West Seattle, Washington
20 Saturday
The second “packet” for this Thursday’s Southwest Design Review Board doubleheader is now available – the design proposal for Nova, Harbor Properties‘ 62-apartment project at 36th/Snoqualmie in The Triangle, north of The Grove/West Seattle Inn motel. See the full “packet” of graphics and info here. Nova is the second of two projects on the Thursday night schedule, with discussion expected to start around 8 pm (its first SWDRB review was in March); the meeting begins at 6:30 pm with the “early design guidance” review for the 117-apartment 3247 Avalon Way project (its “packet” was available last week, as reported here). Both discussions will happen upstairs at the Senior Center of West Seattle (California/Oregon).
A proposal for “rechannelization” of SW Alaska between The Triangle and The Junction first came up back in February (we featured it in this story) – taking away some street parking, and cutting down on car-travel lanes, while adding a bike lane from Fauntleroy to west of 41st SW. It has only been discussed once in public since then – at a recent Southwest District Council meeting – but now SDOT is officially asking for public comment:
The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has developed plans to re-channelize SW Alaska Street between California Avenue and 35th Avenue to support the planned RapidRide C Line which is scheduled to begin service in fall 2012. SDOT is proposing to make the following changes to SW Alaska Street:
· Install a westbound left turn pocket at California Avenue and SW Alaska Street
· Install an eastbound left turn pocket at 42nd Avenue SW and SW Alaska Street
· Install an eastbound business access and transit Lane (BAT) between 42nd Avenue SW and 40th Avenue SW
· Install a westbound BAT between Fauntleroy Avenue and 42nd Avenue SW
· Install a westbound bicycle lane between Fauntleroy Way and approximately 30 feet west of 41st Avenue SW
· Remove parking on the north side of SW Alaska Street between California Avenue SW and 41st Avenue SWSDOT INVITES PUBLIC COMMENT UP TO JULY 31, 2011
Jonathan Dong
Email: jonathan.dong@seattle.gov
Phone: (206) 233-8564
The proposal is laid out on this city webpage, with some diagrams laid over aerial shots of the streets.
If you had somehow missed our previous reports that Les Schwab Tires was moving into the former Huling/Gee used-cars site at 38th/Alaska in The Triangle, it’ll be hard to miss now – the big sign’s going up today. We first reported in January that Les Schwab was remodeling the site; last month, the company told us they’re expecting to open in September.
As of halfway through the city open house for the West Seattle Triangle draft proposals – which would rezone much of the area, including sites to the west, and put “streetscape” concepts on the record – about 40 people had stopped by. The lead planners on the project, Susan McLain and Robert Scully, are here, as are other city reps including Brian Hawksford from Councilmember Tom Rasmussen‘s office. It’s informal, with refreshments, and easels put up on two sides of the room for you to review, and to comment on if you choose – which some are doing with Post-It notes:
The open house continues until 8 pm. Your comments here count – as do comments sent by e-mail, postal mail, and phone; this Friday is the first deadline for comments on the proposals, and then, we’re told, there will be a second round. In the months ahead, the proposed Triangle plans will go to the City Council for review and votes, so if there’s something for which you want to express support or opposition, now’s the time. You can look at the plan online; major points include zoning changes that would allow higher buildings (85 feet) along the western side of the “planning area” and that would rezone what’s now “commercial” in much of the Triangle itself to “neighborhood commercial,” which means a future – if current businesses closed – that would look very different as it does now.
Till 7 pm, you can drop by the open house for The Grove/West Seattle Inn (36th/Alaska) and see the results – so far – of their makeover, firsthand. We’ve been chronicling it since it was announced in January by the new owners of what was Seattle West Inn and Suites, and before that, TraveLodge. They’re expecting their first guests this week, and showing off rooms for the first time, though they’re not all done yet.
The Grove will have 46 rooms, and ownership spokesperson Lynn Sweeney had told us during this sneak-peek tour last week that about half would be done for their reopening this week. Also on hand for tonight’s open house, manager Joey Disque:
The redo is all the way down to the rooms’ shell – new carpeting, window coverings, beds and other furniture, bathroom fixtures, kitchen fixtures (in the half dozen or so with kitchenettes), art, paint, even metal railings replacing what was plastic. More info’s on their website at grovewestseattle.com.
