About Our Work
ADP’s mission is to improve the economy of Downtown Anchorage by building connections that ensure success of public/private development, redevelopment, vitality and economic growth in the Downtown Improvement District.
We’re committed to this work as one of the lead entities in the development and implementation of the Downtown Anchorage Comprehensive Plan.
Downtown Anchorage is an economic driver fueling a fast-growing regional economy supplying jobs and both public and private investment. The density, mix of uses and vibrant streets create an energy attractive to the most talented workers. While the value of downtown Anchorage is even greater than the sum of its parts, those parts are pretty impressive! Unique, locally-owned shops and restaurants mix Alaskan products with world class offerings. Our role is to connect you with information to keep this vital economic engine churning, to help you welcome the next wave of visitors and to provide opportunity for the next generation of Alaskans.
Downtown Comprehensive Plan
Nowhere else in Alaska exists an urban center that compares to Downtown Anchorage. With a strong economic base, cultural and historical attractions, natural beauty, and diverse recreational opportunities, Downtown Anchorage has long been considered Alaska’s civic and cultural destination. The Downtown Comprehensive Plan provides a visions and a new direction and design standards to guide new growth and transform the city center into a vital, dynamic urban environment with a thriving economy, ensuring that Downtown will reach its full potential through a strategic planning approach. The Downtown Comprehensive Plan provides a strategic framework to guide the future development of Downtown. It outlines a vision for a vibrant Northern city center that serves all of Alaska and welcomes the world—an active, walkable, mixed-use cultural and economic urban hub that is an exciting and livable place for residents, workers and visitors alike.
Central to achieving that vision is focusing and concentrating limited resources. Land uses must be coordinated to achieve their greatest synergy and potential; key facilities and amenities must be strongly linked through streetscape enhancements and good building design; catalytic projects must be developed in the right locations to stimulate additional development; and public improvements must be phased properly so that, when integrated with new development, they create a real sense of place and vitality.
Development Incentives
Property Tax Exemption/Deferral and Fee Waivers
In an effort to encourage redevelopment of underutilized, deteriorated properties, and to encourage economic development in downtown, the Municipality implemented a series of incentives for developers to help defray new construction costs, including:
- Partial or total exemption from real and personal property taxation on “economic development property” for up to five years (AMC 12.35.040) to improve the feasibility or long-term viability of an operation, program or project;
- Partial or total exemption from real and personal property taxation on “deteriorated property” for up to ten years (AMC 12.35.050) with boundaries that have been determined by the municipality after a public hearing; and,
- Partial waiver or total exemption from municipal fees for development of deteriorated property (AMC 12.35.055).
For more information, please contact the Municipality of Anchorage Economic & Community Development Office:
Linking Parking & Development
Anchorage Downtown Partnership, Ltd. partners with Anchorage Community Development Authority (ACDA) to support public-private partnerships that are financially sound and align with the mission of ACDA linking new parking development to private development projects. ACDA supports economic growth for downtown Anchorage and wants to be a part of creative parking solutions.
Developers building in downtown Anchorage (zoning districts B-2A, B-2B and B-2C) are not required to provide on-site parking for their tenants. However, providing parking for employees, clients and customers is a priority for most major tenants and business owners. Fortunately, Anchorage Community Development Authority (ACDA) is ready to work with and assist developers in identifying parking needs and providing parking solutions. ACDA can assist in achieving economically sound projects for proposed private development by lowering parking construction costs and/or creating a potential positive revenue source for the project.
Development Links with Parking
ACDA supports public-private partnerships that are financially sound and align with the mission of ACDA linking new parking development to private development projects. As development in downtown Anchorage continues, demand for parking will grow and ACDA wants to be a part of creative parking solutions for developers looking to add or create parking as part of their downtown development or construction projects.
Private Public Partnerships
ACDA can assist in achieving economically sound projects for proposed private development by lowering parking construction costs and/or creating a potential positive revenue source for the project.
Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation Solutions
AMATS is the acronym for Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation Solutions. Every metropolitan area with a population of more than 50,000 residents must have a designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for transportation in order to qualify for federal highway or transit assistance. AMATS is the MPO for the Anchorage Bowl and Chugiak-Eagle River areas when federal transportation funds are used.
Anchorage Downtown Partnership, Ltd. is committed to supporting a comprehensive transportation plan that works with a community transportation program, non-motorized infrastructure and capacity, protecting the quality of Alaska’s air, and congestion mitigation. Read more about AMATS here.