Progress for the other WS megaproject

| Development | Triangle | West Seattle businesses | WS miscellaneous

Four days after the 41st/42nd/Alaska megaproject (with QFC) cleared a city hurdle, the Fauntleroy Place megaproject just a couple blocks to the east (with Whole Foods) has cleared one too. The company in charge of the project, Blue Star Management, says city council members unanimously approved the “alley vacation” today, and explains the alley’s future: “The alley running north to south from SW Oregon Street to SW Alaska Street between 40th Ave SW and 39th Ave SW will be relocated into an L-shaped alley, running from SW Oregon Street south and then exiting west at about three-quarters block on to 40th Ave SW, instead of continuing toward SW Alaska Street.” Blue Star reiterates that it hopes to start construction early next year; below is the latest rendering of what Fauntleroy Place is supposed to look like.

flipjack June 18, 2007 (6:18 pm)

nice rendering, although there should be about 500 more cars bumper to bumper crammed into the picture.

Jiggers June 18, 2007 (9:07 pm)

Exactly what I was thinking. Where are all the cars?

pam June 19, 2007 (6:55 am)

Wow, that’s disappointing. Lemme guess. Starbucks, Borders, QFC (maybe Whole Foods?), Subway, some kind of juice bar, and, um… is there enough space for a Gap or an Urban Outfitters? How ’bout an Olive Garden?

I guess that, sadly, this is almost exactly what I expected. And truthfully, it will be really freakin’ convenient for the people that live there, shopping RIGHT there, good bus service, and the coolness of the Junction just outside their doors.

Sigh.

Oliver June 19, 2007 (7:52 am)

Yuck, that belongs in Bellevue …

wolflo June 19, 2007 (8:11 am)

Goodbye West Seattle

Admiral Resident June 19, 2007 (8:21 am)

I agree Oliver, an expansive cement parking lot, Schucks and a fabric store looks much better.

Ms_F June 19, 2007 (11:47 am)

Why is it that architects and developers cannot honor the character of an area they are forever changing? I have an aunt who bought her newly-built townhouse in London about 25 years ago. It is virtually indistinguishable in character and feel from the neighboring buildings that are over a century old. Can you imagine a “megaproject” like this one being plopped down in the middle of a city with a unique architectural look (like San Francisco). There must be progress of course, but shouldn’t we be striving to keep the essence of a neighborhood intact? The neighborhood of Fairhaven in Bellingham is a good example of the new building complementing the architectural feel of the old neighborhood. Just a thought.

MG June 19, 2007 (12:59 pm)

Looks good to me. I think its a good modern interpretation of the surrounding architecture. Think for a moment about the mostrosity it’s replacing!

TS. June 19, 2007 (2:10 pm)

Have the same people who are complaining so much about this new project ever complained about the eyesore that is at that location now? I look forward to the change. That is one of the first intersections you come through when entering West Seattle from the bridge and it’s a bit embarassing in it’s present state. West Seattle’s true soul is in its residents…not the architecture. Just my take.

eric June 19, 2007 (3:17 pm)

opinions are like…

Here’s mine.

This is much better looking than:
1) what is currnetly there
2) jefferson square
3) the current Petco store

eric June 19, 2007 (3:20 pm)

And I think a Gap would be great. Sure, it’s not small town, but it isn’t like it’s a WalMart. Clothing is one item that 20-30 year old males cannot really obtain in West Seattle.

eric June 19, 2007 (3:22 pm)

Actually, I haven’t been able to buy clothes in West Seattle since that store that was where Elliott Bay Brewing is.

I know it used to be a card/sports collectables shop and at one point an arcade, but I seem to recall that it was also once a clothing store where you could buy Genera (can you say “hypercolor”?) clothing in the mid to late 80’s.

Anyone remember that place?

n June 19, 2007 (3:31 pm)

For all the haters of this project, take a hard look at the Schucks and Hancock Fabrics stores. They are blights on WS. So far, the renderings for this new complex look good to me.

