Planning Commission gives OK to building geared for tourists

The Juneau Planning Commission on Tuesday approved the construction of an 11,900-square-foot retail building on South Franklin Street geared toward tourists.

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The Miners Cove retail building would be built south of Taku Smokeries and north of the Princess Cruise Lines dock. The owner of the building, Franklin Dock Enterprises of Juneau, would lease space to two Juneau retailers seeking additional locations, co-owner Reed Stoops said. Coffee service would be offered in the lobby of the single-story building. He declined to name the retailers until leases are signed. Stoops was not sure whether the retailers would be open year-round or only during the tourist season, he said.

"I think it's good for the community that these businesses will be open," he said.

The commission approved a conditional use permit for the building. The city land-use code requires a permit for the construction of buildings of more than 5,000 square feet in a waterfront industrial zone, city planner Chris Beanes said.

The building, designed to fit the character of the historic mining era, will offer 24 parking spaces. Stoops hopes to include A.J. Mine relics in the landscaped area of the building and have some on display in the lobby, he said.

Construction on the building would begin this fall and be completed by May in time for the 2005 cruise ship season, Stoops said. Triplette Construction of Juneau will construct the building. Jensen Yorba Lott of Juneau is the architectural firm for the project.

Franklin Dock Enterprises will give the city an easement so a seawalk can be built next to the building along the Gastineau Channel, Stoops said. The seawalk, part of the city's waterfront development plan, will mitigate pedestrian traffic flow along South Franklin Street and provide a more scenic experience for everyone, he said.

The company tried to construct the building in 1997 but could not find tenants to occupy it. Meanwhile, cruise ship passenger traffic south of Taku Smokeries has increased due to the construction of the A.J. Dock two years ago.

"I think the key was the A.J. Dock being built," Beanes said. "It made it pencil out for them this time."

Retailers are now anxious to attract cruise ship passengers on the south end of town, so they don't have to walk deep into downtown to get services, Stoops said.

"We're building it now because the demand is high enough," he said. "We have lots of people talking to us about leasing space."

• Tara Sidor can be reached at tara.sidor@juneauempire.com.