At the suddenly megabusy Cali/Charlestown crossroads, the burned-out ex-Schuck’s store eyesore is one step closer to demolition: The city has issued its land-use decision for the project proposed at that site. We’ll leave it to our professional land-user readers to comb the fine print for surprises; as for us, we’ll just be watching for the demolition permit, as this is one building we will NOT mourn.
Read through the decision material and sounds like the developer/architec have been in contact w/ adjacent resident – the project sounds like a major leap forward for that corner. Bulk, height, building materials and *gasp* landscaping (like a flowering cherry tree) all sound really nice! I’ll welcome it. Eileen
Finally! I live right by there and it drives me nuts to see that burned out building. It would be nice to have something there besides a coffee place, restaurant, pet store, bakery, pizza place, gas station, bar/lounge and maybe a church, but only a maybe (bad location for one). Something unique and useful, like a Chuck E. Cheese!
Just Kidding!
I agree, that building has been an eyesore for several years now, ever since it burned.
But, a part of me is sad to see it go, as opposed to somehow being renovated. I shopped there when it was Al’s back when I had my car, but the place holds an even deeper place in my heart, because I used to tag along there, with my Mom, when it was the IGA. She’s been gone just over 40 years now, so those memories go waaayyyy back!
Mike
wes…does Chuck E. Cheese still exist? lol…I remember when my daughter was little how much I hated that place …hehehe
I’ll be curious to see what business occupies the ground floor. With the proposed landscaping plan and turn over of retail stores in West Seattle, it may be a good location for a professional office. (Heck, I say put in a Trader Joe’s.)
misw –
Speaking of former grocery stores in West Seattle, could you tell me which chain(s) used to operate in the PCC building at California and Stevens across from WS High School? I had assumed that IT was an IGA.
I know that the Blockbuster Video building at California & College started as a Safeway store, but the PCC building has me stumped.
Forest…before PCC became PCC it was a Prairie Market. And Blockbuster was not a Safeway…it was a Royal Fork Buffet Restaurant. Metropolitan Market was a Lucky Store and then Thriftway before it became Metropolitan Market. Admiral Safeway has always been Safeway, at least since I came here in early 1975….
Jan is correct, Forest.
Admiral Safeway goes back at least to the ’60’s.
The Rite-aid (foremerly Payless, and before that Pay-N-Save) south of the Alaska Junction was a Safeway until the move to Jefferson Square about 20 years ago.
Mike
Before the PCC was Prairie Market it was a QFC. There was another supermarket–Shopping Cart down on Charlestown and 49th. It started out as a Tradwell, I think.
Admiral Safeway was built as a Safeway. Previous location was the Blockbuster video store, they outgrew the space. And before that? it was where N&N variety store, now the bagel store is. (according to local lore). I remember the N&N, the store that had a display of giant underpants in a window. And two ladies that did not like children in their store, even accompanied by a parent.
Funny you say that Admiral Janeway. I, myself, am always SO disappointed when “street-level retail” in these new buildings turns out to be office space. Nothing against CPAs, insurance agents, and the like, they need to do business somewhere, but I usually hope for an interesting, unique business that we can frequent. It’s bonus if it is something that takes the place of a product or service we would usually have to get outside of the neighborhood…we’d much rather support local folks. And yes, my CPA and insurance agent are both in WS :)
Yep, QFC was in that spot before Prairie! That popped into my head at work today.
And does anyone remember what was at the SW corner of California & Admiral 39 years ago when I was a patrol boy at that corner in the fourth grade at Lafayette?
Yes, it was Quality Cleaners which survives, largely unchanged, in the same space today! :-)
Mike
Patrol boy, eh? REEEEAAAADY, walk! Sounds like you were about six years ahead of me. I was at Lafayette the first year Mr.Gaston allowed patrol girls. If I remember right, the milk maids quit in droves to do patrol.
Ah yes! Mr. Gaston!
I had to stay after school in his class one day, (likely due to doing poorly on, or not completing an assignment, as opposed to misbehaving. I was too much of a good kid, and therefore missed out on alot of fun! The naughty one was my older brother. He probably owes Miss Young about ten years of accumulated after school time, for the day he didn’t show up for his punishment.)
Anyhow, Mr. Gaston was furious when I showed up about twenty minutes late, and when I explained I had patrol duty, He yelled “I don’t care! I expect you to be here on time.”
[/traumatic flashback]
Mike
The grocery store at 49th & Charlestown was Zorich Brothers in the 1960’s. It was our neighborhood store and we would look for pop bottles along the streets so that we could take them down to the store to turn in to get money to buy candy! One of the checkers was Ron Johnson (who later worked at Boeing and coached WS Junior Football).
Then it became a Low Mart before it was torn down entirely.
Continuing the walk down memory lane…Who remembers Reds,Ray & Al’s and The Dainty Shop????
I live near here so I appreciate all the history. My family and our neighbor live dangerously close to this structre. We have been involved in the design review and it appears that the neighbors tried to make the best out of this one. Just don’t block my driveway and we’re good to go :)
It’s about time.. how long has this burned out shell been there? 6 or 7 years seems like the right time frame.
Sorry, comment time is over.
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