ANB hall avoids auction for now

Foreclosure proceedings on the Alaska Native Brotherhood Camp 2's building in downtown Juneau have ended, but financial issues remain for the organization.

First National Bank Alaska had begun foreclosure proceedings after Camp 2 failed to make payments on an $841,460 loan on the Andrew Hope Building, often referred to as ANB Hall, on Willoughby Avenue, where the camp operates a community hall, kitchen facilities, pull tab parlor and office space.

Camp 2 President Andy Ebona did not return repeated phone calls during the past three weeks, but bank officials say those proceedings have ended.

"We have terminated the foreclosure, they have cured it with us," said Cheri Gillian, corporate marketing director for the bank.

The nonprofit Camp 2, one of three ANB camps in Juneau, also owed about $75,000 to the city for unpaid property and sales taxes and more than $144,000 to the Internal Revenue Service for unpaid federal taxes. The current status of those debts is uncertain, but federal liens for the taxes appear to remain in place.

Ebona earlier said the declining economy hit ANB hard, with hall rentals down and expenses up. The bank loan paid for remodeling the building, including replacing ceiling tiles after the building went smoke free, as well as refinancing the original construction loan.

Also, the ANB Grand Camp stopped renting the hall for bingo, costing Camp 2 significant revenue. All ANB camps and the Grand Camp are separate entities.

• Contact reporter Pat Forgey at 523-2250 or patrick.forgey@juneauempire.com.