After years of planning, the borough has awarded a contract for the initial phase of development at the Alder Top Village (Keishangita.’aan) residential subdivision at the former Wrangell Institute property.
At its special meeting July 6, the borough assembly unanimously approved an almost $1 million contract with Ketchikan Ready-Mix & Quarry. The company will spend the summer clearing space for about 20 new lots at the site and performing preliminary road work. The contract’s completion date is Oct. 30.
At Borough Manager Jeff Good’s recommendation, the assembly also approved two additions to the contract for removing alders and fencing from the lots. “I think if we clear the alders and actually include that in (the contract) as well, it just gives a better presentation of the lots, so people have a better view of what they’re actually buying,” he said.
Next season, the borough plans to move forward with finishing roads and adding utilities to the parcels. “Next year, the lots would be more easily identifiable, and we can start putting them out on the market,” said Mayor Patty Gilbert.
The plan is to offer the lots for sale in the summer of 2024. Prices will be determined by a property appraisal.
After the initial lots are sold, the borough has plans to develop more of the site and offer an additional 20 parcels for sale.
The borough received three bids for this summer’s ground work — at $928,900, the Ketchikan Ready-Mix & Quarry bid was the lowest. The company’s price included alder and fencing removal in addition to the clearing and grubbing that was part of the base contract.
The two other bids came in at $1.1 million and $1.4 million.
Because the work was initially budgeted for $761,533, the assembly approved an additional $213,812 to award the contract and cover a 5% construction contingency.
The bid award is a significant step forward in an extensive planning process, explained Gilbert: “2010 is when the comprehensive plan identified that Wrangell needed housing and that the old Institute property would be a good option for that,” she said. “In 2015 is when we began planning in earnest to make that a reality.” The borough took ownership of the former federal boarding school property in 1996.
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