“Igloo” was borrowed into English from the Inuit language branch, where “iglu” refers to any building, not just the iconic dome-shaped snow shelters. Thus, “Iglu” becomes the name of a new subsidiary of Ukpeaġvik Iñupiat Corporation (UIC) through its UIC Commercial Services business line: Iglu Construction rounds out a design and construction division which already includes UIC Construction, UIC Nappairit, and UMIAQ Design.
Headquartered on Arctic Spur Road in Anchorage, the focus of Iglu Construction is vertical buildings along the road system, from the Kenai Peninsula to Fairbanks. The company is intended to strengthen UIC’s presence in Alaska’s urban construction market while drawing on decades of experience gained in remote Arctic environments.
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“Our team is accustomed to remote locations, where we work through extreme weather, manage long lead times, and maintain productivity outside the traditional summer season,” says Robbie Lynn, general manager of UIC Construction and now also in charge of Iglu. “At Iglu Construction, we’re carrying forward the expertise, systems, and trusted personnel that make UIC Construction successful and focusing them on urban and road-system opportunities.”
While both UIC Construction and UIC Nappairit have completed work on the road system, Lynn says their core specialty is remote construction, whether in Cold Bay or Utqiaġvik.
“The process of remote construction is quite a bit different from road system work where you have ready access to equipment, personnel, and materials,” he says. “Setting up Iglu Construction with a focus on road-system work fills a geographic gap in our service line and allows Iglu to focus solely on the core road corridor.”
Iglu Construction is focused on both new builds and remodels for federal, state, and local government agencies and private commercial clients. It offers tenant improvements, design-build services, preconstruction management and scheduling, and design-assist for cost control.
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Although operating as a separate brand, Iglu Construction draws strength from its corporate family.
“Our sister companies do work very closely together to benefit our clients,” says Lynn. “From access to equipment, to expertise and to bonding, Iglu will benefit from its position within UIC Commercial Services and the larger UIC family of companies.”
As part of the Alaska Native village corporation for Utqiaġvik, Iglu Construction has access to UIC’s extensive fleet and skilled personnel, initially sharing staff with UIC Construction. In addition to Lynn as manager, the crossover includes Bryan Hise as operations manager, Thrushal “TK” Kargi as preconstruction manager, and Louie Miller as controller.
Lynn says,
“Their experience on complex vertical construction projects off the road system gives Iglu immediate benefit of understanding long lead times, what it takes to work year-round, and how to overcome challenging conditions.”
The creation of Iglu Construction reflects broader growth in Alaska’s building sector, particularly along the Railbelt where public infrastructure, military facilities, and private commercial developments continue to generate demand. By establishing a contractor dedicated to road-accessible projects, UIC aims to compete more directly with Anchorage- and Fairbanks-based firms while maintaining the cultural and operational strengths of an Alaska Native corporation.
Industry observers note that the move positions UIC to pursue a wider range of contracts, from school and healthcare facilities to office renovations and housing developments. The combination of Arctic construction experience with urban project delivery is expected to give the new subsidiary a distinctive niche in the marketplace.
Originally reported by Alaska Native in AK Biz Mag.
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