West Seattle, Washington
29 Monday
Coinciding with International Walk to School Month – celebrated with events like this week’s walk from Bar-S to Alki Elementary (photo left; full WSB coverage, with video, here) – we get word from Brian Dougherty, Safe Routes to School coordinator for SDOT, that applications are being accepted for “the Seattle Safe Routes to School Mini Grant program. Any group of two or more people qualifies to apply for a grant of up to $1,000. Projects should improve pedestrian and bicycle safety near schools and encourage walking and biking to school.” The deadline’s about a month away; the application form is fairly simple, and you can get it – along with more details on who can apply and what the program’s for – by clicking here.
We told you yesterday about the extensive no-parking zone along Alki and Harbor Aves 5 am-3 pm Sunday for striping work; now another alert from SDOT about 3 other areas of West Seattle (map above) where work is planned tomorrow:
SDOT paving crews will make street repairs at three locations on California Avenue Southwest on Saturday, October 11. Traffic will be able to get through, but drivers should expect congestion and may want to consider an alternate route.
The work will take place in the northbound lanes of the following blocks: the 5900 block (between SW Juneau and SW Raymond), the 4500 block (between SW Oregon and SW Alaska) and the 3200 block (between SW Hanford and SW Hinds) from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.
The work is required to restore the pavement after repair of underground water lines.
Two months ago, we mentioned this post on the Delridge Grassroots Leadership blog about two city-owned properties at 26th/Juneau (map) where old houses were being “deconstructed” to turn the sites into “open space.” Late last night, Betsy Hoffmeister of the North Delridge Neighborhood Council sent word that it might be getting TOO open: Neighbors suddenly discovered “some guy on a bulldozer (was) tearing out the huge mature rhododendrons and other trees” on the property, which is believed to have had a history as an orchard and nursery and is near Longfellow Creek. Many calls ensued but Betsy says, “No one seems to know why or what for.” So far this morning, the bulldozer hasn’t returned, but neighbors are still trying to find out why the land-clearing was happening (there’s no obvious explanation on the DPD page for the property), and have posted signs there asking that it stop; we also are inquiring with Seattle Public Utilities, the site’s owner, to look into what’s happening. Betsy says they “want the destruction of trees STOPPED until the SPU has had a conversation with (the NDNC) about the future of the property. If we want to, we can make any appropriate proposal we want for the property, including P-Patch, park, drainage basin … but we can’t do that without the conversation.” 2:18 PM UPDATE: We’re still awaiting official word but Betsy sent an update – earlier she had reached someone who mentioned “detention pond” work at the site but that’s apparently not the case:
There’s a whole team from the City down at the site right now. Apparently some wires got crossed and some trees that were supposed to have been saved were not, but tree destruction is now halted. They are only supposed to be pulling out the foundation of the old houses. The current plan for the site is NOT a wastewater detention pond, but it was purchased with stormwater control funding. The current idea is for native trees and plantings. But, if we neighbors have another idea like a p-patch or playground or open space or whatever … we can start the conversation with SPU.
ADDED 5:54 PM: Official SPU response from Cornell Amaya, who reiterates there are NO plans for a pond:
In an effort to restore properties along the creek at 26th and Juno, Seattle Public Utilities regrets that trees and shrubs were removed without proper notification to the community. It is our policy that community members should be notified. No further work will occur without proper notification. Longterm plans call for the property to be open space. We intend to plant new trees and work closely with the neighborhood. We appreciate your understanding.
Public meetings on Friday nights are fairly rare. Tonight, though, there’s one in West Seattle: Seattle Public Schools reps have gone around the city this week asking for opinions on what might belong in the next “capital levy,” February 2010; tonight you’re invited to show up and chime in, 6:30 pm at West Seattle High School library – here’s the official flyer.
