This property is not currently for sale or for rent on Trulia. Brenda Tolman is known for the two reindeer she keeps in a pen across the street from Begich Towers, but she also spends much of her time making wood carvings, dolls, jewelry and other crafts to sell to tourists at her shop on the harbor. Katrina BentonKeller Williams Realty Hire a professional, positive, and proactive nationwideteam of Realtorsto help you sell or buyyour next home! Part of the heating system has been replaced. Wealthy residents of New York who pay big bucks for condos with in-house amenities could only dream of such lavish luxury. In 1998 reconstruction began to convert the rail-only Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnelfor dual-use, allowing vehicular access as well. Most of the local businesses in Whittier are in the triangle by the waterfront or Anchor Inn building, but employment options are limited. Private Walking Tour in Whittier AK. ", "I just want them to know it's just a unique, beautiful place in its own way," he said. Most of the towers 1,200 residents at the time all Army personnel were reassigned elsewhere. The Pre-K through 12th grade student population of Whittier Community School typically ranges from 30-40 students. What is now the Begich Towers was part of that plan. He also had to get used to his address. BTI may not have everything you want, but it has everything you need. It has 196 apartment units, most of which are . During the summer months, when the sun shines 22 hours a dayvisitors from around the world who are curious about life in Begich Towers flock to Whittier. Directions by Sea: The Alaska Marine Highway serves the community of Whittier, AK with passenger service onboard the M/V Aurora. The Hodge Building was transformed into a public building with several units, including the headquarters of the major institutions and commercial services of Whittier. "In Guam I used to sneak out of the house, so my dad moved us to the perfect place: the tunnel closes at night, so there's nowhere to sneak out to. Isolated By. The name of the 14-floor building is The Begich Tower which is the residence for nearly the entire population of the city. The town of Whittier is situated on the western end of the Prince William Sound, about 75 miles southeast of Anchorage and somewhat centrally located on the southern coast of Alaska. As of 2016, funding for repairs relating to maintaining mechanical systems and renovating the faade came with a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The building was designed in 1953 to host the headquarters of the US Army Corps of Engineers. Google India Employee Gets Laid Off After Earning 'Star Performer' Award, Asks 'Why Me? Whittier, Alaska, about 60 miles from Anchorage, is both beautiful and yet gritty. The Whittier Glacier and the eponymous town were named for American poet John Greenleaf Whittier. The U.S. government returned to Whittier at the onset of the Cold War. It's wild, but tame. Located around 60 miles southeast of Anchorage, the town of Whittier has a 14-storey building that also houses a health clinic, police station and convenience store. One unique feature, there is a pedestrian tunnel linking the complex to the . The structure is notable for operating like a small-scale arcology, being the residence for nearly the entire population of the city, as well as containing many of its public facilities. Some people love it because IT CAN BE REALLY SOCIAL. Construction started with the Hodge Building, along with the Buckner Building 660 yards (600m) to the northeast, with both opening in 1957. When the Army pulled out of Whittier in 1960, the handful of remaining residents turned BTI into a condo, but the Buckner Building was simply abandoned. 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. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. Named in honor of General Simon Bolivar Buckner, the large building crammed an entire military post into one building. Later people started living here and it became an apartment. When Pastor Kevin Jones got a call from God to become a missionary, a friend suggested he go to Alaska. Come experience our Historical two and a half mile (one way) tunnel. In Whittier's 99693 neighborhood, moving to this community offers plenty of nearby highlights. on ActiveRain. 