West Seattle, Washington
24 Wednesday
“West Seattle 101” author Lori Hinton just saw one running down her Upper Fauntleroy street. “Right past a ‘Coyote Warning’ sign,” she adds. (By the way, we will add two more pages tomorrow to our new “West Seattle 101” section featuring selections from Lori’s book – including a spotlight on one of WSB readers’ favorite restaurants – look for the official announcement in the morning.)
As reported here Monday night, Puget Sound Key and Lock owner Michael Dein said at the fundraiser organizing meeting that he would affirm his rebuilding promise by putting up this banner – and today, we got the photographic proof. (If the text isn’t entirely clear on your browser, it says “Thank you, West Seattle, for your love and support/WE ARE REBUILDING/Donations can be made at Wells Fargo Bank to Puget Sound Key and Lock Fund.” That, of course, is the donation account set up by the WSB Forum members who are planning the fundraiser – date and place still being worked out – if you want to get involved, check out this forum thread – organizers also are looking for auction items. Meantime, still no word from police on arrests or big breaks in last Friday morning’s arson, but it’s a priority for the Arson and Bomb unit; if you have any information, call 911 or the arson hotline (800-55-ARSON).
On the night the Seattle School Board votes on a new “surplus property” policy, the Fauntleroy Community Association invites everyone interested in the future of one of those properties, the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, to gather there tonight, 6:30-8 pm, The Hall @ Fauntleroy.
This just in from BlueStar (which also provided the rendering shown above – we’re heading out for a different angle on the existing building so you can better compare the before/after):
BlueStar Management, Inc., of Shoreline, Washington announced today plans for “Gateway Center,” a mixed-use project to be developed on a one-acre site at the northeast corner of Fauntleroy Way and SW Alaska St. (adjacent to 39th Avenue SW).
The site is directly across the street (39th Ave. SW) from Fauntleroy Place, another BlueStar Management, Inc. project set to break ground in May, 2008. Fauntleroy Place will feature Whole Foods Market, Hancock Fabrics and 170 apartment homes.
BlueStar is also the developer of Spring Hill, a mixed-use development at the 5000 block of California Ave. S.W. in West Seattle, which is currently in the permitting phase.
Preliminary plans for Gateway Center include more than 100 residential units along with 47,000 square feet of commercial space on two floors. Marketing for the commercial space is underway.
Gateway Center Fast Facts*:
-6-Story building (four floors of living space above two levels of commercial)
-3 floors of underground parking (250 individual stalls)
-100+ residential units
-47,000 sq. ft. of total retail
-Construction is anticipated to begin in late 2009
-Completion expected in early 2011
-Commercial leasing is available now!
-Contact for leasing – Robert Mitchell, Associate Broker, 206-455-1165*(subject to change)
ADDED 10:20 AM: The logo on the rendering is for Collins Woerman, which is also the current architect on Fauntleroy Place (here’s BlueStar’s page for that project). If you haven’t read before about Spring Hill, which is also mentioned in BlueStar’s press release above, here’s our most recent coverage. We’re now working on a “roundup of announced West Seattle megaprojects” to post later today, since it’s now getting to be almost difficult even for us to keep up with, and we track ’em (among other news) for a living!
Thanks to Greg for pointing out the Pearl Jam message board thread on this. Not like we travel in rock ‘n’ roll circles or anything, so it’s news to us and maybe to you too: West Seattle’s Most Famous Musician, Eddie Vedder, played Kenyon Hall (35th just south of Kenyon) the last two nights. The fans are particularly abuzz about the limited-edition poster (you can see it here; also, somebody’s already selling one on eBay).
First, The Boss – it’s been mentioned here before but time’s almost up: Bid on two tickets to see Bruce Springsteen Saturday and get into the E Street Lounge – proceeds benefit the West Seattle Food Bank. Bidding ends 6 pm tomorrow (Wednesday); place your bid here. Second, the other food bank that serves WS, the White Center Food Bank, has a sudden need for a nutritionist – WCFB boss Rick Jump e-mailed WSB looking for one who can volunteer Wednesday mornings:
I have just learned that our current nutritionists are unable to continue the cooking classes at the WCFB. … Cooking demos are held Wednesday mornings from spproximately 10 am to 11 am. Volunteers take product from the food bank, develop a nutritious recipe & type it out, demonstrate how to prepare it and then offer clients a sample to taste. This program has been extremely popular with our clients. A current food-handlers permit is required. Volunteers may volunteer one or more days per month. Interested persons should contact Rick Jump at 206.762.2848 or by e-mail at rjump_wcfb (at) yahoo.com.
When we interviewed Jump for this video feature on WCFB, he told a great success story about those recipe demonstrations — how the nutritionists managed to take an unpopular donation of figs and turn it into a smash hit by creating a granola recipe. You can be the next creative chef to follow in their food-steps.
