Cafe’s days numbered

| Charlestown Cafe | Development | West Seattle restaurants

Reader “The House” tells us the Design Review Board meeting for the project (described as a “one-story retail building”) proposed at the Charlestown Cafe site is coming up next week. The applications with the city say this architecture firm is involved. If you’ll recall, the P-I hinted this maybe possibly might be the mystery Trader Joe’s site, but we haven’t seen anything public about what’s planned for the project — should find out at this “early design guidance” meeting, if not sooner. (As for the Charlestown operators, one site visitor mentioned an unverified report they might have been seen checking out the Alki space next to Cactus; anybody got more on that?)

Bubba January 16, 2007 (8:01 am)

Last I heard Petco.

Administrator January 16, 2007 (8:42 am)

Thanks for the reminder, now we also remember having heard that, since they want out of The Junction because of what’s going in behind that block. Darn, guess the TJ’s legend will have to move to some other project.

KG January 16, 2007 (1:59 pm)

I would love to see a TJs in West Seattle, but will be very sad to see the Charlestown go. We love going there for breakfast with my in-laws and our 1 year old son.

RR January 18, 2007 (11:42 pm)

I can confirm Petco

Jan S. January 19, 2007 (12:10 am)

imagine buying one of those new townhouses across the street from the Charlestown Cafe for $450,000 plus, and then finding out you have a lovely view of Petco…

Administrator January 19, 2007 (6:22 am)

You know, more than a decade ago, when we bought our house, before the web became an integral part of the real-estate process, we read a lot of books that advised checking the zoning all around your potential property. Had to go downtown to do that at the time. Now that info’s available online. If you choose to buy in an area with multi-family, mixed-use, and/or commercial zoning, you have to imagine the worst-case scenario. (We can imagine worse than Petco, actually, but we get your point!)

EM January 24, 2007 (9:17 pm)

Looking on DPD’s website it lists a different architect (see http://web1.seattle.gov/DPD/permitstatus/Project.aspx?id=6086810&t=4) and lists he development as 13,600 SF – or about 4 times the size of charlestown cafe. Neighborhood opinioins count in these design guidance meetings – get your voice heard about the kind of neighborhood friendly development that would work well – pedestrian friendly – no blank walls on the streets, awnings, street level improvements, appropriate neighborhood scale and quality materials. Development and increased density is inevitable, but you might as well influence the process. Let them know this isn’t Bellevue.

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