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. Several bathrooms still have the original pink tiles and the yellow counter tops in the kitchens. " The Begich Towers Condominium is a building in the small city of Whittier, Alaska. A skeleton crew stayed behind while the buildings were realigned as a sub-installation of AnchoragesFort Richardson. He was a violent racist and he hated blacks and Natives, so I always thought that building reflected him: all torn-down and abandoned.. Listing content scraping by unauthorized personnel is strictly prohibited. It can shatter windshields and rip your car doors right off. Completed in 1957, the building has a rectangular plan and a flat roof. The 14-story Begich Towers Incorporated, known around these parts simply as BTI, is probably the last thing you'd expect to see in an outpost as remote as this. the old jail, complete with bars on both bedroom doors, steel bunks hanging from the wall, three authentic bullet holes in the walls and window sill, plus a front view of the city, small boat harbor, and Prince William Sound. The Begich Towers Condominium Association of Apartment Owners was incorporated in 1974 as a 196-unit condo community. The U.S. Army began construction of a rail line in 1941 from Whittier to nearby Portage, Alaska. Tourism is a source of income for the town, although its guests tend to have brief visits. The Alaska Railroad Corporation is the majority landowner in Whittier, but it doesnt pay property taxes, and it employs few residents. With most of the community and its services either inside of or connected to the building, residents are able to remain inside the building for long periods of time if the weather is inclement, or they simply do not want to leave. Alaska's laws often reflect the needs of a sparsely populated state, which presents challenges for policing within Begich Towers. 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. The tower was built in the 1950s and features elevators. Behind Whittiers everyday peculiarities is a community thoroughly circumscribed by geography, architecture, and weather. The Kozy Korner grocery store is stocked with essentials. Both were constructed in the wake of World War II along with the railroad leading in, a combined $55 million build that . The tower is actually three structures mashed into one: an east building, a middle building, and a west building, combined over four years from 1953 to 1957. from . "These are for finding out if your husband's at the bar! Begich Towers is located in the 99693 Zip code of Whittier, AK. The only way to get to Whittier is to drive through a one-lane railroad tunnel through the middle of a mountain. Each office is independently owned and operated. It looks depressing.' Watch this video link to tour the Begich Towers. If there is a fire, at least everyone will stay warm. Lucky Medez, who moved to Whittier from Guam in her junior year, is one of three students in her graduating class. Of the thirteen Whittier residents who perished in the Good Friday (or Great Alaskan) Earthquake, only one body was recovered. Nothings going to burn down.. They were engineering marvels, built to withstand bomb blasts, earthquakes, fires, and 60+ mile-per-hour winds all while housing up to 1,000 troops indoors across its 150 studio, two, and three-bedroom apartments. A police station, grocery store, clinic, church, convenience store, and school are all housed within the structure. It is a must see in Whittier . Floral Dresses To Chic Bags - Heres How I Refreshed My Summer Closet From Flipkart On A Budget! June's Whittier Bed and Breakfast Condos is an excellent choice for travelers visiting Whittier, offering many helpful amenities designed to enhance your stay. 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. Inside, the painted concrete hallways illuminated by the ubiquitous yellow fluorescent lighting always remind that you are inside what used to be a government building. Two winters ago the snowdrifts near Whittier School were piled so high that the principal let students go outside to take pictures of one another hanging from a street lamp. It was built by the military in 1956 for soldiers and their families and later became a home for civilians in 1973. The buildings former jail, now apartment 411, was appraised at $19,500 and listed for sale in 1976: the old jail, complete with bars on both bedroom doors, steel bunks hanging from the wall, three authentic bullet holes in the walls and window sill, plus a front view of the city, small boat harbor, and Prince William Sound.. He and the other students sell their vegetables in the lobby of Begich Towers. June Miller runs Junes Whittier Condo Suites, a B&B on the Towers top two floors. He was born and raised in Whittier, and came back because it's home. There are also some health and safety problems. Begich Towers also has a bed and breakfast, and guests are welcome to come. Begich Towers is an interesting housing complex where 95% of the Whittier population lives in this one 14 story condo building. The description and property data below may have been provided by a third party, the homeowner or public records. We Say, Yes! 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. Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students, Watch Live: Garland testifies amid ongoing special counsel investigations. 