Whittier is known as "the town under one roof" since nearly all of its roughly 200 residents live in Begich Towers, an army barracks turned residential tower block. Reviewed on /Date(1606051739000+0800)/ carlsonstephanie. The east tower was built first, followed by the middle tower, and finally the west tower, which was finished in 1957. Electric Sunroof, Head Up Display & Other Features That Make The All New Hot & Techy Brezza A Hit. Today the asking price has risen to $35,000. For example, the state constitution has written into it a right to privacy; if something is occurring in your own home, you have the right to keep it private. The impressive engineering behind the 14-story Hodge Building was on display as its three separate towers swayed but miraculously did not collapse. Did you know about these amazing buildings before? Adventure Tours. Floral Dresses To Chic Bags - Heres How I Refreshed My Summer Closet From Flipkart On A Budget! From amenities to availability, the community staff will be ready to help you find your perfect apartment. 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. The former military gym and basketball courts (pictured) are massive and offer an expansive indoor area for activity and exercise. Because the winters are so ferocious, the towns only playground is indoors. Dave Schofield is the chief of police in Whittier. 762 SqFt Condo In Begich Towers for sale in Whittier, AK. In addition to the residential areas, the building contains the basic services for condo owners and guests: a post office, a general store and a laundromat. Whittier Harbor, which never freezes, is one of the most desired in the area. The former Army barracks is often described. Private Walking Tour in Whittier AK. Some people love it because IT CAN BE REALLY SOCIAL. Begich Towers is an interesting housing complex where 95% of the Whittier population lives in this one 14 story condo building. The monthly dues cover the heat, electricity, exterior and groundsmaintenance, garbage service, water and sewer service, and snow removal. RE/MAX, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and supports the Fair Housing Act and equal opportunity housing. Close to some of Whittier's most popular landmarks, such as Begich Towers Incorporated (0.0 mi) and Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel (1.9 mi), June's Whittier Bed and Breakfast . A 1956 Fairbanks Daily News-Miner articlereported the new construction in Whittier: The tower steel and concrete Hodge Building might have been lifted out of New York City and dropped into the Alaskan wilderness intact. The smallest homes in the building are efficiency units, largerfloor plans have two or three bedrooms. The Towers are 14 floors high. 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. In addition to the residential units, the first floor has several businesses: a laundry mat, Post Office, condo association offices and more. Begich Tower, which houses around 80% of the population of Whittier (hence the misnomer comment) is one of two structures which used to be a Military base. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); UnusualPlaces.org is your guide to quirky, weird and beautiful places to visit around the world. Because Whittier is surrounded by mountains, connecting it to other towns required significant tunneling. Some people manage to carve out comfortable lives for themselves within this extreme environment, and looking out over Whittier harbor at dawn, or on a snowy day while a neighbor fed the fat crows perched on his windowsill, it wasnt so hard to imagine why someone might choose the limitations of a place like Whittier over the limitations of life in a big city down in the Lower 48. Jim's studio is located in Whittier Manor, the only other residential building in Whittier besides Begich Towers. Due to bad weather and roads, locals are not able to go anywhere and if they somehow manage to go out, they face lots of problems while coming back because there is no direct way to reach this place. About 225 people live here, most of the town. While the United States was engaged in World War II, resources were temporarily diverted away from Whittier, leaving little activity in the area for the next five years. ActiveRain, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, The name of the 14-floor building is The Begich Tower which is the residence for nearly the entire population of the city. He was born and raised in Whittier, and came back because it's home. Your browser is not currently supported. In Whittier's 99693 neighborhood, moving to this community offers plenty of nearby highlights. Whittier started to emerge from the Armys shadow when the city was officially incorporated in 1969. It also has radar-unfriendly claustrophobic topography and famously terrible weather, which obscures visibility for much of the year. Viewing: Begich Towers | Desktop Version | Listing Updated: 01/20/2023, Matanuska-Susitna Borough Apartments (142), Anchorage School District Apartments (603). The Begich Towers Condominium is a building in the small town of Whittier, Alaska. The temperatures reach the 50s (F) during the best time of year. The waitlist is often 10-20 years. The purpose of the bomb-proof mid-century Hodge Building was to support a remote logistics station in Whittier, Alaska. Less than ten percent of Whittier's population lives there. "Alaska is quite an unevangelized state," he explains. When the second largest earthquake in recorded history leveled much of southern Alaska in 1964, the 14-story Cold War relic was one of few structures to survive. 