That video zooms in on a well-gnawed tree that we learned about while talking to volunteer forest steward Mike Arizona near one of the beaver ponds in Delridge Natural Area. Mike agreed to meet us there to preview two major work parties he’s organizing, one for tomorrow (Saturday 10/11), one for next month (Saturday 11/8) – steps away from busy Delridge Way, but a world away – read on to find out more about them, and about those beavers:Read More
Just last night, we told you about the Admiral Theater’s latest efforts to broaden the offerings at the historic venue, and tonight we welcome one of them as a new WSB sponsor: 
The Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, with a schedule involving screenings at the Admiral later this month. Here’s what the festival’s organizers want you to know: “Three Dollar Bill Cinema is thrilled to bring the Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival to West Seattle¹s Admiral Theater, Oct 24-25. There¹s something for everyone in the slate of programs we¹ve lined up for our first-ever foray into West Seattle, from features focusing on family values (THE SENSEI and THE NEW WORLD) to engaging documentaries (EQUALITY U and THE KINSEY SICKS) and edgy short films (TOUGH GIRLS). From dancing zombies to trick-or-treaters, the Halloween spirit is sweeping West Seattle during our weekend at The Admiral, and we¹re joining the celebration with several spooky programs, including: CAMP BLOOD, a fun collection of creepy and comical short films; the slasher classic with a queer subtext A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 2: FREDDY¹S REVENGE; and a very special edition of a long-running West Seattle tradition, THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW. We hope to make this first of many years that the festival finds success in West Seattle. For more information on all programs and a complete guide to the entire festival, including screenings, parties and events all over town, visit www.threedollarbillcinema.org.” Thanks to the Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival for joining the WSB sponsor team; the full list is on this page along with information for anyone interested in becoming part of it; we also thank everyone for their strong support of all the WSB sponsors who make it possible for us to bring you West Seattle news 24/7.
That’s some of what we found in the Art Lending Library at Youngstown Arts Center, which opened tonight as part of the monthly West Seattle Art Walk. The folks there tell us they plan quarterly Art Walk open houses, so the next one’s expected in January. Youngstown is among the newest of the recordsetting 43 participating venues; the Art Walk started in The Junction but now has moved far beyond, adding Delridge venues like Youngstown as well as Alki participants and, in Admiral, participants include Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor), where we caught up with photographer Karen Derby:
We interviewed Karen for this story last month about her long and challenging recovery from injuries suffered when her motorcycle collided with a minivan in Westwood almost four months ago. Turns out she used to work with Click! proprietors John and Frances Smersh. She’s got two more months left to wear a cast; because of reconstruction work on her mangled right leg, she’s had to wear loose clothing like skirts most of the time, but during the Art Walk, she happily told us, “Today is the third time in four months I was able to wear jeans!” You can see her photography at Click! all month; it’s being sold commission-free to help Karen raise money for her continuing medical expenses. Meantime, mark your calendar for the next West Seattle Art Walk, November 13th.
Please forgive us for the unexpected hour and a half or so of downtime. You may recall we moved to a bigger and better server recently – but that didn’t mean much when tonight the company that manages it (and others) suffered some kind of trouble. (Update: The hosting company says it was a DDOS attack.) Meantime, please remember the backup site we set up during that transition:
westseattleblog.wordpress.com
We started posting there (as well as on Twitter, which you can access at twitter.com/westseattleblog even if you don’t want to sign up for your own account) once it was clear this wasn’t fleeting – please bookmark both of those, because their servers are with different companies so any time something goes wrong over here (hopefully not again for a long time), we’ll be there posting the latest news as well as updates about the site. So again, sorry about that, now we’re going to get busy copying what we posted on the backup site over to this one.
(Originally posted at WSB backup site) Short version just so we can get you the headline while we deal with tonight’s technical trouble: The 35th/Graham mixed-use project (see the presentation here) is advancing out of “early design guidance” after its second EDG meeting, tonight at Hiawatha Community Center, but not without a whole lot of suggestions by Southwest Design Review Board members, who all but redesigned it during an extensive session that sent tonight’s meeting into overtime. Lots of public comment tonight, too, though it mostly focused on pedestrian concerns and hopes/dreams for the project’s retail spaces, remarks targeted more at the developers and managers who were in attendance than the design reviewers looking at the project’s looks. More later.
We reported last night that the Fauntleroy Community Service Agency has reached agreement on a “term sheet” for purchase of the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse and some of the property around it, months after opening negotiations with Seattle Public Schools, which is selling the property as surplus; FCSA’s Kevin Wooley had told WSB just last week that they weren’t currently negotiating for the entire site (see that report here). Tonight, we have some reaction to the announcement – read on:Read More
We just followed up with the Seattle Fire Department regarding the investigation into this morning’s small-but-scary fire at 6016 California SW, same building as the Puget Sound Key and Lock arson last March. Spokesperson Dana Vander Houwen tells WSB it’s been ruled accidental – “a box pushed up against a heater caught fire.” As we reported earlier, nobody was hurt. Vander Houwen goes on to say it’s an unfortunate but important reminder for all of us at this time of year as we’re turning our heaters on again after they’ve been idle all summer – be sure to keep a safe space between heaters and furniture or other objects – this past weekend, in fact, she notes there was a big fire in another part of the city that started in a couch that was too close to a heater. 4:05 PM ADDENDUM: Following up on our phone conversation, Vander Houwen sent along these specific tips for us to share with you:
With the approach of cooler weather, the Seattle Fire Department would like to remind residents of the need to heat their homes safely. Here are some tips:
All types of heaters need space. Do not put anything that can burn near a heater.
