West Seattle, Washington
13 Sunday
On Tuesday, after we reported SDOT‘s long-awaited answer to the question “when will the new 1st Avenue South ramp from the westbound Spokane Street Viaduct open?” (see the story here), three questions emerged in the comment section. Below, the answers, via SDOT’s Rick Sheridan:
Q: When SDOT shifts traffic to the new structure to repave the existing one, will we lose the eastbound 4th ave on-ramp?
A: When we repair and then resurface the deck of the old structure, closures of the eastbound off-ramps will be required to safely facilitate the work. This will impact the eastbound First Avenue S off-ramp and the new Fourth Avenue S off-ramp, though we will not close both at the same time. One of the two eastbound off-ramps will be available for use during that work.
Q: Is the much-later ramp completion going to result in any kind of penalty for the contractor, or was that not a component of the contract?
A: No. This is because major utility relocation work necessary for the ramp’s construction was outside of our control. The delay, however, does have financial implications for the contractor as a longer project phase incurs more costs.
Q: Who’s the “steel subcontractor”?
A: The subcontractor is Stinger Steel from Montana.
The original report is here. As noted, SDOT originally had said the ramp would take at least 16 months to build, but if the “not fully open until July” holds true, that will be 26 months. Last February, concrete work on the ramp had to be torn out and redone because of an alignment error, but at the time, SDOT said that wouldn’t affect the project schedule.
Be extra-aware of burglars this holiday season. So warned the most recent newsletter from Seattle Police crime-prevention coordinators citywide. Though the burglary rate has dropped lately, according to Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Steve Paulsen, a couple of cases have attracted attention these past couple days – some of which might even play into a citywide “pattern” that police are trying to break right now. We have that story plus a followup on a stolen car (including what the thief did with a card also stolen from the victim) – read on:Read More
In a recent update on the almost-200-unit project that’s begun construction in North Delridge, we mentioned they were working on a new name, since “Cooper at Youngstown” turned out to have a nearby conflict. Today, Steffenie Evans from Legacy Partners says they’ve chosen one: Youngstown Flats.
After initially spending a lot of time and energy to find a name that was both rooted in the history of the neighborhood and not already in use, we were a bit surprised to learn that the artist housing at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center was called Cooper Artist Housing at Youngstown.
We immediately scheduled a meeting with the artists in residence to discuss the name we had chosen an what impact it might have on their community if we kept the name. It became very clear that even though their brand is not visible in internet searches or on-site signage, they had a strong identity with the “Cooper” name.
Wanting to be sensitive to our community, and a community that we had especially hoped to engage in our search for incorporating local art into our building, we decided the right thing to do was to re-name our project.
We had initially included “Youngstown” in our name because it was the historical name for the North Delridge neighborhood and ties back to the Youngstown School that has been at the heart of the community for decades, and to the energy of the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. The name “Youngstown Flats” celebrates the history of the community and the immediate neighborhood that the project is joining. Like the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, it provides a connection between nature, the arts and history.
The crew working on the site at 26th/Dakota is wrapping up excavation for the building’s garage, and the construction crane is expected soon. Legacy and Barrientos LLC took over the site after it had been granted permits a few years ago as a condo project; it’s being built as apartments with a few live-work units and a relatively small commercial space, as well as a mini-park on unused right-of-way across the street. They also recently announced art-procurement plans that will get into high gear around February.
(Photos courtesy Jessep Bangham, unless otherwise credited)
By Bill “Hutch” Hutchison
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
“N’awlins” flavors are coming to West Seattle in the form of a new restaurant named the Fleur de Lys Café.
The new venture will share the upstairs of Shipwreck Tavern, at 4210 SW Admiral. Before you ask, yes, the Shipwreck is still in business and will remain so – they’re just renting out the upstairs as a separate business to Jessep Bangham and his girlfriend Liz Bowman, to start their tribute to the great cuisine of New Orleans.
The opening date is not set in stone, but they are aiming for mid-January. Liz was born and raised in NO and now lives here in Seattle. Jessep, an Alaska native, is now working as a Microsoft program manager, and is the driving force behind the operation. “The idea is to marry Northwest fresh produce and some seafood with some authentic New Orleans ingredients and prepare the best New Orleans’ style food outside of Louisiana,” he explained.
