day : 20/02/2014 11 results

(Renderings: Roger H. Newell AIA Architects)
Eight months after architect Roger Newell presented the 2626 Alki Avenue SW proposal to the Alki Community Council – not mandatory, but always a gesture of goodwill to consult community groups early on – it debuted in the city public-meeting process tonight, before the five-member Southwest Design Review Board.

(Ironically, ACC members couldn’t be there because it was their regular meeting night, during which they heard about a different Alki project – we were there too; watch for the story tomorrow.)

After two hours, SWDRB members decided 2626 Alki SW (map) should come back for a second Early Design Guidance meeting, because “it’s too maxed out right now” on the site, as member Todd Bronk put it. A key point of concern will be the details along the 59th SW side of the building. They’re also interested in seeing it broken into two buildings, considering that the site has two different zoning designations – one building could address each.

The one-meeting project ran long, though, as the board slogged through new citywide Design Review guidelines that recently took effect.

You can follow along with the presentation via looking at the “design packet” here. Three structures on the site now would be demolished (current tenants include Lucky LadyZ marijuana dispensary, Saigon Boat Café, Alki Landing Properties and Alki Beach Dog); the proposal calls for a three-story building with up to 15 apartments, 5 live-work units, and more than 3,000 square feet of commercial space.

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First a takeover, then taken over: New owner for Emeritus Senior Living, with 2 West Seattle locations

February 20, 2014 9:48 pm

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| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Thanks to the tipster who just pointed this out: Less than a year after Emeritus Senior Living took over 38 Merrill Gardens retirement centers, including the two in West Seattle, Emeritus itself has just been sold. The buyer is Tennessee-based Brookdale Senior Living Solutions, whose closest current facility is in Federal Way. Details from our partners at The Seattle Times; here’s the official announcement from Emeritus.

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Work expected to resume Friday on idle 30th/Roxbury site

February 20, 2014 7:44 pm

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| Transportation | West Seattle news

If you drive/ride/walk along Roxbury, you might wonder what happened to the curb-bulb work at 30th, mentioned here before it started, and mentioned again in a recent WSB traffic report when Bradi sent the photo at left, saying the workers were absent, the signage was insufficient, and she’d popped a tire there. Nearby resident Donn DeVore, a past Westwood Neighborhood Council leader, e-mailed SDOT to ask what had happened, because the project appeared “abandoned.” The current Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Neighborhood Council jumped in. And tonight, SDOT’s Jim Curtin says it’s a combination of factors – the contractor also is working on another site that’s part of the same contract (Olympic Hills in North Seattle) and has had to deal with the recent heavy rain and its inhospitability to concrete work. But the contractor is expected to be back at the site tomorrow (Friday) for the concrete pour. Curtin adds, “Even with these weather related delays, the project is anticipated to be completed within the number of work days for this project. Barring further weather-related disruptions, the project is currently scheduled to be complete by the end of March.” This project is not part of the SW Roxbury safety work that’s launching (with another meeting coming up next Wednesday, 6 pm at Roxhill Elementary); it’s part of pedestrian-safety-in-school-areas work.

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Video: $15-minimum-wage rally at South Admiral McDonald’s

February 20, 2014 6:15 pm

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| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

As mentioned in our West Seattle Thursday calendar highlights, $15-minimum-wage supporters promised demonstrations outside local McDonald’s today while calling for a one-day boycott of that chain as well as Wendy’s and Burger King (neither of which has West Seattle stores). We went by all local McDonald’s at lunchtime and found no protesters; one finally turned up at the South Admiral store; and then a media alert went out about a rally after 5 pm. So we checked it out; about two dozen demonstrators and plenty of citywide media. They were planning to be there until about 5:45. On the political side, the city’s Select Committee on Minimum Wage and Income Inequity has its first meeting March 5th – details on its schedule and mission here.

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Video: California/Fauntleroy signal-replacement-a-thon, as it happened

February 20, 2014 4:00 pm

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| Transportation | West Seattle news

Since the big signal-replacement project at California/Fauntleroy happened without advance announcement, we promised to follow up with SDOT. Today, we not only have the overview, we also have the time-lapse video above, from pre-dawn Saturday through late Sunday afternoon. SDOT spokesperson Rick Sheridan explains that the project was carried out in an unusual manner:

The work at the intersection of California and Fauntleroy was a full replacement of the intersection’s signal infrastructure. The poles and signal equipment there were very old and the hardware was failing.

