And it is strange: residents wander through the halls of BTI in pajamas; there is a provision on fish slime in the condo association guidelines; a pair of reindeer lives in a pen out front. The Alaska Railroad Corporation is the majority landowner in Whittier, but it doesnt pay property taxes, and it employs few residents. The town averages around 250 inches of snow annually, but some recent years have seen closer to 400 inches. The north side has two protruding modules that form two square towers. CV Raman Birth Anniversary: Rare Footage Of Indian Scientist In Sweden To Receive Nobel Prize. About an. While the United States was engaged in World War II, resources were temporarily diverted away from Whittier, leaving little activity in the area for the next five years. ]. When Ed first moved to Whittier he was living on a 32-foot bayliner, but it was difficult to heat such a large boat, and besides, he was told the waitlist for a berth that would accommodate a boat that size would be 15 years. In 1974, the Begich Towers Condominium Association of Apartment Owners Inc. became the official manager of the entire structure.[4]. Time to Sell? Begich Towers Incorporated discounts - what to see at Whittier - check out reviews and 1 photos for Begich Towers Incorporated - popular attractions, hotels, and restaurants near Begich Towers Incorporated . Most Whittier residents love the tiny towns remote status. Every kid is seen. 301, begich towers condominiums, as shown on the floor plans filed in the office of the recorder of the anchorage recording district, third judicial district, state of alaska, under plat number w74-1, and as identified in the declaration recorded march 26, 1974, book 2, page 571, and in any The 2.5-mile Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, which was converted from railroad use, alternates the flow of traffic every fifteen minutes. Dr. Michael Costa is a visiting dentist who spends nearly half his year traveling between Alaskan villages, and Erik Linduska is a dental health aide therapist based out of King Cove. Because the weather in Whittier can be so brutal, the school is connected to Begich Towers by underground tunnel, and the only playground is indoors. In December of 2012 we traveled to Whittier, Alaska, a town where nearly everyone lives in the same building. Contact Address: 110 Kenai Street Whittier, AK 99693 Phone Number: (907) 472-2484 Home AK Whittier Begich Towers Apartments Report an Issue Contact this Property (907) 472-2484 One Begich Towers resident who works as a teacher at the local school stated that life in Begich Towers is actually more akin to life in a big city than a remote small town. He and the other students sell their vegetables in the lobby of Begich Towers. One unique feature, there is a pedestrian tunnel linking . We asked a volunteer firefighter what we should do, and he told us it was best to go back to our condo and shut the door so we could avoid the noise. It is a must see in Whittier . About 225 people live here, most of the town. Over the years the building has started to look a little rundown. Post with kindness. The windows are being replaced to protect the building from water damage. The path to Whittier goes straight under a mountain, into a tunnel bored through more than two miles of solid rock. The first floor of the building had almost everything a city needs to function. Value 3.7. Nov 2020 Solo. Of the thirteen Whittier residents who perished in the Good Friday (or Great Alaskan) Earthquake, only one body was recovered. Some people love it because IT CAN BE REALLY SOCIAL. Avoid Scams and Fraud. They do, however, get excited to take photos of Brenda and her reindeer. Editor: Steven Tyler. A police station, grocery store, clinic, church, convenience store, and school are all housed within the structure. But it poses such a liability hazard that the city finally put a fence around it last fall. And some people love it because it can be reclusive.. The Begich Towers Condominium Association of Apartment Owners was incorporated in 1974 as a 196-unit condo community. It was built in three sections connected by metal plates so that it wouldn't crack apart during a quake. There's a post office, a notary, even a church, all just an elevator's ride away. Photo via California Sunday Magazine Whittier, Alaska, about 60 miles from Anchorage, is both beautiful and yet gritty. Begich Towers is essentially a fully functional condo that is equipped to take care of most of the residents needs in-house. Public accommodations protections include being unfairly refused services or entry to or from places accessible to the public (retail stores, restaurants, parks, hotels, etc). The shore is lined with small stores that open up during tourist season. The area where modern-day Whittier sits was . Begich Towers Condos in Whittier AK have an active Home Owner's Association with dues of about $250 to $550 per month depending upon the size of the unit. Heres A One Stop App For All The Needs! The tower was built in the 1950s and features elevators. Most condos have extensively updated and remodeled since then. Copyright 2023 Alaska Multiple Listing Service, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The room used by the church is in the basement; until recently