That’s Sydney Fuller, a Gatewood Elementary student who’s about to join 5 Chief Sealth High School students – and some adult chaperones – on the bicycle ride of a lifetime. Under the title “An Inconvenient Ride,” they’re going to spend three weeks bicycling across the country (here’s their route) as an “environmental-awareness project,” returning home for a triumphant arrival on Earth Day — April 22nd — at a Benaroya Hall benefit for Project Earth Care, in which students from the schools already have been cooperating:Read More
Spent the lunch hour today at a gathering in The Junction where reps from Conner Homes — developers of the upcoming buildings @ California/Alaska/42nd (city map above) — met local leaders, to start keeping their promise of making the rounds to talk about the megaproject, and to listen:Read More
We first told you one month ago about the West Seattle Walking Trails project, as the map was made public for comment — now, Chas Redmond e-mails to say it’s time for the next step, development of wayfinding kiosks — and today, there’s a call for artists. Read on:Read More
Two announcements to share with you – one for a new Spanish-language preschool, another for a new tutoring service that addresses attention-span issues as well as conventional tutoring and ESL work – full details ahead:Read More
It’s not in West Seattle but your editor here is on the panel (along with folks from the Times and P-I) and in case it’s a topic of interest, we’re mentioning it briefly here: Net Tuesday tonight in Belltown; here are full details.
We have new information on last night’s power outage – which, as discussed in comments on the original report, continued well into the night for some. City Light spokesperson Scott Thomsen explains repairs were particularly difficult: “The outage started Monday about 6:50 p.m. when a car crash near the corner of 4th Avenue and 96th Street took out two utility poles. In addition to the downed lines, the damage involved four or five transformers. Repair crews had to replace both poles, the transformers and rework the overhead lines for the street. Power was routed around the damage to restore service to as many customers as possible. We still have 51 customers without power while the crews are hanging the last of the new overhead lines. We expect full restoration about noon.” 4th/96th is in unincorporated King County (here’s a map) but still within City Light territory.
First: C & P Coffee is hosting an April Fool’s talent show – no foolin’! – 6-8 pm 4/1, to support Gatewood Elementary. Families welcome; sign up at C & P or click to e-mail. Second: Twelfth Night Productions is kicking off opening night of its next play, “Deathtrap,” with a Dyan Cannon lookalike contest. (The former West Seattleite turned movie star, previously known as Diane Friesen (Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu 1955!), starred in the movie version in the early ’80s. From that same era – since we couldn’t find a free-use photo of her, we found this early ’80s YouTube clip (a tiny bit risque’) of Cannon with TV legend Johnny Carson:
Back to the lookalike contest – it’s planned for 7:15 pm Friday, “Deathtrap” opening night @ Youngstown Arts Center. How to enter, you ask? From the Twelfth Night announcement:
To enter the contest, please e-mail a photo of you as Dyan Cannon, as well as your name, age, phone number and e-mail address to Twelfth Night Productions, janeatay (at) msn.com. Both men and women are encouraged to apply.
The contest winner will be awarded the title “Miss West Seattle of 1955 of 2008.”
Talk about work that requires you to go to great heights! WSB contributing photojournalist Matt Durham describes this scene: “A window washer at Merrill Gardens transitions to his ropes six and one half stories above 35th Avenue SW.” (Prints of Matt’s WSB photos and his other work are available through his site, MattDurhamPhotography.com.)
Starting at 4 pm, Endolyne Joe’s in Fauntleroy donates part of tonight’s proceeds to the Denny Middle School music program (featured here with video during its first-ever midwinter-break camp). Choir and band performances are promised, to serenade you during supper!
So vowed Puget Sound Key and Lock owner Michael Dein when we talked with him briefly during the WSB Forum members’ gathering tonight at Beveridge Place Pub to plan a fundraiser. That’s him at left:
He says they’re going to hang a banner outside the store marking their promise to return, though it may take a couple months – he says the building owner promises to rebuild the interior, but they need to replace a lot of equipment and other supplies that “melted” in the fire, and as we first reported hours after the Friday morning arson, they have no fire insurance. That’s why WSB’ers are organizing a benefit – below, a different angle of part of the group – that’s “JoB” second from right (forgive us for not gathering everyone’s names; we had to rush off to check out the outage that someone had just texted us about) – the group was about a dozen strong when we stopped by:
JoB reports:
The consensus of the meeting is that we will have a combination raffle/social event sometime mid-April. The time and date will be determined by space availability … Our first choice is a tournament at West Seattle Bowl… But we will have to see what we can make work.
