West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
10:12 PM: Reminder if you are tracking Junction development: The newest proposed project, Junction Flats (4433 42nd SW), gets its first Southwest Design Review Board meeting tomorrow (Thursday) night. The time is unusual, and was in fact wrong on the city’s “Design Review Upcoming” page until a few days ago – though it’s the only review of the night for the board, it’s at 8 pm (Senior Center of West Seattle, California/Oregon). Also unusual, the packet of early-design graphics and information has not appeared online, though the city planner assigned to the project confirmed when we contacted her today that packets are supposed to be available to the public a week in advance. The proposal (first reported here in November) is for a four-story, 71-unit complex on a site that now holds three houses.
ADDED 9:47 AM: The city has added the packet to the website this morning; the developer tells us the delay isn’t their fault, as they got it to the city in plenty of time. See it here.
Following up on tips that the Royal India Grill in The Admiral District – on the market for months – had new owners, WSB’s Katie Meyer caught up with them for a photo and quick chat:
The new proprietors of the Royal India Grill are Baldev Grewal and his wife Rawinder. He ran an Indian restaurant in Phoenix (Taste of India) for 21 years. When asked why he left Arizona to buy a restaurant in Seattle, he told us that he used to live in Seattle, and has friends here – adding that the economy here is better than in Phoenix. He and Rawinder now live in West Seattle, and note they enjoy meeting so many “nice people here in West Seattle.”
As new owners, they’ve added Sunday lunch to their hours of operation; no major changes to the menu, but they may fine-tune it a little bit, “later on.” Royal India Grill is at 2342 California SW (and in the WSB West Seattle Restaurant Guide).
(34th District Democrats’ leadership, photographed tonight by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
Tonight at The Hall at Fauntleroy, this area’s largest political organization, the 34th District Democrats, have elected a new leadership slate at their annual reorganization meeting. The candidates listed on this page of the 34th DDs’ site all ran and won unopposed:
Chair – Marcee Stone-Vekich
1st Vice Chair – Ted Barker
2nd Vice Chair – Tamsen Spengler
Treasurer – Karen Chilcutt
Secretary – Marlene Allbright
State Committeeman – Chris Porter
State Committeewoman – Lisa Plymate
King County Committeewoman – Maria Ramirez
King County Committeeman – Michael Arnold
KC Committeewoman Alternate – Layne Batista
KC Committeeman Alternate – Jimmy Haun
The 34th Legislative District encompasses not only West Seattle but also White Center and vicinity (including part of Burien) and Vashon/Maury Islands. Meantime – our crew is still at tonight’s meeting; we’ll add any other toplines when they’re back.
ADDED 10:21 PM: We’ve added the top photo of not only the leadership slate listed above, but also committee chairs. WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand also reports that the 34th DDs voted tonight to endorse the Seattle Public Schools funding measures on the February special-election ballot.
P.S. The group is co-hosting an Inauguration Day party, and you’re invited. Here’s the info – tickets are on sale online right now:
2013 Inaugural Party
Hosted by
West Seattle Democratic Women and the 34th District DemocratsMonday January 21, 5-9 PM
at the West Seattle Golf Course
Music By
The West Seattle Big BandTickets: $40 ($75 Couple) Cocktail Attire (must buy tickets online by 1/16/2013)
https://www.completecampaigns.com/public.asp?name=34thDem&page=7Buffet Dancing No-Host Bar
Co-Sponsored By
The West Seattle Democratic Women
and The 34th District Democrats
For more information go to www.34dems.org/2013
Tours of local Seattle Fire Department stations are always a hot ticket – and tonight we know that the city’s Neighbor Appreciation Day, exactly one month away, is your next chance, so here’s an early alert. SFD says three of West Seattle’s five fire stations will be open that day, 11 am-1 pm February 9th – Station 11 at 16th/Holden in Highland Park, Station 32 at 38th/Alaska in The Triangle, and Station 37 at 35th/Holden in Sunrise Heights. (The Department of Neighborhoods will announce other Neighbor Appreciation Day events soon.) WSB photo from Station 37 on 2012’s Neighbor Appreciation Day
Two reports in West Seattle Crime Watch today:
The surveillance photos above show two women who police say used stolen credit cards at Target in Westwood Village. The cards were stolen in a burglary north of Lincoln Park, at Amy‘s house; she writes: “My family came home from vacation to find our home burglarized. They have stolen all our valuable goods, including my wedding ring” – and the aforementioned credit cards. Amy adds, “There is a cash reward for anyone who can solve the burglary. Thank you and please help my family!!!!!” If you have information, Det. Adonis Topacio at the Southwest Precinct: 206-233-7830.
