Representative Cathy Muñoz, R-Juneau, today filed legislation that would allow the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, or AMHTA, to move forward on the new State Office Building project in the Sub-port area of downtown Juneau.
“This is a win-win deal for the Trust and the State,” AMHTA Chief Executive Officer Jeff Jessee said. “The State gets much-needed office space, and the lease payments will be reinvested into Trust beneficiary services.”
“HB 161 will authorize the Trust to move forward with construction of a multi-use waterfront project that will benefit the city, the Trust, and state workers,” Muñoz said. “It has been at least 25 years since a new State facility has been constructed in Juneau.”
The new state office building will house four state departments on the upper floors, and private sector retail and offices on the ground floor. The state departments are Fish & Game, Corrections, Labor, and Public Safety. The site plan includes a wide pedestrian walkway adjacent to Egan Drive that fits within the City & Borough of Juneau’s Long-Range Waterfront Plan that calls for a waterfront Seawalk concept.
“In the long-run the project will cost the State less money and will be a model for energy-efficiency,” Muñoz added.
Half of the funding for the project, estimated at $50 million, would come from AMHTA revenues. The other half would come from bonds that would be repaid from revenues earned on tenant leases.
HB 161 has been referred to the House Community & Regional Affairs and Finance committees.
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