By the 4th of July weekend, The Grove/West Seattle Inn – our peninsula’s only motel – plans to reopen, two months after closing for the first phase of extensive renovations. We’ve been chronicling the renovation plans since the motel’s new owners, longtime West Seattleites, announced them back in December. They’re having a community open house next Monday, and they have reservations for their first guests, starting with the pre-4th of July weekend. But to put it bluntly, some wonder how they will keep out the seedy clientele that kept many legitimate visitors away in recent years. That’s one of the questions we asked Lynn Sweeney, spokesperson for the owners, who granted our request for a tour this week – read on:Read More
After two series of meetings with a citizens’ advisory group, the city planners working on the future of the West Seattle Triangle have gone public with two draft plans, opened a public-comment period, and announced a public open house.
THE PLANS: The draft “urban design framework” can be seen here; the draft “land use code and zoning amendments” can be seen here. The proposed zoning changes include a recommendation to increase maximum height to 85 feet in the bluish-purple area you see in the graphic above**; that suggestion had drawn concern in previous community-group reviews. The changes also would rezone what is now “commercial” land throughout The Triangle to “neighborhood commercial.”
COMMENT PERIOD AND OPEN HOUSE: The open house is scheduled for 6-8 pm June 29th at the Senior Center of West Seattle; public comment is being accepted on the two draft plans through July 1st – susan.mclain@seattle.gov – note that these plans are supposed to be voted on by the City Council later this summer, so if you want a say in what might eventually turn up in this area, this is your chance. Read on for an excerpt from the zoning/land-use document summarizing the proposed zoning changes, and more:Read More
About a block from where one former Huling Brothers Auto site is being transformed into West Seattle Trader Joe’s at 4545 Fauntleroy Way, another, as we’ve been reporting since January, is being remodeled to house Les Schwab Tires, at 38th/Alaska. We’ve long had a request out to the company for some information that city files didn’t reveal – such as, when are they expecting to open? Les Schwab had declined comment till all the permits were in, but today we have a few official details, directly from the company for the first time:
1. The new store will open in September. The final date is not yet determined.
2. The store will employ 10-12 people and additional employees will be hired based on the volume of business.
3. The store manager will be selected from an existing pool of Les Schwab employees, based on the company’s promote-from-within policy.
4. The retail space is 12,000 square feet with six service bays and there
will be an additional 4000 square foot basement that will be used for warehousing product inventories for customer tires, wheels, brakes, shocks and alignments.
As is the case with the TJ’s project, this one is neither demolishing nor constructing a building – an existing structure on the site is being remodeled.
(Cindy and new general manager Dan, photographed tonight @ Merrill Gardens-West Seattle)
Some may recall hearing about the USO and its troops-supporting work primarily in the context of past wars. But the USO is very much alive and well and still at work today to help Americans serving in the nation’s military. Right now, Merrill Gardens retirement centers have a companywide series of USO fundraisers under way, and one was held tonight at Merrill Gardens-West Seattle (4611 35th SW in The Triangle) – not just collecting donations, but also including dinner and a performance by the West Seattle Big Band. There’s also a USO fundraiser coming up at Merrill Gardens-Admiral Heights (which like the 35th SW location is a WSB sponsor) on Saturday, at noon, with lunch and a presentation on the life and times of Eleanor Roosevelt – RSVP to 206.938.3964.
Today is a semi-momentous anniversary for a certain devoted group of WSB’ers: Exactly one year ago today, Trader Joe’s announced it’s opening a West Seattle store. (Here’s our original June 16, 2010, report with the news release and comments from property owner Steve Huling; we’d been watching the site since the previous April, when a city website mentioned the possible TJ’s.) As noted here 3 weeks ago, construction is under way – inside before outside, though now that all the permits are finalized, there’s exterior work too, and the banners with contractor information for J. Hughes Construction are brand-new today.
If you’ve missed our last few updates – though the company’s plans on file with the city mention a six-month construction schedule, a TJ’s spokesperson would say only that they’re expecting to open “in the fourth quarter” of this year.
Across the Sound in Kitsap County, TJ’s fans are counting the hours till 8 am tomorrow, when their first Trader Joe’s opens in Silverdale; just like here, some people are saying, “What’s the big deal?” so a Kitsap Sun food writer set out to break down that question.