a Southern Baptist presided over the mostly Catholic congregation. In addition, we feature unusual hotels and restaurants. (See it on Google Street view). The Begich Tower was built by the U.S. Army in 1952 to be used as a barracks during the Cold War. OnePlus 11 5Gs Focus on Customer Satisfaction And User Experience Is Why Its A Phone For Keeps! Find similar condos for sale to the Begich Towers Condos in Whittier AK. After the tunnel conversion, the trip to drive through cost travelers just $12. The location was strategically important because of its deep-water port, which stayed ice-free all year long, and its lousy weather: the near-constant cloud cover made it difficult for enemy aircraft to spot. But when the temperature dips below freezing, that window narrows to five minutes. Not all transplants survive the unique lifestyle at BTI. The name of the 14-floor building is The Begich Tower which is the residence for nearly the entire population of the city. Begich was flying with House majority leader Hale Boggs from Anchorage to Juneau when the incident occurred. Seasonal workers come for jobs on fishing boats, charter boats, or in the cannery, and cruise ships bring hundreds of thousands of tourists to the harbor. In 1941 the United States military took an interest in Whittier to function as the backup port to the primary one at Seward, about 50 miles to the south. Whittier Harbor, which never freezes, is one of the most desired in the area. '. Enjoy the excellent mountain and waterfall views from this 2 bedroom, 1 bath fifth floor condo in Begich Towers. "Before you judge the town of Whittier, you need to come visit it first.". After its military service the building was modified for civilian life. Employment protections include being fired, denied employment, or otherwise discriminated against by an employer. The name of the 14-floor building is The Begich Tower which is the residence for nearly the entire population of the city. "It's important to be here for the right reasons," said Lindsey Erk, who moved here from South Dakota to teach. The temperatures reach the 50s (F) during the best time of year. It was part of a completely self-sufficient complex designed to allow its residents to stay indoors for months at a time during the harsh coastal Alaskan winters. Not everyone who tries to live in Begich Towers can take ita newcomer from Florida compared it to jailand there simply isnt much space on which to build alternate housing, I dont know where Whittier is going, the city manager told us. Actor's Brother Spills The Beans, Cricketer Virat Kohli Says His Wife Anushka Sharma Has Made Massive Sacrifices As A Mother, New Meme Unlocked: Pakistani Cooking Show Contestant Presents Store-Bought Biryani To Judges, Goes Viral, Is Introducing A Sex Toy To Your Love Life A Good Idea? In the winter he keeps warm with space heaters and staves off boredom by watching movies and reading books on his iPad. I mean, when you think of all those things that you value in a community, we found that here. Proving the Whittier experience is not for everyone, it hasmixed reviews on TripAdvisor. A museum about the Japanese occupation of Alaska during World War II, an abandoned army barracks called the Buckner Building which once housed Whittier residents as Begich Towers does today, and a handful of delectable restaurants that serve fresh seafood are some other points of interest. Most in Whittier eventually found their way to the building, which was renamed Begich Towers (or BTI) after a missing Congressman. BTI is beginning to show its age. While most of the town was destroyed, the rail lines, docks, deep water wells, and massive concrete buildings remained largely intact. The towers are not 100% occupied. Adventure Tours. On the buildings top two floors are Junes Whittier Condo Suites, a residents bed and breakfast operation with nearly a dozen suites ranging from $155 to $265 a night. [ During the winter of 1956/57, the Port of Whittier received a record snowfall of 72 feet. Author Bio: Katrina is a top producing Realtor from Anchorage, AK. "You know, you get to thinking, Oh man, the tunnel's the only way out. The Buckner, as it was called, was the social center for the posts military, civilian and dependent population. Before the year 2000 there was no vehicular access to Whittier. 3 Bedroom 1 Bath condo for sale in the historical Begich Towers located in Whittier, Alaska. Story produced by Sari Aviv. Their past. and Anchorage real estate Still, he has convinced some of them to be baptized again; the harbor is too cold, so he sets up a large inflatable pool in the middle of the church room. Though there are two small grocery stores in Whittier, people tend to do most of their shopping in Anchorage, braving 60 miles of icy highway to do so. It also has radar-unfriendly claustrophobic topography and famously terrible weather, which obscures visibility for much of the year. Due to the small population, everyone is familiar with each other in the house, they often roam around the house in slippers and pajamas, even when they go on business. Cowan asked Shuford, "What do you want people to know about Whittier? The military was drawn to Whittier for many reasons, primarily because it is the states only year-round ice-free deep-water