ssociated General Contractors (AGC) of Alaska has had a presence in Alaska for almost eighty years. During this time, the organization, which represents more than 600 general and specialty contractors and industry suppliers and service providers statewide, has helped to build the 49th State from the ground up.

However, the association’s own office building has not kept up with the times.

“Our building has served us well, but it was tired and no longer reflected who we are as an industry,” explains AGC Executive Director Alicia Kresl. “We recently sold our Fairbanks office building, and as part of the sale, the board made the decision to take a portion of those funds and reinvest them into a statewide office building.”

The AGC Board of Directors allocated just under $1 million to renovate the association’s Anchorage office building. No structural changes were made, but there were comprehensive renovations to the interior. The reception area was removed and, in its place, new display cabinetry was installed to highlight the AGC emblem and member awards. A wall mural was added to the main lobby, greeting visitors as they walk in the building.

The refresh included new paint; an upgraded ceiling grid; new flooring throughout the office; new wallpaper, carpet, and furniture in the offices, training rooms, and kitchen; new LED lighting throughout the building; and new flooring, wainscoting tile, partitions, plumbing fixtures, and accessories in the restrooms.

AGC member company The Superior Group kicked off the project by overhauling the HVAC system in the winter. Stantec served as the project architect on the second phase, and Meridian Management acted as the owner’s representative. DuClos & Associates, LLC was the general contractor.

Alcan Electrical & Engineering completed the extensive electrical work—including new LED flat-panel lighting fixtures and new outlets, switches, electrical devices, signs, and emergency lights throughout the building. Arctic Office Products provided the new furniture, and audio-visual upgrades were performed by Meridian Systems, Inc.

Kresl says renovating the building at 8005 Schoon Street will add value for members. In addition to providing space for meetings, it includes modernized classrooms and training space, creating a place for collaboration.

“We’ll be able to gather and connect in a way that reflects our industry and association,” she explains, noting that AGC is being very intentional about honoring the past while building for the future by incorporating elements that reflect AGC history. This includes the AGC logo on a mural in the lobby as well as display space for all of the Excellence in Construction awards members have earned over the years. Chapter awards and accolades will be displayed, and the AGC brand will be incorporated in the board room through a red/black/white/gray color scheme that aligns with the logo.

“We wanted to create a space that would welcome members as well as showcase their accomplishments and the history of AGC,” says Kresl.

According to Kresl, it was important to AGC that its members were chosen to serve as contractors and subcontractors on the project.

“Who better to build our space than the contractors and subcontractors we represent?” she asks. “What better way to invest back into our member companies?”

In order for the bidding process to be fair and equitable, AGC hired Meridian Management Inc. to serve as a liaison between AGC staff, the AGC Board of Directors, and general contractor DuClos & Associates and the numerous subcontractors.

“One of the main criteria in the RFP was that the contractor on the project had to be an AGC member, and having subcontractors that were AGC members factored into the scoring process as well,” says Kevin Prange, project manager with Meridian Management. “We also looked at who had the most experience and provided the best fit. And while price plays a part in that, we didn’t select the lowest bidder.”

According to Prange, while the majority of the project consisted of cosmetic makeovers, the building was definitely dated since it hadn’t been renovated in more than twenty years.

“Each week, we held meetings onsite to see if there were things we needed to address,” he says. “For example, some of the selections that the architect selected in November of 2025 were not available, so we had to come up with something else. Working with AGC, we got more samples and went through the process again, and that happened a few times. But for the most part, it went fairly smoothly.”

Although the renovation was originally scheduled for completion at the end of March, long lead times for restroom materials and changes to some of the original choices stretched the timeline by about a month. The project wrapped up May 8, 2026.

“Because this is the AGC building, we knew we’d have some of the premier contractors in the state looking over our shoulders,” says owner David DuClos, who runs the company with partner/superintendent Damien Fedele. “But we embraced those expectations and welcomed the opportunity to demonstrate our capabilities.”

Anyone in the building trades is able to walk into a building and judge the quality of work, a fact DuClos was all too conscious of. “I told our subs that we’re going to have every AGC contractor looking at every detail, so everything needs to be done well,” he adds. “This is a showcase. And everyone stepped up to the challenge and embraced that philosophy.”

An updated break room and kitchen area will allow easy flow of food and drinks during events.

“They were very decisive in their decision-making, and Meridian Management also showed great common sense and did an excellent job facilitating communications,” he says. “They were very easy to work with and had great attitudes. They made it fun.”

The job was a homecoming, of sorts, for DuClos especially. “My father, Paul R. DuClos Jr., was past-president of the AGC,” DuClos adds, “so I feel like I’m continuing a legacy.”

“One of the unexpected benefits of this renovation is that our members opened up their spaces for offsite meetings, so we’ve been able to see their offices,” she says. “This was really inspiring, and we’ve even incorporated some of their ideas into our space.”

The renovation of the office further strengthened Kresl’s respect for the work that AGC members do. She says, “I’ve done home remodels, but this is a completely different scale. Seeing the processes, decisions, changes throughout the project, and attention to detail involved—even in a relatively small building refresh—was eye-opening. It’s made me even more proud to represent the AGC members who do this work every day.”