Muni Land Bank isn’t selling Girdwood Industrial Park, Yet

Heritage Land Bank Officials Want Discussion on Land Disposal 

By Soren Wuerth and David Nyman

TNews Editor and TN Contributor

Following concerns that Anchorage is planning to sell land in Girdwood's Industrial Park, the municipality's Heritage Land Bank sought Thursday to dispel conjecture of an imminent land disposal and to assuage the public the idea is only up for discussion.

Girdwood's Industrial Park is a 15-acre area, near Girdwood's transfer and wastewater facility, has a long history of use by various Girdwood contractors, the Girdwood Valley Service Area and Girdwood Fire Department.

In her report to HLB's Advisory Commission, director Tiffany Briggs said the industrial park the department is considering selling is the "Maui" industrial park in Anchorage and that her staff was only discussing "future options" for the Girdwood's industrial park.

HLB's Emma Giboney wrote Friday that her department will meet with the Girdwood Board of Supervisors Monday to get feedback on the industrial park's value and how to address it in HLB's 2025 work plan.

Photo of Girdwood Industrial Park.  (Photo by Soren Wuerth)

"There will be many opportunities for public input on this project and any potential platting action and/or disposal (sale/lease) in the future," Giboney wrote.

The possibility of the sale of the Girdwood Industrial Park aroused local attention after a post on Girdwood's Facebook page. Concerns raised in comments expressed fears a potential sale would have on the local community and environment. 

A powerpoint prepared for Thursday's HLBAC meeting has three options for the Industrial Park, selling its 15 acres as-is, subdividing the land and selling lots, and carving the area up into 17 new lots. 

The first option, according to HLB, would cost the municipality nothing and give the city $2.2 million. The second alternative would cost the city $200,000 and generate about $1 million. The third option would cost about $3.6 million and result in a loss to the muni of $1 million, according to the department.

HLB's staff is recommending the second option. 

In the public comment portion of the meeting Bob Wolfe introduced a letter outlining the need for the park's development and said he is reducing the number of customers he can service this winter due to maintenance and financial considerations. 

He said he needs a tent structure and that investment in new temporary or permanent facilities does not make sense without the security of land ownership.

Local contractors have long sought to purchase portions of the industrial park so that they can have a place for equipment, storage and maintenance. 

Wolfe said in an interview after the meeting that further platting and development of the GIP will encourage contractor investment in facilities such as covered storage, a significant need given the large amount of snowfall seen in the Girdwood area. 

Determining a plan to develop additional areas of the industrial park have been “underway for more than 20 years,” Brian Burnett, a member of Girdwood's Board of Supervisors, said after the meeting.

Currently 5 lots that have been sold to local Girdwood area contractors including, HR Redmond, On-Site Snow Removal (Andy Hehnlin) and Geo Contracting (Lauren and Nick Georgelos) all Girdwood-based contractors. 

Other unsubdivided areas in the park are occupied by Snowfree Plowing and Sanding, Girdwood Valley Service Area, and the Girdwood Fire Department.

“It is past time for the GBOS to take charge of the planning and expedited completion of the Girdwood Industrial park for our communities unsolved public/private infrastructure needs,” Wolfe wrote in his letter.

(Turnagain News Board Chair David Nyman contributed to this story)

Industrial Park in Girdwood.