Capitol designs on view tonight

DAWN De BUSK/Frontiersman reporter

Four designs depicting different ideas of how a new capitol building in Juneau might look will be presented at a public forum meeting at 6:30 p.m. today at the Anchorage Museum of History & Art, 121 W. 7th Ave.

The designs - a result of the City & Borough of Juneau's four-month interview process with many architect teams - have been presented at public meetings in Juneau and Fairbanks, with Anchorage being the only other stop. Since there will be no presentations in the Valley, Mat-Su residents wishing to preview these building designs will have their opportunity during tonight's presentation in Anchorage.

Rep. Carl Gatto, R-District 13, a self-proclaimed staunch supporter of the capital move out of Juneau, has seen the illustrations and drawings for a capitol building set in the city of Juneau.

"They look pretty futuristic," Gatto said. "It looked out of character for a community like Juneau."

There has not been any legislation that would fund constructing a new capitol building in Juneau. The City & Borough of Juneau sponsored the architectural competition to get ideas on paper.

Gatto and fellow Mat-Su Valley politicians Rep. Mark Neuman, R-District 15, and Rep. Bill Stoltze, R-District 16, introduced a bill that would require Alaska voters' approval for the capital to be moved or for a new building to be constructed.

"If we're going to move the capital five feet or 500 miles, the voters should be able to vote on it," said Gatto, who said House Bill 68 was created "to give the public a vote" rather than allowing the state capitol to be moved across town and then making the state pay for it.

"Personally, I would like the capitol right here (in the Valley), next to the new hospital that's being built," Gatto said, adding that his vision of a capitol building would put it near the Wasilla Visitor Center and the Veterans Memorial Wall.

"Alaska is a big state and no matter where the capitol is, it's going to be far away from somebody," said City & Borough of Juneau Special Projects Officer Maria Gladziszewski.

The current city officials have decided to run with the idea and promote a competition that would put construction ideas on paper, that way Alaskans could get a visual idea, she said.

Land for constructing a capitol building in Juneau has already been purchased. In 1984 the city of Juneau helped the state purchase property in downtown Juneau, about two blocks from the current capitol building.

The Capitol Planning Commission hired design manager Don Stastzy to head the teams. Stastzy has worked on such projects as the Oklahoma City Memorial.

The final four design teams, whose architectural concepts will be displayed tonight in Anchorage, will each be paid $25,000 for t

heir efforts.