No major events today/tonight – but we have some holiday reminders and updates:
PUT THE GIVING IN THANKSGIVING: Last chance today to help out your local food banks before Thanksgiving. White Center Food Bank, we’re told, is low on everything – turkeys, boxed food, canned food, you name it. The yellow tent in our photo is in their parking lot for holiday food distribution; just head on over to 8th and 108th and drop off whatever you can give, by 7 tonight.
OTHER GIVING OPPORTUNITIES: We’ve got a list on the WSB West Seattle Holidays page – and we also got a tip that WestSide Baby is out of coats. (Their ongoing “wishlist” is part of our giving list – and if you know of more giving opportunities, please keep ’em coming so we can add to it.)
FREE THANKSGIVING DINNERS: The Hall at Fauntleroy, the West Seattle Eagles aerie, and St. James Annex are three places you’ll find them tomorrow, all also on the Holidays page. We don’t have any current calls for volunteers, but the Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes-catered dinner at The Hall at Fauntleroy always welcomes pies and cookies to be dropped off, today, or tomorrow morning. (9131 California SW)
THANKSGIVING ‘WHO’S OPEN FOR COFFEE’ LIST: It’s done! We’ll post it on the home page tomorrow morning for quick reference, but today, if you’re making a plan, find it on the Holidays page.
THANKSGIVING RESTAURANTS LIST: We have a few on the Holidays page and are putting out the call one more time – if you own, or know of, a restaurant that will be open for all or part of Thanksgiving, please let us know so we can add it. We’ll be making phone calls later but a quick note would be appreciated if you see this first! P.S. Shoutout to The Thaitan, whose proprietor Pop was the first to e-mail us to say he’ll be open with a full menu AND delivery tomorrow.
SPEAKING OF RESTAURANTS: Shop local on Black Friday and you’ll get 25 percent off your meal at Fresh Bistro (WSB sponsor) that day for showing a West Seattle shop receipt for $50 or more.
WEST SEATTLE LIGHTS ANNOUNCES SPECIAL GUEST: Update on the popular synched-to-music Helmstetler Family Spectacular/West Seattle Lights show that starts this weekend (here’s our check-in from last Sunday) – Jim Winder sent word that Zach Scott of Seattle Sounders FC will be the special celebrity guest for the lighting ceremony at 7 pm Saturday (across from the Charlestown water tower). As Jim notes, that’s particularly appropriate since they’re collecting donations this weekend for the family of Ed Kingston, the volunteer soccer coach who died suddenly last month while coaching his son’s team at Riverview Playfield. (Zach made a West Seattle visit back in September, at the Lafayette Elementary playground dedication.)
TRANSPORTATION NOTES: No West Seattle Water Taxi tomorrow or Friday; Metro will be on a Sunday schedule on Thanksgiving, a reduced-weekday schedule on Friday.
7:15 AM: Right now it’s calmer than it’s been for a while, but as you head out this morning, beware the aftermath of all that rain – we have one report, for example, of fairly deep water as you go from the eastbound bridge to 99. The National Weather Service still has a “flood advisory” in effect in our area for this kind of problem (as well as for possible “small stream” flooding as rain continues through the day). As the advisory warns (caps theirs), “DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF FLOOD WATERS. STANDING WATER JUST A FEW INCHES DEEP CAN CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL OF A VEHICLE.”
ADDED 9:08 AM: Quick clip of one prime example of “ponding” – the Fauntleroy/Juneau/39th curve just northeast of Morgan Junction.
For the first time since 1998, the SWAC Cougarettes cheer squad went to the big regional competition at Pacific Lutheran University last weekend, after a lot of hard work, reports Felicia, who shared the photo and a recap:
Coaches Alicia and Roxie were wonderful with these girls, and treated them like family. The girls practiced 3 times a week as well as cheering for all the games on Sundays from 8 am to sometimes 6 pm. Many of the other competing squads have a cheer squad for each of the football divisions. These kids worked so hard and even though they didn’t win a trophy, they deserve just as much hoopla. The thing that struck me was that these kids were sad for like a minute, but then were sincerely happy for the teams that placed, and thrilled to be in the moment. My daughter Chloe’s takeaway was that the experience itself was worth all the hard work. I’m sure each and every one of the families are as proud as I am of our girls and so grateful to Alicia & Roxie for their dedication!
Felicia says 9 teams competed, and a squad from Kent won the championship.
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