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. In the darkest days of winter you can sometimes find teachers in the garden, sitting underneath the natural spectrum grow lights. She misses being at a school with sports teams, dance classes, and proms. Begich Towers also has a video rental spot, laundry, and at one point there was even a tanning bed. Mayor Lester Lunceford recently moved from Whittier to Anchorage; his is a part-time, unpaid position, so he commutes into town when he can. Ironically, when the conversion was finished, more people moved out. Winters paint a different picture. The state of Alaska is rugged and beautiful beyond compare. Fastest Charging On Any Nord Phone Ever & Other Reasons Why OnePlus Nord 2T Is Worth Every Penny! The majority of the Alaska Railroad workers commute from Anchorage,as does Whittiers mayor and all but one of the towns police officers. There are pleasant touches (such as the exteriors newer blue, cream, and peach paint scheme) that try to establish a playful identity for the formerly drab Hodge Building. Begich Towers is currently home to 75% of Whittiers 300 permanent residents. On our first night in town, a small earthquake hit, but we thought it was just another gust of wind rattling the windowpanes. "No kid in this school can sit in the back of the classroom and not do something. Access detailed information on Whittier Community School,school ratings, test scores by grade, student-teacher ratio, and much more. Behind Whittiers everyday peculiarities is a community thoroughly circumscribed by geography, architecture, and weather. Innovative & Cutting-Edge: This Is Why Blenders Pride Glassware Fashion Tours Entry In Metaverse Was A Hit! Adjustment is not easy, nor guaranteed, for those who make an attempt. In recent decades, civilians have begun to trickle into a former army barracks at the heart of the town called Begich Towers. The building was built in 1956 and duringWorld War II, there was an army barrack at this place, due to which all the facilities are available here. 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. Employment protections include being fired, denied employment, or otherwise discriminated against by an employer. It was built in three sections connected by metal plates so that it wouldn't crack apart during a quake. right?". Beverly looked out at the snow whipping sideways past the window and told us, Down in the Lower 48, this would have a name., Whittier has a city manager style of government, which means that the mayor mainly serves as a figurehead, and the city manager, who is not elected but hired, is in charge of all the municipal operations. Great 2 Bedroom Condo with beautiful views of the mountains. 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. Hospital To Police Station: This 14 Storey Building Houses A Complete Town In It, Copyright 2020 Times Internet Limited. It was named the Hodge Building in memory of Colonel William Walter Hodge, commander of the 93rd Engineer Regiment of Alcan Highway. Whittier started out in the mid-1950s as a military outpost. Begich Towers: Tour the most famous building in Whittier, Man charged in 1994 sexual abuse cold case, Fairview neighborhood to receive $537K in federal grant to reconnect community, Alaska groups celebrate Juneteenth, Indigenous Peoples Day becoming city holidays. Begich Towers residents can even set up a meeting with the Whittier mayor, police chief, or head physician without reaching for their coat and scarf. The 2.5-mile Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, which was converted from railroad use, alternates the flow of traffic every fifteen minutes. Copyright 2023 Alaska Multiple Listing Service, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Jim carves figures of Alaskan animals out of native Alaskan ivory. Begich Towers, otherwise known as the BTI building, is a 14-storey complex which has been turned into a condominium association with 196 units. Some keep them for watching whales or goats grazing, but one resident admits theyre for determining if your husbands at the bar.. And it is strange: residents wander through the halls of BTI in pajamas; there is a provision on fish slime in the condo association guidelines; a pair of reindeer lives in a pen out front. The other is the Buckner building. Whittier residents who ventured to Anchorage for an evening of fun, and missed the 10:30 tunnel cut off time have been known to spend the night in their car. Correspondent Lee Cowan asked, "It's not for everybody. The name of the 14-floor building is The Begich Tower which is the residence for nearly the entire population of the city. '. Theres no real threat of crime or terrorism. It is one of Alaska's most famous buildings, mostly, because more than half of Whittier lives here. Charming small towns like Whittier are one of many reasons that Alaska is a place that every seasoned traveler must visit at least once. Now, a high rise does seem out of place here, but what's more surprising is, the Begich Towers (as they're officially called) is about the only place to live in all of Whittier. When the military left, the Alaska Railroad took over. Most condos have extensively updated and remodeled since then. It was built by the military in 1956 for soldiers and their families and later became a home for civilians in 1973. In Whittier's 99693 neighborhood, moving to this community offers plenty of nearby highlights. She'd like to move to Anchorage, but her teachers don't want her family to leave, because to lose Lucky and her five siblings would be disruptive in such a small school. The Whittier Glacier and the eponymous town were named for American poet John Greenleaf Whittier. Take the elevator up to the 3rd floor to see a doctor if you're not feeling well. 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