A sketch of the Taku Dock to Marine Park Urban Design Plan. The plan is up for approval at the Nov. 30 Docks & Harbors meeting. (Courtesy of City and Borough of Juneau)

A sketch of the Taku Dock to Marine Park Urban Design Plan. The plan is up for approval at the Nov. 30 Docks & Harbors meeting. (Courtesy of City and Borough of Juneau)

City considering downtown waterfront development

Juneau’s downtown waterfront could look very different in two years, and the time is now for Juneau residents to share their thoughts on the current plan for the area.

City and Borough of Juneau Docks & Harbors developed a plan for the future of the waterfront from Marine Park to the Taku Smokeries Dock, which is available on the Dock & Harbors website. A large part of that plan is developing a 1.3-acre piece of land called the Archipelago Lot, and it could be done by 2019. This lot, is located just next to the Marine Parking Garage, is mostly owned by Morris Communications and partially owned by Docks & Harbor.

The plan includes space for food carts, an expansion to the USS Juneau Memorial, additional restrooms and space for a new small vessel dock and a future covered gathering shelter. It would involve multiple retail spaces, a decked open space and a paved plaza. It would widen the sidewalk along South Franklin Street and add a staging area for passenger vans.

The city is asking for public comments before the plan goes up for approval at the Nov. 30 Docks & Harbors meeting, held at 5 p.m. in City Hall Chambers. Comments and feedback should be sent to Port Engineer Gary Gillette at gary.gillette@juneau.org.