The city of Anchorage is aiming to sell the large tent-like building originally planned for use as a homeless shelter and navigation center.
Former Mayor Dave Bronson’s administration purchased the Sprung Structure in 2021. But the Assembly later canceled the project when it was revealed that the administration approved work without getting the body’s approval. And the structure has remained in storage ever since.
Mayor Suzanne LaFrance announced her intention to sell the structure to the Don Young Port of Alaska during her remarks to the Assembly Tuesday night. She said the port will pay the roughly $2.4 million the building was bought for and funding from the sale will go towards addressing homelessness this winter.
“I’m glad we are moving beyond the Sprung Structure debate to a real solution that benefits the port and puts the money toward tackling homelessness,” LaFrance said.
City officials say the port would use the Sprung Structure as storage for various equipment and to house several port maintenance offices. The port would also pick up the $5,000-a-month cost the city has been paying since 2021 to store pieces of the structure in both Eagle River and the Lower 48.
The Anchorage Assembly needs to approve the sale. Assembly members declined a last-minute vote to approve the sale Tuesday night, opting to take it up at a later date.
Wesley Early covers Anchorage life and city politics for Alaska Public Media. Reach him at wearly@alaskapublic.org and follow him on X at @wesley_early. Read more about Wesley here.
