Housing crunch and merril field (real estate, house prices, construction)

[pittsflyer]

The fact that part of it was a land fill is likely what is keeping the airport open. A small heli pad and/or strip could be put in just for the hospital which would take up minimal space.

[Chilkoot]

The tower at Ted Steven’s handles the international airport, Lake Hood floatplane base and the gravel strip next to it. They wouldn’t be able to handle the additional traffic.

The negativity would come from everyone who currently uses Merrill Field. Many don’t care if there is an airport there or a bunch of condos but the pilots certainly would.

Although it doesn’t appear there are landing fees at Merrill, it is a fee based airport hence the revenue.

[BarrowWx]

It could but then you would have the bush community fighting to keep it open since a helicopter would take too long to fly out to a lot of the communities when a plane is much faster in life threatening situations.

[pittsflyer]

I think a smaller runway could be used to facilitate the hospital that was designated emergency only and only used by the hospital. The rest of the land could be developed if it was not for that land fill. I think that land fill is what keeps merril open. Most of the planes at Merril would not have to be facilitied because they are recreational, From driving around it appears that 90% of it is recreational.

Perhaps new lease fees are in order so the city can actually make money off the airport to make up for the fact that the non land fill portions are not being fully utilized.

Originally Posted by BarrowWx

It could but then you would have the bush community fighting to keep it open since a helicopter would take too long to fly out to a lot of the communities when a plane is much faster in life threatening situations.

[pittsflyer]

I remember reading about the landing fee thing and that was going to be national at all towered airports and back then I thought it was a bad idea but now I am realizing that a lot of these recreational hangars have nearly exclusive private use of publicly subsidized run ways and airport infrastructure because they got in when the gitten was good.

That airport, other than for very narrow uses does not benefit the city of anchorage or its people, or most pilots for that matter. Unless you were one of the people/pilots that got in on the leases back in the day.

Originally Posted by Chilkoot

The tower at Ted Steven’s handles the international airport, Lake Hood floatplane base and the gravel strip next to it. They wouldn’t be able to handle the additional traffic.

The negativity would come from everyone who currently uses Merrill Field. Many don’t care if there is an airport there or a bunch of condos but the pilots certainly would.

Although it doesn’t appear there are landing fees at Merrill, it is a fee based airport hence the revenue.

[Music_Man]

how many pitts are there in Anchorage?

[AKStafford]

Originally Posted by pittsflyer

I remember reading about the landing fee thing and that was going to be national at all towered airports and back then I thought it was a bad idea but now I am realizing that a lot of these recreational hangars have nearly exclusive private use of publicly subsidized run ways and airport infrastructure because they got in when the gitten was good.

That airport, other than for very narrow uses does not benefit the city of anchorage or its people, or most pilots for that matter. Unless you were one of the people/pilots that got in on the leases back in the day.

What about the expansive trails at Kincaid Park? They only benefit the small part of the population who cross country ski. And most of those people are white upper class. Bulldoze Kincaid Park and you'll have plenty of room for housing. Problem fixed.
Or what about Potter Marsh? It's a man-made body of water, created when the railroad put in their tracks a hundred years ago. All it benefits is a bunch of stupid birds. Drain it and build homes.
Shoot, there's plenty of room on the Park Strip too. And don't even get me started on Far North Bicentennial Park...

[Rance]

Just build the dang bridge and you'd have plenty of land for housing across the inlet.

[pittsflyer]

I have often wondered about the park strip myself, its not like its all that much of a "green belt".

I dont think I have ever been to bicentennial park. Potters marsh might have technical issues building as its likely that whole thing would have to be dug out and who wants to live right next to the highway, I suppose one of those big walls could be put in.

But your right if we have a housing crunch it might be time to start looking at some of those areas.

Originally Posted by AKStafford

What about the expansive trails at Kincaid Park? They only benefit the small part of the population who cross country ski. And most of those people are white upper class. Bulldoze Kincaid Park and you'll have plenty of room for housing. Problem fixed.
Or what about Potter Marsh? It's a man-made body of water, created when the railroad put in their tracks a hundred years ago. All it benefits is a bunch of stupid birds. Drain it and build homes.
Shoot, there's plenty of room on the Park Strip too. And don't even get me started on Far North Bicentennial Park...

[pittsflyer]

The only way I would support that as a voter would be if the bridge project bought up all the land on the other side for what it is worth without a bridge and then very very carefully zoned it all out and fixed the price so that speculators were not making a fortune off of tax payers or toll payer money that put the bridge in in the first place. That bridge could solve alot of problems and be great or it could be a massive debacle and not really aliviate anything and make a hand full of people rich. The PRICE of housing IS THE ISSUE.

Originally Posted by Rance

Just build the dang bridge and you'd have plenty of land for housing across the inlet.