Location: 709 W 9th St, Juneau, AK 99801
The Juneau Federal Building is significantly associated with the development of Juneau in the early to mid-1960s after Alaska achieved statehood 1959. It represents the federal presence in the country’s 49th state, at a time when the building was fully occupied by federal agencies and departments. In the context of the city’s projected growth and economy at that time, the Juneau Federal Building served as a highly visible federal symbol.
The site area, the building’s scale, and the sheer size of the nine-story structure dominate the residential neighborhood in which it is located, and symbolize the role of the federal government in the local and regional political and economic heritage at the time of its conception and construction, 1962-1966. The Federal Building contains approximately 351,391 gross square feet and provides offices and laboratories for a variety of federal agencies, including the U.S. Postal Service; the Departments of Commerce, Agriculture, and Transportation; the Department of the Interior, which includes the U.S. Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service; the National Marine Fisheries Service; the Bureau of Indian Affairs; the General Services Administration; the U.S. Coast Guard; and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The building possesses typical visible characteristics of its mid-century Modern era, and some elements of a subset style, New Formalism. Buildings of this style and scale are not common in Alaska, and while the building and site design may not be exceptional representations of the style in other parts of the country, in Alaska it embodies important elements of the style in terms of massing, proportion and exterior material treatment. Its major construction materials - modular granite facing, textured pre-cast concrete wall panels, and aluminum-framed windows - are a good use of modern technology and the building is a model of construction cost efficiency. The building is a good example of functional utility and is architecturally intact.
Facts
- Architects: Olsen & Sands; Linn A. Forrest, Sr.; John Graham & Co.
- Construction Dates: 1962-1966
- GSA Building Number: AK0013ZZ
- National Register of Historic Places Landmark Status: National Register Eligible
U.S. General Services Administration