2001 Good Year for Interior Construction.

• Author: STRICKER, JULIE
• Position: Statistical Data Included

In 2001, a retail tidal wave will break over Fairbanks: Starbucks is coming to town. The ubiquitous Seattle-based coffee phenomenon is part of a $9 million facelift for Fred Meyer West, the 195,000-square-foot superstore on Airport Way. And it is a small, but telling, example of the kind of construction coming to the Interior.

For the past two years, construction crews have been busy on big projects, such as the new state courthouse in downtown Fairbanks, a new headquarters for Alaska Native regional corporation Doyon Ltd., two new hotels and the expansion of a third in Fairbanks, and another near Denali National Park. The 2001 season is shaping up to be a busy one, although with fewer of the mega-projects of the past couple of years.

"It looks like it's going to be a good season," says Sasha Zemanek, executive officer of the Interior Alaska Builders Association. "The builders are a little more busy this year than last year-it'll be a good season, but not a great season."

A good season is good enough for Robert Tilly of Tilly and Company Ltd., who says 2001 is shaping up to be a very constructive year. He estimates calls to his office from people interested in building homes are up 50 percent.

"I think that consumer confidence in the Alaska economy is strong," Tilly says. "When (the economy) seem to be slowing down in the Lower 48 a little bit, (economic indicators) in Alaska seem to be picking up a notch.

"The last couple of years down in the states, (the construction industry) has been hot and busy, and in Fairbanks things have just been rolling along."

And with projects like a natural gas pipeline on the horizon, the Interior building trade isn't expected to slow down.

In addition to the Starbucks, the Fred Meyer West refurbishing will include more seating in the food service area, an ice cream shop, four self-service checkout stands and an Alaska USA Federal Credit Union branch, store officials say. The expansion is expected to add another 50 jobs.

The face of downtown Fairbanks has been radically altered in the past two years, and more changes are in the works.

The construction of the new state courthouse and 140-room SpringHill Suites by Marriott in downtown Fair banks are nearly complete. The SpringHill Suites is expected to open this month, and the courthouse late in 2001. Before the dust has a chance to settle, two other downtown projects are expected to get under way.

Ground-breaking for a long-awaited $8.4 million, 379-vehicle...