West Seattle development: September 2014, month of the backhoe

Signs of upcoming demolition at another future West Seattle construction site: Thanks to Eddie for the tip that the telltale fence is up around 4400 SW Alaska, an 8-unit apartment building scheduled to make way for a building with 5 stories, 36 apartments, 2 live/work-units, and 5 offstreet-parking spaces. It received key city approvals back in July, after passing Design Review in February. It’s about a block south of a similar-size building for which construction is starting, with site demolition just last week, 4535 44th SW.

Mike September 17, 2014 (7:59 pm)

I am so glad nobody drives anymore. It’s great that we can all just toodle along on our bicycles everywhere for everything we do. (36+2) – 5 uhhhh what?

Amy Thomsona September 17, 2014 (9:35 pm)

Yikes, only 5 parking spaces! What was DPD thinking? Does anyone listen to the concerns of the neighbors of these developments?

No parking September 17, 2014 (10:52 pm)

I live two blocks from this– I’m expecting to have no parking left on our block :(

Truman September 18, 2014 (12:56 am)

How can anyone think only 5 parking spaces is rational and sane? It’s going to be a sad day – soon – when it’s too much trouble to find a spot to park to run into True Value for some paint, or to take the kids to Husky Deli for ice cream. The Junction is about to be ‘that place we used to love, but avoid because of traffic and no parking’.

Diane September 18, 2014 (1:14 am)

we had many many many meetings with the city about the lack of parking in all these new apts; the city “listened”, sometimes took notes, and did it anyway

justme September 18, 2014 (6:29 am)

Just like Capitol Hill. My daughter lived up there about 8 years ago and just going to visit was a nightmare trying to find parking. West Seattle is headed in the same direction.

Paul September 18, 2014 (8:53 am)

I usually take the bus to the Junction these days. The bus stop is only two blocks from my house. It is a lot more relaxing than trying to find a parking spot there.

West Seattle since 1979 September 18, 2014 (12:19 pm)

How close is considered acceptable for parking? I don’t drive and haven’t since the early 80s (I take the bus), but I remember when I did drive to the Junction during busy times I often had to park somewhere and walk a little ways. And if I was going to more than one store, of course there’d be some walking involved. But how much is acceptable?

If you go to the mall or a shopping center, you often can’t park right by your store or entrance (particularly for a mall), and you end up having to walk through the parking lot and dodge cars.

I grew up in a small city in the Midwest that had a downtown that was only a couple blocks longer than the Junction, and I remember parking and having to do some walking–we weren’t always able to park right in front of our destination building, and sometimes we’d be going to more than one place.

I guess what I’m saying is, unless a business has dedicated parking, seems like there’s often going to be some walking involved after you’ve parked.