(Bright Horizons team: L-R standing – Janice, Melody, Lindsay, Krys, Laurie, Helen, Michelle, Jasmine; in front, Patrick)
Today, we welcome a new sponsor, Bright Horizons, whose new West Seattle child-care center recently opened on the first floor of the Link Apartments building in The Triangle, and has a Grand Opening celebration this Saturday. Here’s what they would like you to know: Bright Horizons offers child care for infants through preschoolers. Bright Horizons works on each part of the development of each child, be it the mind, body, social self, or character. Children are encouraged to explore their surroundings, while their parents are given up-to-date information about children, education, child care, and development. Bright Horizons‘ goal is to create competent, life-long learners who will do well during their upcoming school years. Infant, toddler, and preschool programs are offered, along with limited part-time care for preschoolers. Tour appointments are accepted year round – just call 206-932-0820.
This Saturday (June 18th), you’re invited to the Grand Opening festivities at Bright Horizons-West Seattle (4530 38th SW), 10 am-1 pm – with activities, a chance to enter a drawing for gift-stuffed bags, and more. Here’s the schedule:
• Ribbon Cutting Ceremony – State Senator Sharon Nelson 10:45 a.m.
• Storytelling with Professor Watermelon 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Live performance by The Not-Its! 12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.
• Face Painting with Colorific Kids 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Scavenger Hunt, Food, Fun, and Festivities all day long
We thank Bright Horizons-West Seattle for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.
After months of extensive renovation work, West Seattle’s only motel – now known as The Grove, West Seattle Inn – is about to unveil its new look. Its owners have just announced an open house for 4 pm Monday, June 27th. They’re already taking reservations, too, for dates in July and beyond. We’ve been chronicling the transformation since the new ownership was announced in December; the motel has been closed since early April.
All quick notes, all from the same area of West Seattle, all businesses, so here’s the roundup:
‘THE HOLE’ SETTLEMENT: After breaking the news Friday that the longrunning legal fight over the stalled Fauntleroy Place project, alias ‘The Hole,’ had been settled, we had expected to discover the details by now. So far, no luck with any of various parties to the case. So we checked back today with the bailiff for King County Superior Court Judge Susan Craighead, who has been in charge of the case, to see what they’d heard. Jennie Cowan says the August 8th trial date technically is still on the books but, “It is likely the parties will file a notice indicating settlement and striking the trial date within the next week.” We’ll be watching for that.
TRADER JOE’S – ALL PERMITS IN HAND, PLUS …
The construction work is proceeding inside 4545 Fauntleroy Way, as the above photo (from Wednesday) would suggest, but never fear, outside work has now gotten the green light too (we reported the indoor permit back on May 21). The city has now granted ALL the requisite building/land-use permits listed on the official project page. And Trader Joe’s has applied for its West Seattle liquor license, too (for beer/wine tasting as well as beer/wine grocery store) – the online records yield a tiny tidbit: West Seattle will be TJ’s Store #157. (Its next new Northwest store, in the Kitsap County town of Silverdale, is scheduled to open one week from tomorrow.)
LES SCHWAB WORK INTENSIFIES:
Thanks to Celeste for the tip that, after the fence went up May 28th (she was one of the tipsters then too), crews are in view outside the future Les Schwab Tires location at 38th and Alaska. We first reported the plans in late January; the company has yet to publicly discuss its West Seattle location-in-progress, but we have yet another inquiry out and hope to hear back.
Two West Seattle meetings of note tomorrow tackle hot topics: First, the Highway 99/Alaskan Way Viaduct construction work and its effect on traffic to and from West Seattle. The South Portal Working Group, an advisory committee focused on that side of the 99 project, meets at 4 pm Wednesday, for the first time in a few months. Its agenda includes a project update, with committee members specifically asked to be ready to answer this question: “Do you have any feedback regarding the way traffic has been managed during construction?”. West Seattle reps in the working group include Pete Spalding from eastern West Seattle, Vlad Oustimovitch from western West Seattle, and Junction lawyer Jerry Cohen.) The meeting’s at the Sound Transit Board Room at Union Station on the south end of downtown.
