increase with the issuance of this bond. This example of a property tax levy is provided for illustrative purposes only. The total annual debt service costs, assuming an interest rate of 4.77%, will be approximately $1,870,000. The estimated annual levy rate of $28.03 per $100,000 of assessed value is within the current debt service levy rate capacity of the City and Borough, and as such, the property tax mill rate is not currently expected to increase with the issuance of this bond. This example of a property tax levy is provided for illustrative purposes only.”

Would the bond issuance increase your property taxes? 

No. The bond would not require an increase in resident property taxes due to CBJ’s significant available debt capacity. The bond would also leave capacity available for future debt issuances should the need arise.

What if the project exceeds the estimated budget?

The bond proposition stipulates that the project must be completed within the $43.3M total budget which factors in 5% escalation costs due to construction inflation. By using a design build procurement process, CBJ will be able to ensure that the project is cost driven and remains on budget.

Will it save money? 

Yes. The economic analysis model prepared by Rain Coast Data (see below) shows that a new city hall as proposed at 450 Whittier Street would result in immediate operational cost savings as soon as the proposed 25-year bond is paid off. When combined with the sales and property tax benefits of the previously leased office space, these cumulative savings would pay for the entire cost – or reach the “break-even” point – of the $43.3 million project after approximately 32 years and result in over $220 million in net benefits over 70 years.

To look at it another way, CBJ would pay more than $43.3 million in rent alone over the next 30-35 years if it continues with a combination of leased office space and the existing City Hall. This is more than the entire cost of building a new consolidated city hall at 450 Whittier Street.

“Operational Costs” referenced above include operations & maintenance (O&M), repairs and replacements (R&R) and rent payments (Current City Hall) or Debt Service Payments (New City Hall). Analysis assumes a nearly 50% increase in O&M from the current to a new city hall due to the larger consolidated building.

New Juneau City Hall Economic Analysis – Report

In March 2022, Rain Coast Data prepared an economic modeling tool and independent cost benefit analysis and comparison of the construction of a new city hall at 450 Whittier Street (selection location), the Downtown Transit Center (eliminated due to cost) and the current City Hall and rental arrangement.  Since that time, several of the key data points utilized in the study, ranging from CBJ lease agreements to the total cost of a new city hall, have changed due to economic, operational and market forces, making the findings of the original analysis outdated as published. These major situational changes over the last 18 months and how they impacted the results of this analysis are included in a cover memo attached to the report.

Read the Analysis.

Preliminary new city hall design based on space needs analysis.

From the Archives: 2018-2019 City Hall Ideas

This communication was paid for by the City and Borough of Juneau, 155 Heritage Way, Juneau, AK 99801.

Shareable Resources:

Video: Band-Aids or Building Stronger – What to do about Juneau’s City Hall Situation  – (YouTube link- www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYnAFjEm-xI)

Flyer: What do you want in YOUR city hall? (Download PDF)

Public Meetings

Public Presentations:

Members of CBJ leadership are visiting community organizations to share facts and answer questions about the Juneau’s options when it comes to the future of their City Hall. To make this information as accessible as possible, we have linked a recording and PDF of the information below.

  • Presentation: Juneau’s City Hall Situation (PDF)
  • Video: CBJ City Manager, Rorie Watt, presents to Juneau Chamber of Commerce (August 24, 2023)
    • Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZnLnpui2uw

If your organization is interested in learning more or hosting a presentation for your membership, please contact Ashley Heimbigner at 907.586.0800.

A Calendar of upcoming Assembly Meetings and Public Forums are available here.

Previous Public Meetings:

FY22 New City Hall Project ARCHIVE:

Public Forum, May 19, 2022

Public Forum, January 26, 2022

Site Information

Site Selection Memo and Matrix from 1-24-22 PWFC Meeting

NCH Site selection memo and Matrix 

This communication was paid for by the City and Borough of Juneau, 155 Heritage Way, Juneau, AK 99801.

Frequently Asked Questions

Voters will be asked to decide on a $27M bond this fall to design and construct a New City Hall on city property at 450 Whittier (next door to Zach Gordon Youth Center) in the Aak’w Village District. The proposed new building will be a purpose-built facility designed to be energy efficient with a long service life and functional office space. It would include an Assembly chambers, public meeting rooms, 36 underground parking spaces and employee offices.

What has changed since we voted on this last year?

See “On the Ballot: What’s Changed” tab to the left.

How much does the project cost?

