Soboleff-McRae Veterans Village

Design Problem

An aging downtown motel sat on a site with far greater potential — room for veteran's senior housing with integrated health and support services, something Alaska had never had. Adjacent to an existing senior living center, the site offered the opportunity to create a connected campus with a small community park, all while working with the views of the surrounding town and rugged landscape.

Design Approach

A two-story mixed-use building with elevator separates the apartments above from the offices and support services below — giving residents their own world while keeping help close at hand. The building's massing was carefully shaped to preserve the views from the existing senior living center while opening up outstanding views of the territory from the upper apartments on all four sides. A community room with a roof deck looks out over the small park and the valley beyond.

The building sits thoughtfully in the transition between the commercial main street and the surrounding residential neighborhood. The envelope is highly energy efficient and low maintenance, a quiet but meaningful commitment to the people who will live there for years to come. Apartments — a mix of one- and two-bedroom units, comparable to market rate — are filled with natural light and views of the Southeast Alaskan terrain. The two-bedroom units are designed with flexible dens that open into the living area, giving residents room to shape their space as their needs change.

Results

The first of its kind in Alaska — veteran's senior housing and dedicated support services under one roof, on a site that now holds a small community park, a roof deck overlooking the valley, and views of the mountains that remind you exactly where you are. A home for the people who served us.

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Architect: Aaron MacDonald, Lead Designer while at Jenson Yorba Lott

General Contractor: Dawson Construction, Design-build Delivery

Photos by: Tom Ganner Photography