Article From Wrangell Sentinel May 13, 2010

Construction on Roadhouse Condominiums to start June 1

For years the Roadhouse Lodge has sat empty and unused but all that is about to change as Buss Ettswold out of Letcher, S.D. has purchased the lodge with a clean title and plans to begin construction next month on turning the lodge into condominiums. 
The process of purchasing the lodge took Ettswold three years, and he just closed on the property on April 20.
When the Roadhouse reopens it will be called Wrangell Roadhouse Condominiums.
Ettswold has been making the trip to Wrangell regularly over the past five years and has been working on buying the Roadhouse for the last three.
"Every time I drove by this place was just sitting here and I kept thinking 'well, maybe next year.' I drove by a couple more times and realized that no one was going to do anything with it and that it was too big of an asset for the community to just leave sit until it fell apart," said Ettswold. "Now, when I drive by it and it doesn't look like anything is being done it's my fault- I can't blame anyone else," said Ettswold.
The plan is to put in 8-10 condos of varying size and price, starting with studios at a rate of $79,900 and the one-bedroom and two-bedroom condos Ettswold has planned going up from there.
While the prices may be attractive to local buyers, Ettswold said he envisioned attracting buyers from outside, and hopes that making affordable condo space available may bring new faces and new money to Wrangell.
"We hope to bring people in off the island. The Wrangell economy is such that the more people you bring in the better. They don't really put any demands on the economy or the city, and when they go home they leave this trail of filthy money," said Ettswold.
The ideal buyer, said Ettswold, would be a hunting or fishing enthusiast who would spend one month before returning home and making space available to friends and family.
Ettswold said he plans to gut the lodge completely, but leave the structure intact. Each condo will have an entrance in the back with south facing windows and a porch in the front.
There are no plans to reinvigorate the restaurant or bar, and Ettswold plans to contract and buy locally as often as he can.
Condos will range in size from about 550 sq ft to 1000 sq ft. with storage units for each condo.
Ettswold still needs a conditional use permit from Wrangell's Zoning and Planning to begin work.
Tom & Judy Duncan of Tom & Judy Duncan Real Estate LLC have been helping Ettswold with the purchase of the Roadhouse Lodge, the legal details and will continue to work on marketing the condos to buyers down south.
"We're looking at maybe a two year project to sell all the units, but I think it should go pretty quickly, especially with our price point," said Duncan.
Duncan said that he has already secured deposits for two buyers and hopes that that number will go up over the coming months.
"The thing about Buss is that he's not coming in here saying 'Hey, how can we maximize the profit ?' What he has been putting forward is what is going to be good for Wrangell," said Duncan.
In the next couple of weeks Buss is headed to Juneau to meet with a designer to help lay out units, consult with an attorney, getting a conditional use permit from Wrangell's Planning and Zoning and then the local contractor will be able to start construction-hopefully on  June 1.
Neither Ettswold nor Duncan expects many speed bumps in getting the city's approval for the project.
"The people in the city have been enthusiastic about this project," said Duncan.
In the short term Buss is staying in the Roadhouse and says his most immediate priority is getting hot water connected so he can take a hot shower.
For Buss opening up the Roadhouse for condos is a chance to share his experience of Wrangell with others from the lower 48, and a chance for him to make a life in Wrangell.
"Even if I don't get anything accomplished for me it's all about just looking out that window when I wake up and just thinking 'Wow,'" said Ettswold.

Ryan Long
Sentinel Writer