Then at 7 Wednesday night, South Seattle Community College Board Room, the Southwest District Council – whose members are from neighborhood groups and other organizations around the west side of the peninsula, which the city calls the “Southwest District.” The SWDC has expressed concern over the city-led Triangle planning process – especially a suggestion that some parts could be rezoned for 85-foot-tall buildings – and will hear from the city planners on the project, Susan McLain and Robert Scully, tomorrow night. They’ll also hear from SDOT about SW Alaska “rechannelization” – changes planned to that street’s flow through the Triangle and Junction for the RapidRide bus service. The agenda also includes new Department of Neighborhoods director Bernie Matsuno. All are welcome at both meetings.
Just a few days after the fence went up on the future West Seattle Trader Joe’s site – once the Huling Brothers Buick showroom – another former Huling-operated (though not owned) property just got a construction fence. This time, it’s the future home of Les Schwab Tires on the southwest corner of SW Alaska/38th SW. Thanks to Dan and Celeste for the tips this evening (just in time for us to grab a photo before nightfall).
We reported here two weeks ago that the permits had been granted for Les Schwab to start work on the site. As with the Trader Joe’s project less than a block north, this one will not involve structural demolition or new construction – more like, extensive remodeling. It’s been four months since we reported that Les Schwab was planning a West Seattle operation at this site; though we confirmed the project by viewing the city’s hard-copy file downtown, the company has not spoken publicly about it except to confirm to WSB they had applied for permits for “a West Seattle site.”
Another update today as the new owners of West Seattle’s only motel (36th/Alaska) continue working to renovate it and leave its troubled past behind: Spokesperson Lynn Sweeney tells WSB they have chosen a name: “The Grove, West Seattle Inn.” She adds, “The name was chosen in part to reflect the rejuvenated location as a peaceful, comfortable and friendly environment, and over time, our goal is to enhance and grow the natural landscape as well.” They announced the renovation plan five months ago and are aiming to reopen in early summer. You might recall that while at one point they had hoped to stay open while renovating, the SWAT-team incident in late March accelerated matters, and they closed shortly thereafter. The Grove has a website already too, with a logo and some hints at what they’re aiming for – grovewestseattle.com.
Another of the ex-Huling buildings in The Triangle won’t be empty much longer. We first reported in late January that Oregon-based Les Schwab Tires was seeking city permits to open up a West Seattle location at 3801 SW Alaska (map) in The Triangle; now, permits have been issued – for construction, and for its signage.
Note that this project calls for remodeling the existing building at 38th/Alaska, NOT building a new one; also, when we looked at the plans downtown in January, we noted they were NOT proposing to occupy the western part (Fauntleroy corner) of the site, only 38th/Alaska (which also had been an Enterprise rental-car location). When we reported the plan at that time, Les Schwab would not comment beyond confirming it had applied for a permit in West Seattle, but we’ll be checking with them again tomorrow to see if they’re ready to reveal more details now, such as a projected opening date.
The new Triangle building Link (WSB sponsor) was celebrated as the development that beat the odds – and bucked a trend – at an invitation-only reception on its sweeping-view rooftop last night. In our photo above, you’ll note West Seattle’s highest-ranking elected officials – King County Executive Dow Constantine and Seattle City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen. Neighborhood leaders and local businesspeople were there too, admiring the view and the rooftop herb/vegetable gardens, pausing briefly to hear speeches. West Seattle Chamber of Commerce board chair and West 5 owner Dave Montoure (below left) hailed the 60 jobs the new development is estimated to have created; after the jubilant opening remarks from Harbor executive vice president Denny Onslow (below right):
Barely a year and a half earlier, a short distance to the east, Onslow had stood at a meeting of the Fairmount Community Association and announced that Harbor had secured financing for Link – at a time when almost nothing else of its kind was being built in the city, since the commercial-market dive was so fresh. Seattle Department of Planning and Development director Diane Sugimura spoke too, describing Harbor as “bold” for moving ahead at the time.
And now, less than 2 months after its first move-ins, Onslow said 85 of its 200 units are leased. And as of yesterday, all three of its ground-floor businesses are open, with Breathe Hot Yoga‘s first classes, next door to one-month-open Chaco Canyon Organic Café, and recently opened Bright Horizons. If you’re interested in a first-hand look at Link, its next public open house is scheduled for Saturday, May 21st (one week from tomorrow).