Baseboard heaters are very efficient, but they can be a serious fire hazard if used carelessly. Check baseboard heaters often to make sure that nothing has fallen or been placed near the heater, including drapes, furniture and bedding.
Keep all portable heaters at least three foot away from anything that can burn.
Additional information is available on the Seattle Fire Department website: seattle.gov/fire
Thanks to Chris for e-mailing about the no-parking signs that are lining Harbor and Alki Avenues almost the entire way from The Bridge to The Beach: This Sunday (10/12), 5 am-3 pm, no parking. After driving the stretch to investigate, we’re 99.9% sure it’s being done so crews can stripe the parking lane as a follow-up to the new sharrows; we have a message out to SDOT to double-check. But in the meantime, make a note – if you’re heading that way this Sunday morning/early afternoon to enjoy the beach, take the Water Taxi, etc., you’re going to have to find side-street parking in most areas. 3:52 PM UPDATE: Marybeth Turner from SDOT confirms, this indeed is because of striping work Sunday.
Just added another lost cat to the WSB Pets page. It’s a page you probably wouldn’t pay attention to until and unless you lost or found a pet; it still features some 
very-long-lost pets, like Sacha the cat (left), who’s been gone almost a year and also stars in a new Seattle Weekly story by West Seattle-residing Mike Seely, “The Lost Cats of Poverty Gulch.” It’s not just about cats and West Seattle – it’s also about greenspaces and coyotes, among other things. Which gives us another excuse to remind you that one of the excellent “Living With Wildlife” presentations is coming to West Seattle later this month – we hope it’s a full house, as the one we covered in Magnolia earlier this year was laden with helpful information. Be at the Camp Long Lodge, 7 pm, Tuesday 10/21.
(photo added 11:58 am)
ORIGINAL REPORT: Big callout to 6016 California SW (map), just north of Morgan Junction. We’ve got someone on the way; more to come. 11:34 AM UPDATE: Address is the same as Puget Sound Key and Lock, hit by a still-unsolved arson back in March. AVOID THE AREA – co-publisher Patrick is stuck in traffic heading there from the north – he can see fire crews on the building’s roof. Scanner traffic monitored here at HQ confirms California is COMPLETELY closed at the scene, between Raymond and Graham, and at least three Metro buses are “stuck in this mess” as one person termed it. 11:42 AM UPDATE: It’s not the locksmith storefront (which just reopened this summer) – it’s apparently West Seattle Digital’s office, adjacent to the south side of PSKL, according to locksmith Mike Dein, who just talked with Patrick at the scene. (clip added 12:19 pm) Here’s how he told us he noticed the fire:
11:45 AM UPDATE: Patrick just talked with the incident commander, who says some boxes were on fire inside an office, but it’s out now, no major damage, nobody hurt. California may still be blocked for another half-hour or so at the scene, though, so if you have to get between The Junction and Morgan Junction, take alternate routes like 42nd for now. 12:07 PM UPDATE: No word so far on how those boxes caught fire. Here’s a closer photo from the scene – the WS Digital door is the open one on the right of the locksmith window:
12:18 PM UPDATE: California SW is open again past the fire scene; only one truck left, parked out front.
Two more notes about tonight (besides these): First, word that “Alki Idol” has extended auditions for one more week – even if you didn’t try out either of the last two Thursday nights, you are welcome to do so tonight at Bamboo, 9:30 pm (prizes and past winners shown here; the folks behind “Alki Idol” also are starting up “Downtown Idol”; more info here). Meantime, some WSB Forum members who knit have started up a group and they’re inviting any and all West Seattle knitters to join them tonight – 7 pm, Uptown Espresso in The Junction; read more in this WSBF thread, and see yet more today/tonight (and way beyond) events here.
