Brokered And Advertised By: Keller Williams Realty Alaska Group Listing Agent: Michael Schwartz. Today the asking price has risen to $35,000. ActiveRain, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, $175.00. The other is the Buckner building. Walk a little into the room and you will see government offices, as well as Kozy Korner convenience store, a shop where everyone is shopping. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Instead, on the edge of town, there stands a 14-story building called Begich Towers a former Army barracks, resembling an aging hotel, where most of the town's 200 residents live. Its a concrete building, Good Friday (or Great Alaskan) Earthquake, Where to Download and Play RetroPie ROMs with Emulators, 5 reasons why a student needs to follow the daily routine, Summer Will Never Be Hot Again with These Home Cooling Tips, Canadas Approach to Online Gambling Over the Years, Employee Motivation: How to Empower Your Team Motivation, Comprehending the Difficulties of Android Device Management. Those who stayed behind occupied the first four floors of the Hodge Building; other floors remained unoccupied. The listing content relating to real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the IDX Program of Alaska Multiple Listing Service, Inc. (AK MLS). The building is composed of brick and steel, making it safe . Begich Towers also features a small bed and breakfast so that visitors can experience Whitters warm sense of community. The Hodge Building was constructed as three separate towers connected by metal plates. Housing protections include being unfairly evicted, denied housing, or refused the ability to rent or buy housing. Cowan asked Shuford, "What do you want people to know about Whittier? Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students, Watch Live: Garland testifies amid ongoing special counsel investigations. It was designed to house a 1500-man garrison with its own chapel, command offices, brig, TV station, PX, theater, laundry facilities, barber, an enormous mess hall, craft shop, a bowling alley, a shooting range, commissary, bakery, dispensary, and private rooms for officers and NCOs. The town averages around 250 inches of snow annually, but some recent years have seen closer to 400 inches. During our time in town, a number of residents alluded to Whittiers wilder days, when you could go there to escape life on the other side of the tunnel. Colonel Hodge died in a B-26 crash over Mount Hood in 1949. About 225 people live here, most of the town. The Kozy Korner grocery store is stocked with essentials. The Buckner, as it was called, was the social center for the posts military, civilian and dependent population. It is one of Alaska's most famous buildings, mostly, because more than half of Whittier lives here. June Miller runs Junes Whittier Condo Suites, a B&B on the Towers top two floors. Both were constructed in the wake of World War II along with the railroad leading in, a combined $55 million build that . "Yeah, it is known as the weirdest city in Alaska," said her husband, Dave Dickason, who is Whittier's Mayor. There are 198 units, and in the bottom of the building is the police office, a gym, the city clerk's office and a store. Ratings are on scale of 1 (below average) and to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. Directions by Sea: The Alaska Marine Highway serves the community of Whittier, AK with passenger service onboard the M/V Aurora. This property is not currently for sale or for rent on Trulia. LGBTQ Legal Protections updated by Movement Advancement Project, Trulia is a registered Trademark of Zillow, Inc. Zillow, Inc. holds real estate brokerage, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Zillow Group is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for individuals with disabilities. In recent decades, civilians have begun to trickle into a former army barracks at the heart of the town called Begich Towers. The shore is lined with small stores that open up during tourist season. Dock hands who unload the supply barges in Whittier also shuttle in from Anchorage once a week. During this time Whittier was a SECRET installation known as H-12. The name of the 14-floor building is The Begich Tower which is the residence for nearly the entire population of the city. Winters paint a different picture. The complex has a shop . The tower is actually three structures mashed into one: an east building, a middle building, and a west building, combined over four years from 1953 to 1957. Copyright 2023 Alaska Multiple Listing Service, Inc. All Rights Reserved. [ Before the tunnel conversion began, BTI condos sold for as little as $9,000. Part of the heating system has been replaced. ]. During the summer the towns population swells as boaters, fishermen, seasonal workers, and tourists descend upon the small port. Begich Towers, otherwise known as the BTI building, is a 14-storey complex which has been turned into a condominium association with 196 units. The 14-story building is a former Army barracks built in 1956, yet it houses all the amenities youd expect from a small town: a laundromat, health clinic, corner store, police station, church, video store, city offices and the homes of nearly 200 residents.Photo via California Sunday Magazine. Correspondent Lee Cowan asked, "It's not for everybody. Before the twentieth century, the area