Groundbreaking tonight for Whole Foods (aka Fauntleroy Place)

(Archive note: Video clip lost to hosting service closure)

The formal shovel-turning is now in the books, and construction of the long-awaited Whole Foods/Hancock Fabrics (and residential units) project — Fauntleroy Place — will begin at 39th/Alaska; the existing Hancock/Schuck’s building will be demolished. About 100 people attended tonight’s groundbreaking bash thrown by developers BlueStar Management, who provided food, music, and of course, speeches — King County Councilmember Dow Constantine (at right in the clip above) said the area’s come a long way from the days in the mid-’90s when businesses were closing and people were telling him what a shame it was that the West Seattle business scene was ailing — other speakers included West Seattle Chamber of Commerce executive director Patti Mullen and West Seattle Junction Association president Dave Montoure (proprietor of West 5). A cameo appearance was made by the Seafair Pirates, who sailed, er, drove up about 15 minutes before shovels hit dirt:

(Archive note: Video clip lost to hosting service closure)

Maybe a coincidence, but BlueStar exec Eric Radovich, who emceed tonight, used to do publicity for Seafair. (Pirate side note – co-publisher Patrick says he gave a WSB business card to one of the pirates, who chided him for a misspelling, saying that it should be “West Seattle Flog.” Arrrrrrrrrrrrr.) BlueStar’s newest estimated date for Fauntleroy Place completion is February 2010.

5 Replies to "Groundbreaking tonight for Whole Foods (aka Fauntleroy Place)"

  • Patrick the Sales Guy June 13, 2008 (8:34 am)

    The pirates were a wellspring of free-flog-to-a-good-home jokes. One said that if pirates had business cards you could present a pirate business card and receive a complimentary flogging. But he quickly added that pirates don’t carry business cards.

    If memory serves I believe that’s part of the Pirate Code which is more like guidelines anyway.

  • grr June 14, 2008 (11:06 pm)

    did anyone else notice that they’ve REMOVED the picture of what the Whole Foods is going to look like from the big ‘coming soon’ sign on the property!?!?! Guess we’re just supposed to forget the elegant ‘curve and brick’ design and embrace the new uglyness?

  • seattle golfer June 15, 2008 (8:04 am)

    I’m concerned that Whole Foods will or has pulled out! The “curve and brick” design is their staple design. Now we have a 70’s retro Safeway design with apartments to match instead. After all, why would Whole Foods put that kind of money into a location with only a 20 year lease on the ground that took nearly 4 years for Blue Star to pull together! Wake up West Seattle before the bait and switch gets moved to the permit phase.

  • grr June 16, 2008 (10:13 am)

    I’ve always had a gut feeling that Whole Foods would pull out (especially once the QFC broke ground). We’ll just have to wait and see.

  • grr June 16, 2008 (10:14 am)

    Interesting tho..BlueStar still has the original picture up on their website…

    http://www.bluestarmi.com/commercial/projects/fauntleroy.asp

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