port. As the closest town to the disaster, Whittier was an important base camp for authorities and clean-up crews, and its rail barges shipped the hazardous material out of Alaska. A tiny community in Alaska takes standard "small town" vibes to a whole new level though. A pot bust on the tenth floor led to the police donating hydroponic equipment to Whittiers school for a vegetable garden, which Joey Lipscomb oversaw through eighth grade. The Magical Tree Of Life in Kalaloch Beach, Washington. The Whittier Glacier and the eponymous town were named for American poet John Greenleaf Whittier. The structure is notable for being the residence for nearly the entire population of the city as well as containing many of its public facilities. In Baltimore, changing minds, and saving lives, "Everything Everywhere All at Once" star Ke Huy Quan, "Women Talking" writer-director Sarah Polley: "I approach filmmaking with a lot of gratitude now". A handful of single-story industrial and municipal buildings sit between BTI and the harbor. On Good Friday in March of 1964, the second most powerful earthquake in recorded history buckled the floor underneath Prince William Sound, registering a whopping 9.2 magnitude on the Richter scale. Erika lives in high up in the Begich Towers, a large pastel building that like it would be more at home in New Jersey than small town Alaska. The massive structures were, for years, the two largest buildings in Alaska. In 1964, the area was hit by a tsunami caused by the Good Friday earthquake, but the damage was not extensive. Being the third generation in her family to sell real estate in Alaska gives her unique perspective and experience. Disclaimer: ActiveRain, Inc. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. Following the Army's departure, each building had to get its own system, including the Begich Towers, which had a pair of boilers in a side building. Begich Towers serves as a cozy condominium which features a post office, general store, police station, laundromat, hospital, mayors office, and a heated indoor pool. When it was finished, it was the longest tunnel in America. 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.. Whittier, Alaska, on Prince William Sound. the property described as unit 104, begich towers condominiums, as shown on the floor plans filed in the office of the recorder of the anchorage recording district, third judicial district, state of alaska, under plat number "'74-1, and as identified in the declaration recorded march 26, 1974, book 2, page 571, and in any Most of the towers 1,200 residents at the time all Army personnel were reassigned elsewhere. 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. Light and bright apartment style condos you would expect to find for sale in the Begich Towers Condos in Whittier AK are going to range between 511 and 1827 square feet. This page was last edited on 21 December 2022, at 18:47. When the sun returns to the sky, residents pour out of BTI in shorts and T-shirts. "Yeah, it's a very strange town, because there's only one way in and one way out," said resident Lee Shuford. The weather in this corner of Alaska is very unpredictable - winds blow at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour and snowfall reaches 250 inches and sometimes 400 inches. 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. I got so many comments on my TikTok saying, 'It looks sad. With 200 inches of rain and 250 inches of snowfall annually, only the dedicated stay in Whittier through the winter months. In the 1950s the United States government built a bunker of a residential skyscraper in the Alaskan wilderness. The former military gym and basketball courts (pictured) are massive and offer an expansive indoor area for activity and exercise. Photos from a recent listing: In Whittier population turnover can be high, understandable given the lack of consistent, year-round work. "We don't need all of the big box stores," said Dave. Comfortable floor plans and panoramic views will make you feel right at home in the Begich Towers Condos in Whittier AK. We are continuously working to improve the accessibility of our web experience for everyone, and we welcome feedback and accommodation requests. The population of the city is over 200 people. ", Cowan asked Jenessa, "What are people asking the most? When the military left, the Alaska Railroad took over. The only way to get to Whittier is to drive through a one-lane railroad tunnel through the middle of a mountain. 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 first thing we noticed when we arrived in Whittier was the windwe were barely out of the car when a powerful gust pushed us down the hill. The Buckner Building housed, among other things, a bowling alley, a movie theater, a shooting range, a barbershop, and a six-cell jail. ", A few weeks ago, Jenessa started posting about her life in the building on TikTok, and soon had millions of views and just about as many questions. Begich Towers Condominium Association of Apartment Owners Inc. Paranormal enthusiasts claim that the Buckner Building is haunted by restless spirits. ", Gary Carr works at the Kozy Korner Store, which is housed on the ground floor of Begich Towers. 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