Next, a multiple-bicycle break-in, reported by Gary:
Harbor Place Condominium, located on Harbor Ave just north of Luna Park Café, was hit by bike thieves around January 4 – 7. After breaching the parking garages, thieves used bolt cutters to cut bike locks and at last count, around 8 bikes were stolen from condo building “B.” Police and condo management have been contacted. Review of on-site video surveillance cameras will hopefully produce some clues or leads, and websites selling bicycles will be monitored.
About nine months ago, a sign was up briefly in a California-fronting retail storefront west of Admiral Safeway suggesting the national Massage Envy chain was on the way. The company didn’t answer our inquiries; the sign eventually disappeared. Then today, Massage Envy formally announced plans to open on the other side of West Seattle – at 2513 SW Trenton in Westwood Village (by Staples and the liquor store). A spokesperson tells WSB that West Seattle franchisee Jennifer McCollum is expecting to open in March. ME will be the second major massage-therapy chain to open in West Seattle, after LaVida Massage (WSB sponsor), which opened in Jefferson Square in fall 2011.
What was something of a multi-part mystery is solved today. It involves three views of the same situation – and the Seattle Parks explanation. First, we received e-mail wondering about tire tracks in the mud near Colman Pool on the Lincoln Park shore and what looked like possible “vehicle vandalism.” Then, Rob posted the photo above on the WSB Facebook page and asked, “What’s this gigantic tree trunk for? And how much did we all pay for it?” later explaining that the photo was from Alki Beach, where he saw a crew drive up in heavy equipment and drop off the tree. Last but not least, WSB Forums member Debmark posted about missing the tree at Lincoln Park and then noticing it had turned up at Alki. So what happened? Parks’ Joelle Hammerstad replies:
It was a piece of driftwood that had been at Lincoln, and when we had the high tide, it was kind of moving around and we felt it could have been unsafe for park visitors. Fortuitously, we had been looking for some natural material to do a re-landscaping project at Alki Beach and 57th Ave SW where the restrooms are. So, we included it in the project. With it being up and out of the water, the driftwood will last longer, and provides an attractive and interesting centerpiece to the project.
No added cost to the project, Parks adds. Side note: At least one other distinctive piece of driftwood did move from Lincoln Park during the December king tides; we received a Beach Drive photo from someone who found the one that had been carved by artists on the LP beach last year.
For your planning:
TIMBER BRIDGE: The project on Highway 99 just south of the West Seattle Bridge is now scheduled to get going in the first week of February, according to WSDOT‘s Broch Bender. Midmountain Contractors was the winning bidder at $9.2 million, another update since last time we wrote about this project.
I-5/SPOKANE INTERCHANGE BRIDGE REPAIR: The ramp-closure plan for this weekend (10 pm Friday-5 am Monday) has changed, also per Bender, who says crews will “work further east than we thought and therefore will not have to close the ramp from S. Columbian Way to southbound I-5.” Here’s what they WILL do:
Crews will now close the ramps from S. Columbian Way to the West Seattle Bridge and Sixth Avenue South. Drivers will be detoured via I-5 [here’s the new map]. The closures are from 10 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Monday; all ramps to and from northbound and southbound I-5 will remain open all weekend. As a reminder, pulling out and replacing hulking steel expansion joints is a noisy job, and folks living on N. Beacon Hill near the interchange may hear a steady stream of concrete chippers, saws and generator noise. Residents can call 206-440-4DOT (4368) to receive a free pair of earplugs, or they can pick up a pair in person at the Jefferson Community Center through Saturday.