Another business expanding to West Seattle from the north end has just announced its opening date. We first told you three months ago that Breathe Hot Yoga was coming to Link (WSB sponsor; 38th and Alaska in The Triangle); this morning Breathe announced it’s opening this Thursday (May 12), with free classes at 4 pm, 5:15 pm and 6:30 pm that day (the first two taught by proprietor Amber Borgomainerio), and the regular class schedule starting this Friday.
(video unavailable due to blip.tv shutdown)
Every so often, we like to put an entire local public meeting on video for those who can never make it in person, but are interested in how the discussions proceed, what it looks and sounds like, unfiltered. So we rolled on the West Seattle Triangle Advisory Group‘s meeting on Thursday night; unedited, our video is broken into the first hour (above), the second hour (below). This is still Phase II for the advisory group. City planners led by Susan McLain presented land-use “concepts” last time, and the focus this time was “street-use concepts,” including whether the much-discussed tree-lined “boulevard” concept would be feasible for Fauntleroy in the Triangle area, as well as more land-use alternatives.
(video unavailable due to blip.tv shutdown)
Eventually, Triangle proposals are expected to go before the City Council for consideration, though that’s expected to still be months away. The presentation from Thursday’s meeting isn’t on the Triangle website yet, but we’ll publish a followup when the material appears there (you’ll see much of it on the screen in our video, which is fairly low-light since slide decks play a big role in these discussions). P.S. Can’t find an official online list of the advisory-group members; but it should be noted, this phase of the discussion includes the area with most of the former Huling Auto properties, and Steve Huling is a member of the group – he was in attendance at this meeting.
Tonight, the West Seattle Triangle Advisory Group is scheduled for the second meeting in its Phase II – which is focusing on land use (zoning). The frame grab above is from the group’s first Phase II meeting last month, at the heart of the presentation you can see in full here: Should higher buildings be built in The Triangle (and the area spilling over the area to its west dominated by ex-car lots)? Here’s how that same presentation saw that area as it exists now:
Tonight’s meeting is at 6 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle (California/Oregon). The public is welcome, and there’s a time for public comment, if you have anything to say about the area or the process. (Other documents, including renderings for possible “massing” of future development, are linked from this page on the city’s Triangle website.)
But what’s happening so far is not sitting well with the Southwest District Council, whose monthly meeting last night again included a discussion of discontent with the process. There was also some concern about how what’s been discussed at previous SWDC meetings has been conveyed – if at all – so for tonight, they were planning to prepare a statement to get those concerns on the record, including questions about whether the area’s key stakeholders have truly been included in the process (at most of the meetings, property owner/business owner participation has been fairly light), and whether the “concepts” are in line with the area’s longterm goals.
The council also discussed a report that a public-comment period will start later this month when draft streetscape proposals from the Phase I are made public, including the “Fauntleroy Boulevard” concept that has long been under discussion – and that proposal has reportedly undergone a dramatic revamp from the previous concept of a tree-lined boulevard, because bicycle lanes have been added, according to SWDC co-chair Susan Melrose of the West Seattle Junction Association. SWDC’s Morgan Community Association rep Chas Redmond called the reported bike-lane additions an “11th-hour move” that he says would not be in keeping with the city’s longstanding Bicycle Master Plan. The road proposal also is likely to come up at tonight’s meeting
(Photos by Ellen Cedergreen for WSB)
Healthy kids are safe kids, so the safety experts – aka Seattle Fire Department team members – from nearby Fire Station 32 were part of the picture today as the West Seattle Family YMCA (WSB sponsor) celebrated its annual Healthy Kids Day. The weather was perfect to climb up the “rock,” too:
More photos ahead!Read More
The city has just announced Phase 2 in its planning process for The Triangle’s future, with a “focus on providing an urban design framework to identify the future neighborhood character of this area” – which would include, among other potential flashpoints, how tall the area’s buildings might eventually be. The city’s inviting the Triangle Advisory Group from Phase I to a round of two meetings – also open to the public – starting with one at 6 pm April 14th at the Senior Center of West Seattle. Advance material for that meeting isn’t on the city website yet, but here’s the introductory document (PDF) that senior planner Susan McLain sent around with the announcement.
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