Anchorage, Alaska — On Thursday, August 15, 2024, Cook Inlet Housing Authority (CIHA) will celebrate the opening of Ch’bala Corners Phase II in Anchorage’s Spenard neighborhood. Ch’bala is the upper Cook Inlet Dena’ina word for spruce tree.

The event marks the completion of the Ch’bala Corners development located at the corner of 36th Avenue and Spenard Road. The first phase, consisting of 48 apartments, located in 3 buildings, was completed in 2022. Ch’bala Corners Phase II consists of 38 apartments in a combination of duplex, 4-plex, and 8-plex buildings.

The Ch’bala Corners development is the culmination of a fifteen-year journey that included years of acquisition activity, sourcing funds, environmental assessment and remediation, the demolition of blighted buildings, and overcoming planning and zoning hurdles.

Ch’bala Corners Phase II features a mix of two- and three-bedroom apartments bringing options for large households to the development, complementing the one- and two-bedroom apartments that were part of Ch’bala Corners Phase I.

Ch’bala Corners also includes a centrally located green space, Ush Park, featuring a play element design inspired by Athabascan snowshoes. Ush is the Dena’ina word for snowshoe. CIHA extends thanks to culture bearer, Aaron Leggett, for his insight and engagement on the park design and Huddle AK for park planning.

Community partners for Ch’bala Corners Phase II include Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, KeyBank, Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines, the Municipality of Anchorage, the State of Alaska Division of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Architect Spark Design and general contractor F-E Contracting helped bring the vision to life.

Celebration and Official Partner Remarks Gathering Schedule