Next meeting is 10 am Saturday at Uptown Espresso, and even if you weren’t there tonight, you’re invited to pitch in and help. (Follow the discussion here.) Meantime, the Seattle Police Arson and Bomb Squad is still working to solve the firebombing; we talked with police spokesperson Mark Jamieson this evening and he had nothing new to report, just reiterating that the case is “a priority” and police want to hear from anyone with tips (call 911 or the arson hotline @ 800/55-ARSON).
Above, from WSB contributing photojournalist Matt Durham: Elijah Hajduk (age 5) and his dad Jonathan are towed by their dog Momo on a custom longboard at Alki. Below: Mac caught the fireboat Chief Seattle doing maneuvers off Salty’s:
And here’s a pic sent by “X,” who happened onto it while out geocaching on Alki with his wife:
“X” elaborates further: “On our walk back home along Alki, we heard a motorcycle rev up and then make a crazy sound. A poor lad had the misfortune of loosing control of his prized possession. We watched the bike slam under a truck. The driver flopped, bounced and slid. When we ran over to check on him, we were relieved to find him without any serious injuries, however, his motorcycle didn’t look so good.”
WSB’ers have opened their hearts and wallets for the local food banks, which certainly need help year-round — now, here’s another way you can keep somebody from going to bed hungry — Donna sends this (we mentioned the church shelter in question last month):
I’d like to let everyone know about a situation in our community that gives us an opportunity to serve some folks in need.
From February 2008 until mid-February 2009, West Seattle Church of the Nazarene is hosting a SHARE-run shelter for 20 homeless men each evening. Guests are on-site from 7 pm to 7 am, 7 nights a week.
Many of the shelter guests work and have little more than a roll for breakfast and a cup of soup for dinner at night. They need adequate nourishment in order to work, address their housing and health needs, and regain self-sufficiency.
Please consider providing meals for these folks, and please let your family and friends, church, local business, school, gym, etc., know about the need for help in providing breakfasts and dinners at the shelter during this year. Once, once in awhile, or a regular commitment—all offers are gratefully appreciated.
Please see our very humble website (westseattlemeals.airset.com) for more information and for open dates on the calendar. (They’re ALL open right now!) Folks who want to provide a meal should then contact me with:
· the date(s)
· plans for delivery
· any questions
· phone number and email addressThank you for your generosity and willingness to help others at a difficult time in their lives.
Thanks to those who e-mailed and texted us about an outage in parts of east West Seattle – the City Light recording says the boundaries are Brandon to 97th, 8th to 26th, with more than 800 homes/businesses affected, no word on the cause. Heading out to find out more. 7:55 PM UPDATE: One e-mail and one comment says at least some of the power’s back on – we still have a team member driving the area to see if anyone’s still out. 8:40 PM UPDATE: Found a City Light crew (photo left) patroling Delridge but no signs of lingering outage.
Three days after the arson that did $90,000 damage to Puget Sound Key and Lock (Friday photo above) and adjacent businesses, no word yet of any big breaks in the case (just checked with Seattle police), but tonight WSB Forum members are gathering – 7 pm, Beveridge Place Pub – to plan a benefit for the arson victims, primarily the locksmith business owner, Michael Dein, who had no fire insurance, as we reported hours after the fire. WSB’ers have already proven they can do great things – and lots of ideas and people-power are needed. Even if you can’t be there in person, a reminder – an account is set up and donations can be made at any Wells Fargo Bank branch, account #5358011681. 7:50 PM UPDATE: Dropped into BPP very briefly to get pix and check on the gathering – about a dozen people were there and they had a plan outlined within minutes – Michael Dein was there too and told WSB he’s definitely rebuilding and reopening, and heartened by the outpouring of support. Full report on this later after we hear the final outcome of the meeting.
So how did the weekend closure of The Viaduct affect you? City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, a fellow West Seattleite, wants to know — as he works with the city Transportation Department to make sure WS is a priority with all the transportation planning that’s under way now. Among other things, he’s wondering – did you find yourself in one of the backups that happened even with all the advance warning? Did you get enough advance warning – and/or enough warning while it was happening (the warning lights, signs, etc.)? What alternate routes did you find yourself using? Did you have to change your plans or drop plans because of the shutdown? Anything else you want to say about it — don’t hold anything back! Post comments here.
After the reported U.S. death toll in Iraq reached 4,000, we checked to see if the residents of this house across from Lincoln Park (previously noted here and here) were still keeping vigil — they are, with the U.S. injury toll as a second number.
Not all public-school students in West Seattle go to Seattle Public Schools. More than 100 attend school on Vashon, which is closer than the in-city school commutes some local families make. Among them is Max Westerman, who says the student commuters have to wait a long time to get a ferry back to WS after school; instead of just griping about it, he started a petition to ask Washington State Ferries for a 2:50 pm Vashon-Fauntleroy sailing, similar to one offered during the recent 2-boat schedule:
(We talked with Max last week when he brought his petition drive to Fauntleroy Food Fest.)
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