STEAM HEAT COSTS COULD DOUBLE DOWNTOWN
The Regulatory Commission of Alaska gave notice on August 19th that Aurora Energy filed a petition to deregulate its steam business to bring steam heat rates in-line with those paid by hot water customers. Earlier this year, Aurora filed a ‘tariff action’ with the RCA requesting the same thing, but that request was not approved because the RCA determined that a request for deregulation must be submitted in the form of a petition instead of a tariff action. If deregulation is approved, the rate charged for steam heat could eventually double. According to Aurora Energy, a doubling of steam rates to match the rates for hot water... [Read more]
DELIGHTFUL FIRST FRIDAY DOWNTOWN
Let the warmth and light of our lingering summer days entice you into coming downtown for September’s Delightful First Friday. Stroll from venue to venue, have a glass of wine and some appetizers, check out downtowns pretty flowers and new murals and admire the talented artists on display in our radiant little river city. A Bright Green Year @ Chartreuse, 729 1st Avenue Jason Lazarus @ River City Cafe & Espresso, 523 2nd Avenue Shop til you Drop @ In the Bag! 455 3rd Avenue, Suite 102 Fairbanks Fiberistas @ Alaska Heritage House, 410 Cowles Street Grand Opening @ Co-Op Arts, 535 Second Avenue, Suite 103 Art on Cushman @ S Salon... [Read more]
A BRIGHT GREEN YEAR
The utterly original, loads of fun, downtown store Chartreuse is celebrating the completion of its first bright green year! Sheri Olesen, proprietor, has much to commemorate and to feel good about… she has accomplished a lot and been successful. Although there have been challenges along the way , and she hasn’t gotten rich selling vintage clothes, accessories and home spun hats, soaps and jewelry, but she’s paid the bills and kept her store well stocked. All good signs for a new business in a tough economy. When I asked Sheri what she likes best about her business she said “Finding a really special retro-vintage piece is so cool,... [Read more]
DOWNTOWN DELICACIES AND FINE WINE
Save the Date! October 13th Wednesday from 6-8 for the Downtown Association of Fairbanks’s Annual General Meeting and Award Ceremony. We will be offering an assortment of downtown delicacies and fine wines in the lower level of the magnificent Court House Square (in the now vacant area that Alaska Public Lands and Information Center used to occupy). There will be prizes and we will be showcasing downtown musical talent. This will be a party you don’t want to miss! Fall is shaping up to be a busy season with a myriad of exciting events happening right here in our downtown. Jessie Desmond of The Red Couch is hosting an assortment of pirate... [Read more]
THE SECOND GO-AROUND
Thank you downtown for your excellent input regarding the Winter Solstice Celebration. A lot of great ideas were generated from out first meeting and we are ready to move forward with our planning. Please feel free to read the notes from the first planning meeting which took place on Wednesday, August 11th, and consider coming to our second planning meeting which will be on Thursday, September 9th at 6:00pm in the Downtown Association’s conference room at 410 Cushman Street. The Winter Solstice Meeting calendar is as follows: #1 Meeting, August 11th: Review of past events and initial planning for 2010 Winter Solstice. #2 Meeting, September... [Read more]
DOWNTOWN’S NOT-SO-SECRET GARDENS
Something Fairbanks does really right in general, and downtown does right in particular, is plant and grow and care for the most wonderful flowers. Even though our round the clock growing season is short it still takes on an epic feel that at times can seem surreal. 90 pound cabbages are common, the record pumpkin at the 2010 Tanana Valley State fair, weighing in at 424, seemed like it was about to grow wheels and turn into a carriage (just like in the famous fairy tale), and during our super sunshiny summers some of the vibrant garden spots downtown go from the earthly to the simply divine. This year the Downtown Association’s and the... [Read more]
UNPARALLELED GRANDEUR
Arguably the most beautiful building downtown, the old Unites States Courthouse and Post office on Cushman Street and 3rd Avenue, is being painted. JL Properties, Inc. should be thanked for their efforts to beautify our downtown by renovating (via paint) this iconic structure. The art deco style and sumptuousness of the Fairbanks Courthouse, now an office building with a wide variety of professional tenants, makes one dream of times gone past. When, evidently, we people (even us tough Alaskans) considered stateliness to be paramount. The brass borders, high ceilings, cast aluminum doors and bronze postal boxes illustrate a grandeur unparallel... [Read more]
