Story Archive

Paradise Lost

The Paradise Inn in Spenard, Alaska, was built in 1962, marked by a 22-foot-tall neon palm tree sign. Over the years the neighborhood and hotel deteriorated, and two years ago the owner was jailed for dealing meth. Cindy Berger was able to buy the property from the government in the hopes of restoring the inn, but because of updated zoning laws, she will instead demolish the building — and convert the property to a public parking lot. “It’s one of those funny things,” Berger said. “Oh, I really am ‘paving Paradise and putting up a parking lot’.” She hopes, though, that the neon sign that someone else bought will find a home in the lot as well. (MS/Anchorage Daily News) ...It’ll be a great place to catch a Big Yellow Taxi.