The chronically crowded Alaska Rock Gym is scheduled to break ground on a new, larger location near the popular Moose's Tooth restaurant, the gym's board announced on Thursday.
The new gym will have significantly more square footage for both bouldering and sport climbing than the current location on Fairbanks Street south of Tudor, according to Alaska Rock Gym board member Tanya Leinicke. A fitness facility, yoga room and conference center are also part of plans for the 24,000-square-foot enterprise. The anticipated opening would be in fall 2016.
"When the current Alaska Rock Gym was built and opened in 1995, it was state-of-the-art, but over the course of 20 years, it's become a bit worn," Leinicke said. "And our usage has increased immensely. We just can't offer climbing space for the number of people who want to come in and climb."
The gym would be located atop vacant land belonging to the company of Moose's Tooth restaurant co-owner Rod Hancock, a rock climber and Alaska Rock Gym board member. No official business relationship has been established between the climbing gym and the popular pizza restaurant, Leinicke said.
Hancock recently made headlines with the announcement that Moreland Properties, a company in which he holds the largest ownership share, would be purchasing the Chilkoot Charlie's bar in Spenard and leasing it to a group of investors. That same company will be involved in leasing property to the rock gym.
Moreland, which appears to be living up to its name, also purchased the shuttered La Mex restaurant in Spenard near the Bear Tooth, sister restaurant to the Moose's Tooth. The company has not revealed its plans for that property.
Hancock is among a number of board members and gym managers involved in designing the new gym in partnership with Anchorage firm 61 North Architects. The contractor on the project is Criterion General, also of Anchorage.
"Our design team has traveled all over the U.S. looking at rock gyms and talking to ownership and staff around the country," Leinicke said. "They came up with a product that fits with our community best."
The gym's current facility, where climbers can frequently be seen belaying elbow-to-elbow or hovering in wait for an open route, is on track to remain open until the day the new facility opens. The Alaska Rock Gym leases the building, so whatever takes its place would be up to the building's owner, Leinicke said.
The groundbreaking for the new gym is scheduled for Aug. 12.
"We're really excited to offer this to the Anchorage community," said Leinicke.