had been used for centuries by the Chugach Indians to traverse the Kenai Peninsula. ", Anna added, "I feel like it's made us better people. A supply barge comes into town once a week, but most of the workers who unload the freight commute from Anchorage. The flat-roofed Hodge Building was the militarys residential tower, built for bachelors quarters and family housing. (Sarah Bell / Alaska Dispatch News) Trouble in paradise Dempster, a. (800) 525-7452. To some, it may just be the strangest town in Alaska, but for residents Whittier seems to be the answer to the call of the wild. Too costly and dangerous to demolish, the building is still there today. Our suites are located in a historical building "Begich Towers", built by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1957. Gary grew up in the hills of Arkansas, where he watched the Little Rock Crisis unfold on his TV screen. The name of the 14-floor building is The Begich Tower which is the residence for nearly the entire population of the city. It was promoted as the City Under One Roof.. After its military service the building was modified for civilian life. After the army left in 1960, Whittier citizens took over the building's 196 units. Protect yourself from fraud. A police station, grocery store, clinic, church, convenience store, and school are all housed within the structure. Owner Financing is Available! Bob Prunella was brought to Whittier as an interim city manager, but he's now stayed here for two years. The population drops to less than two hundred, and the streets empty as most of the town moves back indoors. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than , are marked with either the listing brokerage's logo or the AK MLS logo and information about them includes the name of the listing brokerage. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them Post your own FREE listing! The structure stands 14 stories high with a rectangular plan and a flat roof. ", A few weeks ago, Jenessa started posting about her life in the building on TikTok, and soon had millions of views and just about as many questions. The weather in this corner of Alaska is very unpredictable - winds blow at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour and snowfall reaches 250, The building was built in 1956 and during. The former military gym and basketball courts (pictured) are massive and offer an expansive indoor area for activity and exercise. It looks depressing.' Find AK real estate agents Home Details for 401 Begich Towers Property Information Year Built Year Built: 1940 LGBTQ Local Legal Protections Homes for Rent Near 401 Begich Towers Off Market Homes Near 401 Begich Towers 401 Begich Towers, Whittier, AK 99693 is a 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 740 sqft property built in 1940. With most of the residences within the town of Whittier AK being located in the Begich Towers Condos, it is no surprise this really is the center of town. Because I dont know where it wants to go. Some residents would like to see growth and economic development in Whittier, but theres a sizable group who would just rather be left alone. "The law says you can't have drugs within 500 feet of a school; there's not a unit in this building that's 500 feet from the school, but we have the right-to-privacy issue.". Seasonal workers come for jobs on fishing boats, charter boats, or in the cannery, and cruise ships bring hundreds of thousands of tourists to the harbor. In 1941 the United States military took an interest in Whittier to function as the backup port to the primary one at Seward, about 50 miles to the south. It was named the Hodge Building in memory of Colonel William Walter Hodge, commander of the 93rd Engineer Regiment of Alcan Highway. In the process he stopped up the plumbing on the floors below hima neighbor called city management to complain that someone had flushed large amounts of dog food down the toilets, but it turned out to be pellets of grow medium. Whittier, Alaska, about 60 miles from Anchorage, is both beautiful and yet gritty. Lucky Medez, who moved to Whittier from Guam in her junior year, is one of three students in her graduating class. Story produced by Sari Aviv. Nearly all of Whittiers population lives in this 14-story building. And you always have someone to talk to.". Call or text 9073010189 for information on Buyer's Representation Services(NO COST TO HOME BUYERS). Disclaimer: ActiveRain, Inc. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. Begich Towers is an interesting housing complex where 95% of the Whittier population lives in this one 14 story condo building. In 1964, the area was hit by a tsunami caused by the Good Friday earthquake, but the damage was not extensive. In Whittier, Alaska, almost the entire population of 318 year-round residents live under one roof. Recognized by ActiveRain as a 2013-2014 Top Contributor for Real Estate Blogging. It was part of a completely self-sufficient complex designed to allow its residents to stay indoors for months at a time during the harsh coastal Alaskan winters. One unique feature, there is a pedestrian tunnel linking the complex to the . The weather in this corner of Alaska is very unpredictable - winds blow at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour and snowfall reaches 250 inches and sometimes 400 inches. Actor's Brother Spills The Beans, Cricketer Virat Kohli