Juneau Telephone Hill RFQ Sparks Resident Criticism

Juneau’s Telephone Hill Plan Sparks Fury Over “Time Bomb” Contract

A Douglas resident is sounding the alarm on a newly drafted redevelopment contract for Juneau’s Telephone Hill, calling it a confusing and risky document that could saddle the city with costly liabilities. The sharp critique from architect Carole Bookless landed as the Juneau Assembly met Monday night to review the project’s next steps, injecting fresh tension into a high-density housing plan already facing legal challenges and public skepticism.

The controversy swirls around the 1.4-acre plot of historic downtown land, where the city aims to build up to 155 residential units, including 30 affordable housing units. The plan, approved in June 2025, requires clearing 13 residences and has already sparked a civil lawsuit scheduled to begin next month. Now, the focus has shifted to the Request for Qualifications, or RFQ, the city released to attract developers. Juneau Empire reported that Bookless, in a letter to the Assembly, warned the RFQ is flawed from the start.

Bookless, an architect, argues that any confusing language in a contract is an opportunity for developers to profit at taxpayer expense. She described the current proposal as a “time bomb.” “Inconsistencies or confusing element of a contract is an opportunity to make money for the developers and contractors,” she wrote, “and warned that the current proposal is a ‘time bomb’ that could expose the city and taxpayers to expensive liabilities.”

A Three-Year Process vs. a Rushed Review

The city’s timeline, however, is being framed as the culmination of years of public deliberation. City Manager Katie Koester defended the RFQ, stating, “The Assembly has done their best to lay out a vision that’s consistent with community values and public process. However, we understand that there are many factors that influence feasibility and a developer’s ability to bring the project to fruition.” She explained the document is the result of three years of extensive public process, debate, and work.

Yet, the RFQ’s lack of a formal evaluation point system is a major sticking point for Bookless. She claims the absence of such a system makes it appear that choices are being made “whimsically” or look “rigged,” potentially opening the city up to lawsuits. The document, she said, also fails to screen applicants for the unique hazards of building in Southeast Alaska, ignoring critical design elements for northern climates, remote logistics, steep slopes, earthquakes, and high winds.

“I was told that local experience cannot be a consideration, but it should be. Building on a flat site in the middle of an urban or rural prairie in the Lower 48 does not equate to building on Telephone Hill.”
— Carole Bookless, Douglas resident

Bookless is particularly concerned about the environmental inconsistencies in the plan. While the RFQ lists green spaces as a priority, she pointed out that the accompanying drawings show all the trees being removed from the main part of the site. “There is no way to keep the trees on site if you blast the top off with dynamite,” she stated. The plan’s aesthetic also worries her, as buildings are supposed to be “dark on the exterior” to blend in with the remaining trees, a detail she finds unsettling.

The Stakes of High-Density Development

The pushback highlights a central tension in Juneau’s housing crisis: the urgent need for more units, particularly affordable ones, versus the preservation of community character and the financial risks of large-scale projects. The Telephone Hill plan represents one of the most ambitious efforts to address the city’s housing shortage, but its aggressive timeline and topographical challenges have made it a lightning rod for criticism.

Bookless’s letter directly confronts the city’s approach, urging the Assembly not to consider the RFQ until its flaws are corrected. She also argued that importing a labor force and materials instead of using local resources is not a benefit to the community. Her stance represents a powerful counter-argument to the city’s vision, one that prioritizes local expertise and caution over speed and density.

The city has already taken physical steps to secure the site. Fencing was installed on the Telephone Hill property last month to prevent unauthorized entry and protect the land during the development’s next phases. The clock is ticking on a formal decision, with an RFQ evaluation process scheduled for January 4-15, 2027, and a final review by the Assembly set for February 1, 2027.