Keystone Building creates opportunity for existing and future entrepreneurs
Matthew Crockett of Matthew Crockett Photography’s studio, located in the Keystone Building (Photo by Matthew Crockett).
The Keystone Building in Anchorage — which once homed a business selling eclectic furniture, candles and clothing — is now under new ownership and home to several business ventures.
Matthew Crockett of Matthew Crockett Photography has been in the building since early October, which is owned by Cecile Davis and her husband, Dustin. In addition to being the owners of the Keystone Building, Cecile and Dustin are the owners of Integrated Communication Designs Inc. — a technology consulting company. They purchased the space in the summer of 2019 under their liability company, Frontpoint Investments, LLC.
Crockett has known Cecile and Dustin since 1995 when they attended college together. After being a part time photographer for 12 years, he decided to go all-in in 2019. Crockett shoots weddings, events, real estate, landscape, family photography, headshots and portfolio photos.
“My photography — up until last summer — was sort of a second job,” Crockett said. “I was an Anchorage School District teacher for 17 years.”
With a full basement, two stories and an outdoor area, the Keystone Building comes in at 12,300 square feet — more than enough room for future opportunities. Many Anchorage residents might recognize the building for its unique features — large bronze lions guarding the exterior of the building, multiple chandeliers and several murals throughout the interior. Crockett and Davis say the second floor will eventually be renovated into an event space that can be shared with the other existing businesses in the building.
“We originally saw that as a great triangle with an event space — me as the photographer and the salon right around the corner,’ Crockett said.
Basia Muotka, the owner of the salon, Téz, has been in the building since December. She hopes that Crockett’s photography business and future tenants can work together to grow each other’s businesses.
“I’ve been wanting to open a salon for forever,” Muotka said. “I’ve been obsessed with this building since I was super young, so it was awesome when I saw that there was space available.”
Alyssa London in Matthew Crockett’s photo studio. London’s hair was styled by Basia Muotka of Téz (Photo by Matthew Crockett).
Currently, Integrated Communication Designs has its own office space with 18 employees, but Davis says she and her husband wanted to own a building before eventually move the other business over.
“We’re a technology integration company so we have home theaters and speakers and music, so the hope is once everything is moved here we can have bigger, more collaborative events,” Davis said.
Crockett hopes to reestablish relationships with old clients in the new space and collaborate with current and future tenants.
“I used to shoot for Anchorage Opera and Miss Alaska USA… but for the last five years I was really focused on my teaching job and not as much on photography,” Crockett said. “As a business owner, I moved into this building because I believed there would be events up here. I’m really hoping that event planners and things will reach out to us and increase our exposure that way.”
The Keystone Building is located at 400 West International Road. Any questions regarding rental space and leasing can be made to info@frontpointinvestments.com.