Op-Ed: Investment in Downtown Anchorage Supports Our City’s Future

The organization also facilitated street closures so restaurants were able to serve customers outdoors amid indoor dining restrictions, activated public spaces with masked and socially distanced events, and has been a steadfast advocate on the municipal level for the interests of downtown. As a property owner, this additional support and attention to where I’ve invested is invaluable. 

Every city’s downtown sets the tone for visitors, newcomers, and even residents. It’s often the first place people see when they visit, and if we want a welcoming downtown we have to make it that way. The good news is that people are already doing this work. 

So the next time you visit a park downtown with your family, listen to local music at Live After Five, or watch the fireworks on New Year’s Eve—consider that this vibrancy doesn’t come from nothing. It happens because we, as a community, choose to invest in our downtown because it’s for all of us. It happens because organizations like ADP plan year-round programming for the community to enjoy for free. Events like these make downtown a dynamic place the community wants to gather, and in turn make downtown a neighborhood where businesses want to be. This directly benefits the investment values of downtown property owners, which has a citywide return on investment. 

We don’t yet know what winter will look like, or when we’ll be able to return to a sense of normalcy. But we can’t let that stop us from investing in our city, and working to keep Anchorage thriving for years to come.  For this reason and many more I am joining other property owners in downtown and voting to renew the Downtown Improvement District, I hope you will join me.

Downtown Anchorage is not without its challenges, but that’s no reason for us to stop working to improve it. Our city is what we make it, and it’s critical that we continue to invest in its future.