Polaris Hotel
- View detailed information from the database on this site.
- Database Name: Polaris Hotel
- Status: Informational
- Location: Fairbanks
- Latitude: 64.844022
- Longitude: -147.717082
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Key DBAC Services:
- Site Assessment
- Cleanup Planning
- Hazardous Building Materials Survey
- DBACs Awarded: 2020
- DEC File Number: 102.38.206
DEC Contaminated Sites contact: Marc Thomas, Brownfields/Site Discovery Lead, 907-465-5206 (Juneau)
Site Narrative
The Polaris Hotel was built in 1952 with an annex constructed in 1973 in downtown Fairbanks. It was originally designed as an apartment building and was later turned into a hotel, which was its use until it closed. In 2001, 800,000 gallons of water flooded the basement. It has been abandoned since 2002 and is now under the ownership of the City of Fairbanks after the property was foreclosed upon over unpaid taxes.
The City of Fairbanks received a Targeted Brownfield Assessment (TBA) for the main portion of the Polaris Hotel in 2017. The work included a Hazardous Building Assessment of the main building of the Polaris hotel which found asbestos, mold, mercury and PCBs. The building is in poor condition, not earthquake sound, and requires demolition as soon as feasible. Hazardous Building Material (HBM) abatement and disposal is estimated at $2-$4 million, with demolition estimated at an additional $3 million for the main building of the Polaris Hotel.
The City of Fairbanks applied for a DEC Brownfield Assessment and Cleanup (DBAC ) in 2020 in order to continue their work towards redeveloping the property. DEC awarded DBAC services to the City and will provide a number of activities, including, but not limited to the development of a cleanup plan.