West Seattle, Washington
18 Monday
This is a sensitive issue, obvious since we first heard about it Wednesday. Within the span of a few hours, we received several notes from WSB readers asking if we had heard a rumor about Tent City 3, the rotating-site church-sponsored homeless camp, possibly coming to Fauntleroy Church (UCC) later this year. Our first stage of research quickly turned up a mention on the church website, saying that it was under discussion. Knowing the movements of other Tent City camps have led to community concern and questions elsewhere around Western Washington, we decided to seek comment and context rather than just slapping something up here on WSB. We left messages Wednesday afternoon for leaders at Fauntleroy Church, and also contacted the Church Council of Greater Seattle. While the Church Council did respond to our queries and after some discussion ultimately decided to take an official “no comment” position, we still have not heard back from Fauntleroy Church. Yet this is clearly being talked about in the community — yet more local residents have contacted us to inquire; one has forwarded a letter that the church-based Little Pilgrim preschool has sent to its families; another has forwarded a letter that was sent to the church on behalf of concerned neighbors. So in hopes of helping calm rumors, we want to share what we have found out so far:Read More
That’s the question Mona from Hello Insomnia is asking after getting this bumper-sticker photo:
P.S. One WSB team member suggests a FARK-style PhotoShop challenge to fill in the blank on this bumpersticker. If anybody has the inclination and software to play around with it that way, send us the result! EARLY SATURDAY MORNING UPDATE: Several people already have come up with possibilities — jump ahead to see them:Read More
We had the occasion to ask that question this afternoon, unfortunately, after WSB contributor Christopher Boffoli happened onto a dead harbor seal on the rocky shore along Harbor Ave west of Salty’s. None of us were sure who to call. We sent a note to the Seal Sitters volunteers; Christopher called police, who in turn said they would notify the appropriate authorities. He was there quite some time and reports no one ever showed. Click here for the scene photo (taken from a respectful distance); hard to tell the cause of death, since the carcass was disfigured from bloating. RIP, little seal.
Yesterday, we wrote to the PR folks for GEE Automotive to ask for the latest on the shuttered dealership — is it still for sale, is a buyer near, or will the inventory be cleared off the lot any time soon. Finally got a response today, in the form of the following press release claiming Steve Huling is to blame for a sale not going through. 6:05 PM UPDATE: A response from the Huling family is in the comments following this post (excerpt: “This whole episode is yet another attempt by the Gees to blame the Hulings for Gees’ lack of execution.”) Also, linked after the press release, is a document also sent by the GEE PR representatives, from Ryan Gee to Steve Huling:Read More
Sunday marks 10 months since the raucous rainstorm that preceded the wild windstorm. One of the first effects of the pounding rain on December 14th of last year was the Upper Fauntleroy sinkhole at Thistle/Northrop (above photo shows the site today). Save for a little cleanup, and a temporary bridge built in January so walkers could still use the Thistle hillside stairs, plus improvements to city storm drains nearby, the sinkhole has remained, gaping, barely cordoned off, ever since. But not for much longer; flyers have just appeared in the Seattle Public Utilities sign by the sinkhole, saying that “we have resolved the outstanding property issues and are ready to commence with the repair project. We are currently waiting for authorization from the State/FEMA … We are anticipating on receiving authorization within the next week.” The flyer says the sinkhole, which the city calls a “gully,” will be filled in with “structural fill.” It’s accumulated some unofficial fill over these long months:
As for how this work might affect you if you use this area — the city says it may start “quickly and on very short notice,” will take 4-5 days, will involve some traffic restrictions at that sharp corner, and most significantly (the city flyer puts it in bold, so we will too): The stairs will be temporarily closed during the duration of the repair work. Very popular for people walking to and from Lincoln Park, so plan alternate routes.
This could be our last look at the burned-out ex-Schuck’s on the northwest corner of Cali/Charlestown — the demolition permit has just been granted. No backhoes yet when we went by an hour and a half ago, but another eyewitness report later spotted utility disconnections under way.
Future mixed-use project sketch here.
Another reminder that festival season doesn’t end when summer sails away: An annual autumn highlight in West Seattle, the Fauntleroy Fall Festival, happens this Sunday afternoon — with music, food, and tons of fun — and it’s one of 31 listings on this week’s edition of the West Seattle Weekend Lineup:Read More
New listing on the booming south end of Morgan Junction: 7025 California, currently home to Alki Mortgage, just steps from Caffe Ladro and Gatewood Elementary. Billed as “highly desirable multi-use opportunity”: $1.7 million. One more listing of note has been up a few weeks but we hadn’t gotten around to mentioning it: 9003-9007 35th, home to On Safari Foods and a martial-arts studio (though we will always remember it fondly as the ex-home of Bird on a Wire till that shop moved around the corner), $795,000.
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