Instead of working over a normal two-week period (from only 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to avoid traffic), we completed the work over the weekend in a record 36 hours. The California and Fauntleroy intersection now has modern traffic signal equipment featuring new poles, signal heads and wires. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the work but believe the signal system upgrades will serve the neighborhood well.

The signals previously had numerous problems, reported here repeatedly last year.

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You can help! SPD Mounted Patrol benefit Friday, pub & park

February 20, 2014 2:17 pm

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| How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

(WSB photo from recent Seattle Police Mounted Patrol open house)
Tomorrow (Friday) night is the big night for an unusual fundraiser – it’s scheduled to happen in a pub and a park. From 5-7 pm, it’s a special benefit for the Seattle Police Mounted Patrol, based next door to West Seattle’s Westcrest Park, saved from budget cuts a few years back by a community campaign led by the nonprofit Seattle Police Foundation. It’s hosted by Beveridge Place Pub, who shared this announcement that explains how the park next door is involved too:

Join us for a super fun night with Greg Hall, owner and cider-maker at Virtue Cider, and Wilson, the world famous Seahawks-supporting miniature horse from Dreamland Ponies! You can enjoy four great ciders from Virtue, including Percheron, and also help us raise money for the horses of the Seattle Police Mounted Patrol Unit! In addition to donating a portion of the Virtue Cider proceeds, we’ll have some fun stuff to raffle off, and you can get your picture taken with Wilson!

For those under 21, Wilson’s playmates, Tinkerbelle and Peter Pan, will be in Morgan Junction Park with a mounted patrol horse for additional photo opportunities!

Did you know the Seattle Police’s seven horses, housed at Westcrest Park, are supported solely through private funding? The Seattle Police Foundation needs your help to keep these equine peacekeepers on the job! Check out saveourhorses.net for more info. (Note: dogs will not be allowed in the pub during this event)

You can see Wilson, the aforementioned mini-horse, in our coverage of the Seahawks-support flagraising at West Seattle Corporate Center pre-Super Bowl. Click ahead for a new list of raffle prizes, posted on Facebook by BPP today:

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Community-requested meeting set for 6536 24th SW subdivision proposal across from Longfellow Creek

February 20, 2014 11:43 am

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| Delridge | Development | West Seattle news

The subdivision proposal on that site at 6536 24th SW (map) will be the subject of a Department of Planning and Development public-comment meeting requested by neighbors. The formal notice is out today for the 7 pm March 20th meeting at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW). We have reported three times previously about the proposal for this site, two parcels whose owner wants to split them into eight lots, with a proposal on the drawing board for a single-family home on each lot.

Longfellow Creek runs through the front yards of homes across 24th, and neighbors there have pointed out past flooding (see a photo in this WSB story from last month) and concerns about more runoff if the undeveloped site involved in this proposal is built on. They told us they had been working on a possible flood-control project which is as yet unfunded; the land owner’s documentation suggests that not-funded project might deal with runoff from his site.

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Congrats! Seattle Lutheran HS senior scholar-athletes to be honored

February 20, 2014 10:52 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle people | West Seattle schools

Congratulations to Seattle Lutheran High School seniors Grant Doerr (above with parents Julia and Cary Doerr) and Jacob Fincher (below with parents Julia and Joe Fincher).

The announcement from SLHS:

Both students were nominated for The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete Award given to student athletes who exhibit academic, leadership and football talent. Schools in King County may nominate a senior lineman and a senior back/receiver for these awards; four finalists are selected for each. Doerr was selected as a finalist in the Back/Receiver category.

Doerr and Fincher will be honored Sunday (February 23) at CenturyLink Field in the West Club Lounge at 10 am.

Read more about the award program, and past recipients, here.