CSP AND DOWNTOWN’S PUBLIC SPACES
Over the last ten months, three Community Service Patrol Ambassadors (CSP) operating in a defined area downtown initiated and resolved 1,465 encounters with chronically inebriated people in public spaces. These encounters resulted in: 1,087 transports from downtown to an ‘appropriate point of care’ service to 286 unique individuals blood alcohol levels exceeded .300 in 328 of the transports, or 30% 68 individuals had injuries or complaints requiring CSP transport to the hospital CSP found 6 individuals with injuries requiring EMS transport to the hospital 71 individuals were pre-empted from getting inebriated (CSP discarded their alcohol) The... [Read more]
ONE DOWN, ONE TO GO
The earliest of Vision Fairbanks’ implementation pieces are intended to set the stage for economic development and revitalization downtown. The first of those implementation pieces has been decided and the second is soon to come. On June 16, 2010, the FMATS Policy Committee unanimously voted in support of initiating an environmental process to study the feasibility of restoring two-way traffic circulation to Cushman and Barnette and downtown’s cross-streets to spur private sector investment. A start date for the study has not been determined; neither is it knowable when actual change will occur on downtown’s streets. Where we left off. Next... [Read more]
ENCHANT FIRST FRIDAY
Be enchanted by First Fridays downtown. Over the past year we have had between 10 and 15 downtown venues celebrating First Fridays. Those participating vary wildly. On any given Friday you might find a tea tasting, a drum circle, Alaskan photography, or a live jazz ensemble, right along with the more traditional, professional painters and artists who were the original founders of this cool re-occurring event. Tell us if you’d like one of our vibrant posters for your business, let us know if you are planning something special for an up and coming First Friday – But most of all visit the outstanding downtown establishments that promote... [Read more]
BALANCE AND BEAUTY
The attractive, thought-provoking new mural on Third Avenue is definitely more than meets the eye. Architect and philosopher David Whitmore designed his celestial mural to correspond with the angle of light on Summer and Winter Solstices. The yellow band represents the angle of the sun on June 21st, and the low reddish brown band correlates to the angle of the sun on December 21st . One can also see that the new mural captures the movement of the Aurora Borealis as well as the balance and beauty of the ying-yang symbol. Thank you David for beautifying our downtown in a way that embraces the natural world around us as well as the spiritual... [Read more]
DESIGNER FRAGRANCES FILL THE AIR
The tantalizing aroma of designer fragrances like FLOWERBOMB by Viktor Rolf fill the air, and the lavender walls and outstanding displays compliment the beautiful attire at Connie’s, the new, high end fashion store focusing on name brand clothing, purses and perfumes. The urban chic of Dolce Gabanna, the elegance of Prada and the trendy skulls and pink flower look made popular by Ed Hardy make shopping at Connie’s feel like an exciting trip to the big city. Connie, the owner/buyer, actually makes that trip to the big city for us Alaskans when she goes shopping in the trend setting capitals of fashion-places like Las Vegas, New York City and... [Read more]
A DAZZLING NEW ADDITION
In the bag! is a vibrant new store selling gently used cloths and fantastic handbags. Offering everything from formal gowns, to business attire to Alaskan kicked-back chic, In the bag! is truly bringing Style, (with a capital S), to the Northward building. Stop by and find that perfect piece to add to your wardrobe, or if you are starting a professional job, going back to school, or just want to improve your look, let the friendly, knowledgeable, fashion conscious ladies at In the Bag! assist you with your clothing choices– you won’t be disappointed. Be sure to visit this dazzling new addition to our downtown. Where: Northward Building 455... [Read more]
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