The total project cost is $43.3M. The Assembly has appropriated $16.3M in general funds for the project and is asking the voters for the authority to bond for the remaining $27M.

What effect will it have on my property taxes if this bond is approved?

The short answer is that the 2023 bond issuance would not require an increase in resident property taxes.

The CBJ property tax mill rate (which determines the annual property tax rate) is comprised of an operational mill levy and a debt service mill levy. The operational mill levy supports all aspects of local government including schools, police, fire protection, roads, libraries, parks, public transportation, etc. The debt service mill levy pays for voter-approved bonds. In FY24, the operational and debt service mill rates are 8.96 and 1.2, respectively, for a combined total of 10.16. Read more about the CBJ mill rate here.

CBJ has substantial debt capacity as many large projects are and will continue to be paid off in the coming years. This chart (link) and  corresponding memo (link) show that there will be significant capacity in the coming years for a new city hall project and others without raising property taxes. If this bond issuance is approved, the debt service portion of the property taxation rate will not increase and a significant amount of capacity will remain for future debt issuances without exceeding the current 1.2 debt service mill rate.

The total annual debt service costs (the amount CBJ will pay back each year), assuming an interest rate of 4.77%, would be approximately $1.87M. This amount of debt service would require an annual property tax levy of approximately $28.03 per $100,000 of assessed value which is less than previous years (see chart referenced above). (This example of property tax levy is provided for illustrative purposes only.

What if the project exceeds the estimated budget?

The bond proposition stipulates that the project be completed within the $43.3M total budget which factors in 5% escalation costs due to construction inflation. By using a design build procurement process, CBJ will be able to ensure that the project is cost driven and remains on budget.

What is this $50,000 appropriation for “advocacy”?

According to Alaska State Statute (AS 15.13.052), “persons who are not individuals” (i.e. CBJ) are required to create a “political activities account” before making an independent expenditure in support of or in opposition to a candidate or ballot proposition. Further, all funds used to make independent expenditures must be drawn from this political activities account.

In other words, without a specific appropriation of funds from the Assembly, state elections rules prohibit CBJ from disseminating or spending staff time of any kind on the dissemination of information that could be perceived as “influencing the outcome of an election.” This is why CBJ staff were not able to distribute materials, provide community presentations, or even correct misinformation related to the need or benefits of a new city hall during the lead up to the 2022 municipal election.

In June 2023, the Assembly provided the required financial authorization in the form of an ordinance appropriating up to $50,000 in staff time, materials and resources to communicate the financial, practical, and operational benefits of a new city hall, as well as the high costs of the status quo. All relevant CBJ staff time and expenditures are being tracked and reported to Alaska Public Office Commission (APOC) as required

Where do CBJ employees work now?

The current City Hall houses less than half of the downtown CBJ workforce. The remaining staff and services are spread out amongst four rented facilities (Marine View Building, Sealaska Plaza, Seadrome Building, and Municipal Way Building). CBJ has rented office space for more than 30 years and currently spends $820,000 a year on rent at these four facilities. It is important to note that status and condition of several of these leases and leased spaces will require CBJ to find new rented space in the very near term, likely at a higher cost and further from the current City Hall if the bond measure does not pass.

What is the condition of the current City Hall?

City Hall was originally constructed in the 1950s as the downtown fire station. Over $14M in known mechanical, structural and systems repairs are needed to support the health and safety of employees and to extend the useful life of the facility for 25 years. Needed repairs include but are not limited to: roof replacement, mechanical systems, plumbing, electrical, windows, restrooms, façade work, and painting.

What does CBJ pay to rent its current office space?

CBJ currently pays a total of $820,000 per year to rent the space necessary for staff and services at four separate facilities (Marine View Building, Sealaska Plaza, Seadrome Building, and Municipal Way Building).  However, due to ownership changes and unsuitable building conditions in existing facilities, as well as a decreasing inventory of large commercial office space in Juneau, several of CBJ’s lease agreements will change in the near term, with the likely potential of significant increases in the annual cost of rent.

How did you land on 450 Whittier Street as the preferred site?

CBJ has been gathering community input and conducting professional analyses of dozens of potential site options for several years, including both new construction and renovations of existing facilities. Staff started with suggestions from the public gathered in a 2021 survey. Many existing building options and sites were eliminated as they did not offer the required lot or building size, if the prospective owner was unwilling to sell, and/or they did not provide sufficient public access and parking.