Jan June 19, 2007 (4:14 pm)

eric? do you mean Athen’s Men’s Store? and for those complaining about the parking….can you say underground? for about 500-600 cars? That’s the plan…I just wonder where the bowling alley parking will go to during construction. The lot right next to WS Bowl is packed full, as is the street, on league night…

Jiggers June 19, 2007 (4:59 pm)

Safrons was the only place that had decent men’s wear in WS until he closed that down. Westwood Village doesn’t cut it for me so, I have to go out of my and drive to Southcenter which I hate because of traffic, but that’s were you’ll find anything decent. Its a ghost town for a good men’s clothing store in WS beyond WWV to Admiral. I do like to have a few nice shirts and pants other than for work too. The Gap is not for me since I am a bit older than their demographic target. You won’t find a Nordstrom’s or Macy’s up here. Shopping for men’s clothes could be better in Seattle.

flipjack June 19, 2007 (9:27 pm)

I like Schucks and the fabric store, they speak to the white trash that is the heart of West Seattle and I mean that in a good way…a little run down sure, but authentic and humble. This is just fake with surface appeal, just like the people who will most likely frequent it and live in the condos.
And who the hell says we NEED progress…where are we going so fast? THat’s what I wonder.

GenHillOne June 20, 2007 (6:41 am)

I agree that not all of the recent development is appealing, but this is better than what’s there now. Does anyone know if the plans for Hancock and Schucks have changed though? I thought they were going to be tenants, but now I’m only hearing Office Depot, no mention of the others. I don’t particularly like their current buildings, but do shop at both on occasion and would miss them.

WSB June 20, 2007 (6:57 am)

Office Depot is part of the 41st/42nd/Alaska project, with QFC; a new Hancock store will be part of the Fauntleroy Place (39th/Alaska/Fauntleroy) project with Whole Foods. Schuck’s is apparently just going away.

GenHillOne June 20, 2007 (7:13 am)

Thanks for clearing that up; darn if I won’t have to find a new place to buy wiper fluid and smelly cardboard trees.

old timer June 20, 2007 (8:28 am)

I wonder how much the condos will sell for, with their wonderful views of all the auto sales lots.

JW June 20, 2007 (9:56 am)

Flipjack, y’know…I come from a long line of white trash, and I gotta say – even with the best intentions, celebrating a rusting, sunbleached barn like Shucks/Hancock with an enormous featureless parking lot in the name of “authenticity” is laughable. Maybe even ridiculous.

Even white trash got aspirations, and those aspirations have long since outpaced the likes of the current building, which, at its inception could have easily been criticized as “fake with surface appeal” in the context of the (then) much smaller commercial buildings.

Gina June 20, 2007 (1:54 pm)

The building was originally a supermarket in the Lucky chain. Closed around the time that Boeing went bust, not enough people left to shop there.

flipjack June 20, 2007 (6:02 pm)

This too shall pass.

Chet June 21, 2007 (8:40 am)

Gina, which building are you talking about? The grey one on the corner that the post office used to stash their vehicles in? Just curious, as I love W Seattle history, probably because so much of it is vanishing at such a rapid pace.

Gina June 21, 2007 (9:18 am)

Chet-The Lucky store was the Hancock/Shuck’s building. They must have been very optimistic, laying out that giant parking lot. I remember that it was a very quiet store, much quieter than the Admiral Lucky’s, (where Metropolitan Market is.)

All the buildings that were torn down across from Jefferson Square were car dealerships in my memory.

The Westside Story book by Clay Eals is a good read for history. But there is so much recent history-less than fifty years old-that is going unrecorded. I wish the West Seattle Herald would publish a book of front pages, or post them on the internet.

The Log House museum sells some small booklets that are full of 50 year plus history. Fun reading!

Chet June 21, 2007 (12:11 pm)

Thanks Gina. I have a hard cover edition of Westside Story and I treasure it. Thanks for the info on this Hancock/Shucks area. I like your idea about the Herald. Cheers!

kelly June 21, 2007 (2:29 pm)

JW – You hit the nail on the head. Since when does decay and vast expanses of unused concrete equate with authenticity. Schuck’s and JoAnn Fabrics are simply two chain stores that have no intrinsic connection to West Seattle.

I say replacing them with stores that more people will actually use is good progress. My view is that when a person starts thinking all change is bad, they’ve probably stopped growing as a person. What’s so “authentic” about being stuck in a rut. Just my opinion…

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