A historic building in the heart of downtown Juneau could get new life soon.
For years, the St. Ann’s building near the Starr Hill neighborhood has sat largely empty despite its prime location downtown.
In September, the Juneau Economic Development Council was announced as an awardee of a $3.6 million grant through the Rural Health Transformation Program. The nonprofit is one of several Juneau-based organizations to receive a slice of the $272 million federal allocation for Alaska.
According to Brian Holst, JEDC’s executive director, the grant will go toward the early planning stages to redevelop the mostly empty building into an integrated care center for seniors in Juneau.
The building on 6th Street, also known as the Crimont Business Center, is owned by the Corporation of the Catholic Archbishop and has a deep history in Juneau. The site used to be home to St. Ann’s Hospital, which was Juneau’s original hospital. It was established in 1886 by the Sisters of St. Ann and operated downtown until the 1960s.
The city then took it over and built Bartlett Regional Hospital in 1965 in Lemon Creek. Through the past few decades, it’s also served as a nursing home and housed numerous nonprofits and businesses.
JEDC shared earlier this year that it wants to transform the building into 35 independent and transitional living units for seniors, along with creating communal spaces, a community geriatric clinic, and offices for its partner service providers. Those partners include JAMHI Health & Wellness, REACH Inc., Polaris House, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
Elder care in Juneau is sorely needed. Juneau and Southeast Alaska’s population is rapidly aging, but adequate resources lag behind. According to a 2024 report by the JEDC, the over-60 population in Juneau outnumbers the under-20 population.
Holst says the plan is in its very early stages, but the money marks an “important step toward preserving a community landmark” and exploring how to support Southeast Alaska’s aging population.