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West Seattle Thursday: Design Review for 2626 Alki SW, and more

February 20, 2014 9:31 am

| 5 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Photo by Trileigh Tucker)
Another blustery day – here are highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, including some of what’s making news today:

TOT TREK AT CAMP LONG: Frogs and salamanders are the focus of this 10:30 am event at Camp Long Environmental Learning Center for 2- and 3-year-olds accompanied by adults. Call ASAP to see if there’s room! Details in our calendar listing. (5200 35th SW)

FAST-FOOD BOYCOTT CALL: Supporters of the $15 minimum-wage campaign are calling for three fast-food chains to be boycotted in Seattle today and say they will have demonstrations outside. The only one with outlets in West Seattle is McDonald’s.

FILM SCREENING: 11 am at Brockey Center Room A on the campus of South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor), filmmaker Frank Abe shows his film “Conscience and the Constitution” and speaks about the Japanese American Day of Remembrance. More info in our calendar listing. (6000 16th SW)

MORGAN JUNCTION MURDER TRIAL: As we finish writing this highlight list, we are back at the King County Courthouse for the second day of presentations to the jury in the trial of Lovett Chambers for the 2012 shooting death of Travis Hood – here’s our detailed report, published late last night, about the first day, which included both sides’ opening statements. Proceedings were scheduled to start at 9, but a witness is running late.

PIANO BAR/CAFE SOCIAL FOR 50+ LGBT: 6-8 pm, the Senior Center of West Seattle hosts a piano bar/café social for LGBT 50+. Free hors d’oeuvres, no-host beer/wine, “Broadway Baby” singalong. (California/Oregon)

DESIGN REVIEW FOR 2626 ALKI AVE. SW: First time in a while that the Southwest Design Review Board has had only one project on its schedule, and it’s also the first mixed-use Alki project in a long time: 2626 Alki SW, which would replace three commercial buildings at Alki and 59th. It’s proposed for 14 residential units, 5 live-work, 3,250 sf of retail, and 28 parking spaces; the first public presentation about the plan was at last June’s Alki Community Council meeting. The Design Review packet has yet to be linked from the page where it’s supposed to be publicly available with at least a week to go; one did turn up elsewhere on the DPD site (not directly linkable) in December, but we’re checking to see if that’s still the newest one. The meeting’s at 6:30 pm, Senior Center of West Seattle. (California/Oregon) **10:34 AM UPDATE – We pinged DPD and they have now uploaded the packet – see it here.**

(added) ALKI COMMUNITY COUNCIL: 7 pm at Alki UCC – agenda just announced:

1) Alki Cottage Project 3015 60th Ave SW Permit: #3016265 – Jerome Diepenbrock / Marc Rudd

2) Upcoming Events:

Salmon Recovery in Puget Sound – Jeannette Dorner PSP Thurs 27 Feb
Potential Pedestrian Zone on Harbor Ave SW
March ACC? Citywide HUB Exercise (Emergency Preparedness) 17 May 9-noon
SDOT Summer Streets @ Alki 18 May 11-5pm http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/summer_alki.htm
Alki Art Fair 19-20 Jul

(6115 SW Hinds)

NIGHTLIFE: Music, open mike, pub quiz, multiple listings if you’re looking for something fun to do tonight – see it all on the calendar.

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You can help! West Seattle Food Bank needs books

February 20, 2014 8:59 am

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| How to help | West Seattle news

The West Seattle Food Bank‘s clients need more than food – they can use nourishment for the mind and soul, too. From Eve Holt:

The West Seattle Food Bank distributes books of all kinds to their clients. Right now, adult fiction and non-fiction, and cookbooks, are especially needed. If you have books in good condition, please consider donating them to the West Seattle Food Bank. You can drop them off Monday through Friday 9 am to 3 pm, or Wednesday until 7 pm (Monday and Wednesday are the best drop-off times) The Food Bank is on the corner of 35th Avenue SW and SW Morgan St. (enter through the garage on Morgan). YOUR DONATIONS WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Thursday updates

February 20, 2014 7:00 am

| Comments Off on TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Thursday updates

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(More cameras, and other info, on the WSB Traffic page)
No major incidents/delays reported so far. If you are heading south, note that there’s a sizable power outage in Burien and part of the unincorporated area to its northeast – mostly east/south of White Center – here’s the map.

8:53 AM: Maybe it’s just the no-school week. We crossed the bridge rather quickly at 8:15, headed for Day 2 of the Morgan Junction murder trial downtown.

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