She adds, “(The following) weekend (Jan 18-21) crews will work further west on the S. Columbian Way ramp and will need to close three out of four westbound ramps: S. Columbian Way to southbound I-5, 6th Ave. S, and West Seattle Bridge.” So for the next two weekends, the project will only affect those getting to the WS Bridge from Beacon Hill.
“Woke up to neighbor pounding on our door…landslide,” wrote a resident along 55th SW in Alki, where, as you see in our photo, the slide pushed a van across the road. 55th is closed at Alki SW as a result:
SDOT is out checking the slide scene – we’ll check with them later to see what the plan is. Here’s a closer look at the mud that came off the slope:
Neighbors are particularly concerned because they say sloping property in that area has been up for sale – we’re looking into that.
4 PM UPDATE: From SDOT’s Marybeth Turner: “SDOT is consulting with the Department of Planning and Development to determine who should clean up the slide.” Meantime, real-estate listings confirm that two parcels on that side of 55th are for sale, the one described as having “a relatively gentle slope” for $235,000, the other for $290,000; the listings say the site is in the process of being subdivided – though that is not evident in the DPD online records for the property. The zoning is for single-family housing.
Highlights for today/tonight from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
SUPPORT GROUP FOR MOMS WITH BABIES: Year old or younger, if there’s a baby in the family, you’re invited to the Early Days drop-in support group at Nurturing Expressions (WSB sponsor) in The Junction (4746 44th SW, buzz in), noon-2 pm Wednesdays. Updated details in our calendar listing.
BLUE ANGEL #7 FLYING IN: Whether it’s truly audible or visible depends on how the weather goes, but as noted here yesterday, Blue Angels jet #7 is due at Boeing Field around 12:30 pm for the Seafair winter meetings.
NIGHT HIKE WITH THE OWLS … and raccoons, and more. Naturalist Stewart Wechsler resumes his series of nature walks with this one scheduled for Lincoln Park, 6:30 pm. He says light rain won’t cancel but “more intimidating” weather might – so even if you already have RSVP’d, do check. If you haven’t – RSVP information and more is on the calendar.
34TH DISTRICT DEMOCRATS REORGANIZATION: West Seattle’s largest political group has its annual “reorganization” meeting tonight to vote on leadership positions. Candidates are featured on this webpage. The meeting’s at 7 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy (south side of Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, 9131 California SW).
CAPACITY/ASSIGNMENT PLAN CHANGES @ SCHOOL BOARD: The meeting starts at 4:15 pm as usual, with public comment at 5 pm (there’s already a waiting list), and the introduction of new items including the Short-Term Capacity Management/Student Assignment Plan changes scheduled after that (so 6 pm-plus). District HQ in SODO; the agenda is here.
CHIEF SEALTH PTSA: Topics for tonight’s 7 pm PTSA meeting at Chief Sealth International High School‘s library include a discussion of teenage-suicide prevention. More agenda details here.
See the calendar for other today/tonight listings (and beyond) – wellness classes, sports, music, and more.
(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; see other cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
5:44 AM: After a blustery night, this might be a mellower morning – the forecast calls for the storm to settle down.
And another reminder of the Delridge repaving project starting tomorrow – last night, SDOT sent more information about the southbound detour that will be in place for the first phase of the project, lasting about two months; see it here.
7:31 AM: The “mellower” weather will have to wait a few hours – the National Weather Service has just issued an alert that heavy rain will continue at least the rest of the heart of the commute, till 9 am.
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