Palinville: as world travels to see Wasilla, mayor recognizes need for dynamic changes: as we went to press, Gov. Sarah Palin shocked the world, nation and state Friday July 3, saying she was stepping down as governor of Alaska and turning over the reigns to Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell on July 26. This article was written before her dramatic announcement.

• Author: Bohi, Heidi
• Position: TOWNS IN TRANSITION

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As film crews, newscasters, reporters, writers and tourists stampeded into Wasilla to see first-hand what vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's hometown might reveal about this overnight sensation, to Mayor Verne Rupright the arrival of all these outsiders was indicative of something much more telling than the makings of good old-fashioned tabloid trash.

"It became painfully clear that we have no downtown area," he says from the city hall desk he has occupied for almost a year; the same one that former Gov. Sarah Palin, as the former mayor of Wasilla, had her engraved nameplate on as recently as 2002. "People were descending on Wasilla and would come into my office and ask me where downtown was. I'd tell them, 'Well, this is Main Street, so I guess this is it.'"

A CHANGING FACE

Whether locals liked it or not, Rupright realized then that Wasilla was on its way to becoming one of the state's next destinations. And it wasn't close to being ready. Almost one year later, one of his first mayoral charges is to take this growing community of 9,800 in an urban development direction that will clean up and expand the downtown area--from Yenlo Street to Lucille Street, North to Nelson and South to the George Parks Highway--so that it will be able to accommodate more visitors.

Part of this vision includes redeveloping an old auto repair complex that the city purchased in February into a bustling plaza that includes an outdoor walking district with brick paths, art galleries, crafts and quilting stores, an entertainment stage, small shops, food and beverage outlets, and other businesses that several tenants have already expressed an interest in leasing. Parking development is already under way, he says, and the city is also looking into the feasibility of relocating the Mat-Su Borough Fire Department repair station from the area to provide more space for downtown development.

NEW DIGS

Cottonwood Creek Mall is the site of a new five-screen theater complex that will include conference rooms and be surrounded by courtyard shops and other retail spaces. Scheduled for completion this winter, Rupright says the developer, Coming Attractions, will be responsible for managing the business spaces. Target, Sports Authority, Walgreens and Taco Bell also recently opened in the same vicinity. Although the city does not have any projections on what the economic impact of the development is expected to be, Rupright says, "A lot of people have...