Fairview Placemaking

Vital Stats

Michael H

Anchorage, AK

  • people helped6000
  • People Doing It 50

The Problem

The “Fairview Placemaking” project will be an effort to engage Fairview residents in developing a revitalization strategy for our neighborhood. Fairview is an historic “close-in” neighborhood in Anchorage, Alaska where approximately 44% of residents earn less than $25,000 per year, and 20% live in poverty (pop. 7,479, Census 2000). Fairview became an established community after World War II as veterans built homes and started small businesses in the area. When Anchorage was much smaller, Gambell Street, which now runs through the heart of Fairview, used to have a “Main Street” feel - complete with local businesses. As Anchorage grew during the oil boom, much of Fairview was re-zoned, allow for higher density development. Then during the recession in the late eighties vacancy rates rose to 26%. Landlords became desperate to rent, and numerous social problems ensued. Furthermore, Fairview’s wide streets combined with fast, cut-through traffic contributed to a weak sense of community. Traffic volumes increased, and Fairview suffered as families relocated to other parts of town. Fairview had now suffered the impacts of disinvestment and urban decay.

Plan of Action

The Fairview Placemaking project will involve mailings to Fairview residents, door-to-door visits, procurement of space in which to hold meetings, printing planning maps and informational materials for the public, and the key ingredient to a successful public meeting: coffee and food for participants! The long-term goal of achieving revitalization is to achieve greater self-sufficiency for all of Fairview’s residents. By receiving NRSA status, the Municipality of Anchorage can use this designation as a tool for community reinvestment – provided that we have used a comprehensive approach to encourage citizen participation. The Fairview Council has already begun to engage local residents in gathering public input for a revitalization strategy. Last fall we hosted the first “Main Street Workshop”, a fun and engaging process where residents worked to develop their own land use plan maps for the neighborhood. After discussing the outcomes of the workshop with local officials, we learned that more extensive public participation could allow us to earn NRSA designation (U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development) and the financial tools it makes available.
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Education
Environment
Physical and Mental Health
Homelessness and Poverty

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