That posterboard propped up at last night’s meeting of the Design Team for the Redevelopment of the Denny Middle School Site (yes, that’s its official name) spells out the school district’s baseline priorities for the 6-acre site (map) even before the Design Team process gets going in earnest: The softball and tennis facilities are replacements for what will be lost when the new Denny is built on the Chief Sealth campus; the “potential elementary school” is something that has recently emerged and is now being discussed more loudly — we first heard it from West Seattle school-board rep Steve Sundquist at Westwood Neighborhood Council meetings; earlier in the year, he mentioned the district might have to build another school on the site; then at Monday’s WNC meeting focused on the Denny site (WSB coverage here), he said it was likely to be an elementary-school site. Last night, Don Gillmore from the school district elaborated that a new elementary school might be built there with the closure of three (unspecified) others, and noted that the closed Hughes site also is a “prime candidate” for a future new elementary school. Way down the road but keep your ears up. Meantime, on to what happened last night and what happens next with the Denny site plan, plus an update on construction status at the Chief Sealth site, just ahead:Read More
Lots happening today/tonight, per the WSB West Seattle Events calendar – here are two highlights: A record 43 venues all over West Seattle (here’s the map) are joining in tonight’s monthly WS Art Walk, 6-9 pm, listed here (participants include WSB sponsors Hotwire Coffee, Dream Dinners, M3 Bodyworks, Seattle Wellness Programs, Skylark Cafe & Club, and Click! Design That Fits, where as we mentioned Tuesday, you’ll find the photography of Karen Derby). Also tonight: The second Southwest Design Review Board public meeting for the 35th/Graham mixed-use project (presentation previewable online here), 6:30 pm, Hiawatha Community Center.
Just last week, we checked in with Kevin Wooley of the Fauntleroy Community Service Agency for this update on the longrunning talks to buy the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse and some or all of its land from Seattle Public Schools, which put it up for sale as surplus property. Tonight, he just forwarded this announcement sent out by Kim Sheridan of Fauntleroy Children’s Center, which is based at the schoolhouse:
We are very pleased to announce that the Fauntleroy Community Service Agency has reached agreement with the Seattle School District on a term sheet for the purchase of the Fauntleroy School Building. The details of the term sheet were presented to the School Board Wednesday morning.
The purchase price for the school building and an additional 32,500 square feet in the existing paved parking lot and playground area is $1.825 million. We expect to secure the funding for the acquisition from a combination of City and State funds. The deal will close no later than August 31, 2009.
We have also agreed to continue discussions on an option to purchase the remaining playground space, as well an exploration of concepts for joint efforts for redevelopment of the back lot.
There are many steps still to come, but we wanted to take a moment and share this exciting news with you. Thank you for all your support.
Ever been upstairs at the Admiral Theater? It’s been roped off as long as we can remember. But this Saturday night, when a triple-bill concert enables the Admiral’s new management to launch a new era in its alter-ego as a live-music venue, patrons will be able to enjoy the newly christened Crow’s Nest Lounge. Read on to find out more about the lounge, Saturday’s big show, and what else the Admiral has up its sleeve:Read More
The latest multimillion-dollar multifamily listing: 2250 Bonair Place (map), 10 units, $2,095,000. If you can’t quite place it, there’s a photo with the online listing.
Reminder that the school-district-organized Design Team charged with helping settle the future of the current Denny Middle School site meets 7 pm tonight at Denny, two days after the Westwood Neighborhood Council‘s meeting to discuss the community’s hopes for the site (WSB coverage here), once the school is demolished after its replacement is built on the Sealth campus. Meantime, the Departure Advisory Committee tasked with reviewing the district’s request for code “departures” as part of the Sealth/Denny consolidation — to enable less parking and more height — settled on a recommendation last night. Member Monica Kenny says the committee recommended approving the “departures” with a fairly sizable list of conditions, including signage, some street-parking restrictions in nearby neighborhoods, angle parking on the east side of 27th between Thistle and Kenyon, and providing neighbors with a “master calendar” of major events planned at the school. They’ll meet again Oct. 20th to make a final decision.
Almost four months after Southwest Pool (map) closed for major renovation work, it’s almost done. We took you behind-the-scenes for a preview of the work back in June; then in August, we reported the original reopening date had been pushed back about a month, to November 1st. This week, we checked back with Parks Department project manager Garrett Farrell to see if West Seattle’s only indoor municipal pool was still on track for reopening then – short answer, yes; long answer follows:
We are making great progress toward the November 1st opening and we still have a lot of work to do.The rains last month had some impact but the contractor has made up a little of the lost time.
The main pieces of equipment are in place (you can see the big gray box has moved from the parking lot to the roof) and we are busy connecting wiring, piping and ductwork so everything can be checked out. The next three weeks will be critical as we basically take the wrappers off everything and make sure fans turn the right direction, boilers boil, and pumps pump.
In the meantime, West Seattle has private indoor pools at the WS Family YMCA (WSB sponsor) and Allstar Fitness. There’s a county-operated pool in White Center, Evergreen Pool.
Thanks to Jerry at JetCityOrange for that photo and word that serious site work has begun at 2775 Harbor Ave (map), less than a week after we brought you word permits had been granted for construction of this building (image courtesy the architecture firm Shugart Bates):
According to the Daily Journal of Commerce, the building is for Western Marine Construction.
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