3 Bedroom 1 Bath condo for sale in the historical Begich Towers located in Whittier, Alaska. The structure is notable for being the residence for nearly the entire population of the town, as well as containing many of its public facilities. The complex has a shop . In 1972, the building was renamed Begich Towers Condominium, in memory of Nick Begich, a Congressman from Alaska who disappeared in the area and is presumed to have died in a plane crash. The area where modern-day Whittier sits was . Seward Highway south to Portage Road, go east to, Free Community and Demographic Reports for Whittier, Access detailed information on Whittier Community School, Home Prices in Anchorage Alaska for March 2018, Home Prices in Anchorage Alaska for February 2018, Home Prices in Anchorage Alaska for November 2017, View all Activerain Blog Posts By Katrina Benton. The purpose of the bomb-proof mid-century Hodge Building was to support a remote logistics station in Whittier, Alaska. A small percentage of the population lives in Whittier Manor, a low-rise condo that overlooks the clanking rail yard, and a couple of people live on their boats year round. On December 17th, 1945 the Army allowed the Alaska Railroad Company (the towns chief non-government tenant) to assume operations in Whittier. Paranormal enthusiasts claim that the Buckner Building is haunted by restless spirits. Until he moved away, Pastor Kevin Jones, a Southern Baptist, presided over a mostly Catholic congregation. Of course, not all residents are friends with each other, but they help each other if required. In the process he stopped up the plumbing on the floors below hima neighbor called city management to complain that someone had flushed large amounts of dog food down the toilets, but it turned out to be pellets of grow medium. Because Whittier is surrounded by mountains, connecting it to other towns required significant tunneling. The area where modern-day Whittier sits was developed during World War II, when it was chosen as the place to build a military harbor and a logistics base for the US Army. The Begich Towers, in Whittier, Alaska, built by the military during the Cold War as a no-frills barracks, is now home to the majority of the isolated town's 300 or so residents. And that tunnel shuts down at night, leaving Whitter cut off until morning. From amenities to availability, the community staff will be ready to help you find your perfect apartment. The Buckner, as it was called, was the social center for the posts military, civilian and dependent population. "There's not a lot of, you know, single people in their twenties and thirties here I mean, I don't know why!" 2023 ActiveRain, Inc. All Rights Reserved :) homeFair Housing: Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, Real Estate Agent with Come Home Inc License #16564, Affordable Condos with Unobstructed Views, Depending upon placement within the towers, each unit has an unobstructed view of the. Whittier, just sixty miles from the epicenter, was severely damaged by the ensuing tsunamis, which brought waves up to 43 feet (13m) tall into town. Some keep them for watching whales or goats grazing, but one resident admits theyre for determining if your husbands at the bar.. Bob Prunella was brought to Whittier as an interim city manager, but he's now stayed here for two years. I mean, when you think of all those things that you value in a community, we found that here. The waitlist is often 10-20 years. That's why people prefer to live in the building. The temperatures reach the 50s (F) during the best time of year. Nov 2020 Solo. Every kid is seen. It is one of Alaska's most famous buildings, mostly, because more than half of Whittier lives here. Begich Towers also has a video rental spot, laundry, and at one point there was even a tanning bed. The building is composed of brick and steel, making it safe . He is also the only officer who lives in town. The exterior of the building is getting power-washed and painted and inside the tan colored hallways have been replaced by bright yellow. It was built in 1954 . Begich Towers 110 Kenai Street, Whittier, AK 99693 Studio Beds Property Information 196 Units 14 Stories Built in 1956 Begich Towers Description Experience Whittier living at Begich Towers. The Begich Towers Condos in Whittier AK are a great place to call home. ", Cowan asked Jenessa, "What are people asking the most? Begich Towers Condominium Association of Apartment Owners Inc. In 2000 the tunnel was retrofitted to accommodate cars, but before that, the train sometimes came through only once a week, so residents were well-protected from whatever they might be running away from. (There once was a combination video rental store and tanning salon, but its been closed for a while now.) The building was designed in 1953 by Anton Anderson to host the headquarters of the US Army Corps of Engineers. I got so many comments on my TikTok saying, 'It looks sad. It now owns almost all of the inhabitable land in Whittier. The population of the city is over 200 people. But is it? Inside, sets of branched corridors and elevators allow residents access to all areas of the complex. From 1941 until 1943 Army engineer Anton Anderson led the largest tunneling project in United States history. From small staff to the owner, all live together in this building where all the facilities like a police station, provision store, laundry, church and hospitals are located under one roof. 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