About to get the boot — renters at a building that just about everyone in WS has driven past at one time or another, thanks to its amazing Alki Point location, the Rip Tide (photo below). An Alki-area reader just pointed out to us that the Rip Tide changed hands a few weeks ago (for $4 million) and is going condo, fulfilling fears voiced more than a year ago. (Sure won’t make this situation any better.)
Sorry to veer off topic, but I keep wishing that somebody would demolish and condo-ize the fleabag motel on Alaska Street near 35th Avenue SW.
Apparently,the franchise of Travel Lodge no longer wants this site associated with their holdings but can do nothing about them because of the independent franchise agreement made decades ago when they did sell franchises. So here the owner sits with a blue bag over the motel sign, a business that operates on a nightly basis at best and every police officer in West Seattle knows to check the motel first if there is an individual(s) that needs to apprehended in our neighborhood. At least the semi trucks without the trailer have decided that it’s not worth parking on the sidewalk anymore since the neighbors started reporting that activity. At least the revolving neon “motel” sign has burned out and no longer revolves. The prostitution is alive and well however, just stand across the street at the bus stop at 6:00 a.m. and you will see what that motel is all about. Doubtful that the alley can be vacated due to Merrill Gardens which will limit the size of anything built but Travel Lodge and the old West Seattle Herald buildings need to be addressed now. Best view of the city, what a waste and an eyesore for all that have to live within eye sight.
Yes elevated concern – however, I am absolutely sure you, and all of the other blog people, are surely going to support a condo.
Ugly is ugly, and property owner rights are rights, until you don’t agree with them.
Personally, tear down the motel, build the biggest condo allowed, and suck it up. Remember people, we are a “designated urban village”.
And yet it was the only motel in West Seattle when my wife and I came out here in 2003 to do a little house-hunting from DC. It wasn’t “that” bad and it was inexpensive and better than having to travel “to” West Seattle every day. I, for one, was really sorry the Alki folks stopped the development of that little 40-unit hotel which a local landowner wanted to build right on Alki right near Seacrest Park – now that would have been a great place to stay. Alki residents have an unnaturally proprietary attitude about what the beach is all about. But, hey, I sort of feel the same way about Lincoln Park but realize I must share it, too.
previous poster said that “I, for one, was really sorry the Alki folks stopped the development of that little 40-unit hotel…”
As I recall, the problem with that little hotel was that it was not a permitted use in the Alki business district. Zoning.
Last year I had occasion to stay in the hotel on Alaska street, and I didn’t find anything wrong with it. It was clean and quiet and not a prostitute or gang member in sight! On the one hand, there’s lots of hand-wringing about new development; on the other hand the older, fading buildings that have lost their shine and sparkle are disparaged. As far as I could tell, the proprietors were hard-working and seemed to be honest. Just because it’s not a $650/night “boutique” hotel, it doesn’t deserve its bad rap.
When Travelodge doesn’t want you as a franchise anymore, that’s pretty sad. :)
Seriously though, I wish there was another choice of hotel in WS. When I have friends/family come to visit from the east coast, I hate to have to send them downtown or to the airport for a hotel, especially when that place is about 6 blocks from me. Chas’ review of that hotel is the only good one I’ve ever seen recently. These are the reviews on it from people on Tripadvisor.com: http://tinyurl.com/2k5be6
We refer to that motel on Alaska as the “Turd Lodge”, based on what my friend’s aunt found between the sheets of her bed right after she checked in. The front desk said it was because sometimes not everything washes out of the laundry. (!) It really is too bad that this is the only motel in WS–my friend’s relatives were elderly and didn’t want to drive back and forth from downtown. There’s the Villa Heidelberg B&B on 45th–anyone ever stayed there or know if it’s any good?
I had never heard of this B&B, Luckie, but these are the two reviews on Trip Advisor: http://tinyurl.com/2t2cgt
I was just looking at their website at http://www.villaheidelberg.com/ and it says rooms are $100 to $250 a night. That upper end is rather pricey, in my opinion and I wouldn’t pay it for a luxury suite hotel, let alone a B&B.
alternatives for places to stay in West Seattle….for those that feel money is no object…check these out…
Well I for one have enjoyed living at the Rip Tide over the past 3 years. It is sad that everything is being converted to Condos. In all of the good neighborhoods, apartments are almost gone. But I guess people that live in apartments are not conisdered part of the community as they don’t have any “ownership”. The Rip Tide was clean and there were very few problemes if any.
It is sad that there is no market anymore and you have to drive/bus/bike to the top of the hill to get anything. It was nice when the market was there.
Sorry, comment time is over.
| 12 COMMENTS