Says His Wife Anushka Sharma Has Made Massive Sacrifices As A Mother, New Meme Unlocked: Pakistani Cooking Show Contestant Presents Store-Bought Biryani To Judges, Goes Viral, Is Introducing A Sex Toy To Your Love Life A Good Idea? ", Gary Carr works at the Kozy Korner Store, which is housed on the ground floor of Begich Towers. It was built by the military in 1956 for soldiers and their families and later became a home for civilians in 1973. We were tough in those days.". You can find Condos for sale in Begich Towers (if there are any available today) as well as all available Whittier AK Condos for sale on my website. That's what fills my bucket, and that's why I want to stay.". [ During the winter of 1956/57, the Port of Whittier received a record snowfall of 72 feet. But its also a friendly town in a spectacularly beautiful location. RE/MAX, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and supports the Fair Housing Act and equal opportunity housing. Explore selling options, sales history, home details and more on . Directions by Land: From Anchorage, take the Seward Highway south to Portage Road, go east to Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel to City Center of Whittier. It's home.". So it actually makes sense for the city's citizens to have everything in one place and live under the same roof. Theres no real threat of crime or terrorism. Over 200 people live in this apartment and get every facility inside the building. Isolated By. And some people love it because it can be reclusive.. More Info. Powered by If you have a disability that is preventing you from experiencing this Several bathrooms still have the original pink tiles and the yellow counter tops in the kitchens. This propelled Whittier into a more important role as other regional ports who suffered more damage were inoperable. Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}604620N 1484108W / 60.77222N 148.68556W / 60.77222; -148.68556 Begich Towers residents rarely have to brave Alaskas icy winds and blinding snow at the height of winter if they dont want to because virtually anything they may need is conveniently located a few short minutes from their doorstep. For the dozens of children who live here, the building connects to the school through an underground tunnel. During World War II the US Army set up military facilities in what is now the town of Whittier. Hes been here ever since. website, call It's wild, but tame. Your browser is out of date or unsupported. Each office is independently owned and operated. Though over 700,000 people visit Whittier annually, many tourists disembark from cruise ships only to take the train straight to Anchorage, spending little time or money in Whittier. He was born and raised in Whittier, and came back because it's home. Between 700,000 and 900,000 people visit the town annually primarily via cruise ship or passing through en route to Anchorage but most dont stay beyond one afternoon. "You know, you get to thinking, Oh man, the tunnel's the only way out. About 300 or so residents live here year-round, many of them new families. Anyone who wanted to bring a car or truck into the town had to ship their vehicle into town via boat or train. Required fields are marked *. The path to Whittier goes straight under a mountain, into a tunnel bored through more than two miles of solid rock. Floral Dresses To Chic Bags - Heres How I Refreshed My Summer Closet From Flipkart On A Budget! Enjoy the excellent mountain and waterfall views from this 2 bedroom, 1 bath fifth floor condo in Begich Towers. Some easily adjust and stay for 20+ years. Whittier is surrounded by breathtaking mountains and home to majestic animals such as reindeer who live in a small enclosure just outside of Begich Towers, and humpback whales who frolic in the pristine waters of Prince William Sound. Gary Carr works at the Kozy Korner Store, one of Whittiers two grocery stores. As of 2015, only one of the two boilers serving Begich Towers was functional, but it experienced major maintenance-related issues almost daily. In addition to the residential units, the first floor has several businesses: a laundry mat, Post Office, condo association offices and more. Business development is a challenge, as there is very limited buildable land in Whittier. She misses being at a school with sports teams, dance classes, and proms. Whats it like inside? The buildings former jail, now apartment 411, was appraised at $19,500 and listed for sale in 1976: the old jail, complete with bars on both bedroom doors, steel bunks hanging from the wall, three authentic bullet holes in the walls and window sill, plus a front view of the city, small boat harbor, and Prince William Sound.. Were All in for Arena Reel Star! It also has radar-unfriendly claustrophobic topography and famously terrible weather, which obscures visibility for much of the year. When the Army pulled out of Whittier in 1960, the handful of remaining residents turned BTI into a condo, but the Buckner Building was simply abandoned. The city officials are readily accessible on a daily basis. Each room has a big-screen TV, WiFi, and sweeping views of Alaska. ", Cowan asked Jenessa, "What are people asking the most? Begich Towers Condominium Association of Apartment Owners Inc. Completed in 1957, the building has a rectangular plan and a flat roof. 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