The Assembly went through two rounds of eliminating sites based on a matrix built from the priorities the public identified in the survey as most important. These included 1.) parking, 2.) energy efficiency, 3.) cost, and 4.) long service life. The top four sites that received the most study were:

  1. Status quo (renovating the current facility and continuing to rent);
  2. Downtown Transit Center;
  3. Former Walmart Building (recently sold); and
  4. 450 Whittier Street

Copies of the matrix used for this analysis can be found here (round 1) and here (round 2).

In May 2023, a commercial real estate consultant performed an analysis of facilities available in the Juneau commercial real estate market that could be repurposed for the Juneau City Hall. The study found that there were no existing properties available with the necessary square footage that wouldn’t require significant displacement of State employees and/or a cost prohibitive renovation. Read the full report (link) and site analysis (link).

What about an existing Juneau school building?

Per the Juneau Board of Education, all existing Juneau School District (JSD) facilities of the square footage required to accommodate a new city hall are needed to accommodate JSD student and operational needs.

What would happen to the vacated downtown office space?

City Hall – Waterfront location; zoned Mixed Use; will likely sold for private enterprise (up to the Assembly).

Marine View Building – If converted back into apartments with the same floor plan as adjacent floors, conversion would result in 24 apartments (up to the private owner).

Municipal Way –  Recently purchased by the Sealaska Heritage Institute with plans to expand the Sealaska Heritage Arts Campus.

Seadrome – The current owner has plans to redevelop the building.

Where would people park at New City Hall?

New City Hall would include 36 parking spaces in a garage underneath the building, including dedicated parking for the public to do business at City Hall. According to an initial parking assessment conducted in 2022, the Aak’w Village District also has approximately 1,500 surface parking spaces in the general area. Many of these spaces are leased by the State during business hours. However, an assessment of the lease holder parking needs is overdue as much has changed in recent years. A comprehensive parking study is planned. Additionally, CBJ received $10M to partner with the State on a future project to expand the North State Office Building parking garage.

Regarding employee parking, there are currently 175 parking permits issued to downtown municipal employees, mostly in the Marine Parking Garage. Moving this demand and vehicular traffic out of the downtown core would open significant parking capacity for locals. 

How big will a new city hall be?

A space needs analysis determined municipal functions require 46,200 square feet based on space-efficient class B office space and minimal square feet of office space per employee standards (approximately 100 sq ft).  This square footage, including an Assembly Chambers and public restrooms and meeting rooms, fits in a 3-story facility on the 450 Whittier Street site with space for a public plaza. This is roughly 4,000 square feet less than the space downtown CBJ employees currently occupy as they layout will better suit employee operations. Space needs are based on industry standards for cubicles and open floor plans. Further refining of the space needs will include a public engagement program as part of the design process if the project is endorsed.

In the 2021 survey noted above, respondents placed a low value (15%) on architectural and visual appeal. This feedback, in addition to input from future public engagement efforts, will be incorporated in the design of a new city hall.

What is the design of the proposed new city hall?

Initial design was completed to estimate project costs and confirm that the property could effectively accommodate CBJ operations and employees within the project budget. However, further refining of the space needs and subsequent design is needed if the project is endorsed. Future design will include a public engagement process and potential adjustments to ensure that the purpose and budget for the project are met.

How has the public been involved in this project?

Given the operational and financial inefficiency of renting office space in multiple locations, a new city hall is an ongoing project CBJ has been evaluating for years. A 2019 effort was re-energized in the fall of 2021 when CBJ surveyed over 1,300 people to collect information on where residents want a city hall, how they use city hall, and their priorities for the facility. Survey results can be found here.

In summary:

  • 74% of respondents were supportive or strongly supportive of a new city hall
  • When asked for recommendation on location, the vacant Walmart building (no longer available) was the top choice (32%), with ‘downtown’ coming in second (27%).
    • When combining “downtown” with specific locations in the downtown area, 36% support a downtown location.
  • Respondents placed a high value on parking.
  • The highest construction priority was that it be designed for a long service life (73%) followed by high energy efficiency (65%).

The Assembly Public Works and Facilities Committee and Committee of the Whole held multiple meetings before landing on 450 Whittier Street as the preferred alternative.  There have also been two public meetings on the topic hosted over Zoom. Materials and recordings from these and subsequent Assembly and Committee meetings which included discussion of a new city hall are linked in the “Public Meetings and Reports” tab on this page.

This communication was paid for by the City and Borough of Juneau, 155 Heritage Way, Juneau, AK 99801.