New not-a-park at former Denny site: The bird’s-eye view

| Denny-Sealth | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Last week, we brought you the story of the now-completed work at the former Denny International Middle School site in Westwood, with a focus on how it incorporates some of the features neighbors fought for, during the design process more than three years ago. Tonight, we have an aerial view of the results, courtesy of Seattle Public Schools (click the image for a larger view), photographed just last Friday.

As noted in our story – read it here, if you didn’t see it when we published it – the only part of the site that’s still fenced off is the big unmarked field where the main Denny building was, before last summer’s demolition work. While some nearby nicknamed the site “Denny Park,” it is school-district property, and considered to be an expansion of the nearby Southwest Athletic Complex, though Seattle Parks is helping with some of the scheduling. Technically, it is the third and final phase of the Denny/Sealth co-location work (coverage archive here), funded by the 2007 BEX III levy, with tennis courts and a softball field replacing the ones torn out on the Sealth/Denny campus nearby. Since this site may house a new elementary school under consideration for the BEX IV levy, project managers say there is nothing on the site that would have to be torn out for that potential project.

Chris January 17, 2012 (9:19 pm)

I drove by there today and there appeared to be a lot of standing water on the “unmarked” field. I am wodering if they put in any drainage on the field. There also seemed to be some erosion running towards the tennis courts.

WSB January 17, 2012 (9:30 pm)

There are several “rain gardens” and an underground retention tank. There was standing water in several of the gardens when we toured a week-plus ago, but I believe that is by design. The erosion was mentioned during the tour – some cracks in the slope – I confess I forgot the explanation and don’t have the notes handy, but it was something that was being addressed. – TR

Westwood neighbor January 17, 2012 (9:54 pm)

Thank you neighbors who worked so hard. Thank you WS Blog for all your great reporting. Thank you project team & District for listening. The design is beautiful and responsive to the neighborhood while still serving the school district.
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Big, huge concern: the locked softball field. The neighborhood was assured that the field (softball + tennis courts) would be fully accessible to the public. Please don’t lock us out! We are surrounded by chain fence throughout most of the rest of the site. Let us know if there are problems we need to address (no dogs on the artificial turf, for example), but don’t keep us out.
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Keep this beautiful area accessible to all. Thank you again.

losarayas January 18, 2012 (6:43 am)

My family waited with great anticipation for the development at the site of the “old” Denny school to be completed. We knew that all of the dust and noise and inconveniences would one day be worth it. It is a wonderful addition to the neighborhood. I am concerned by the fact that the baseball/softball field at the site has recently been padlocked. I and my family were looking forward to playing on that field. Elsewhere in Seattle, turf fields are accessible to the public and are without fences, Hiawatha and Walt Hundley come to mind.
I agree with Westwood neighbor that there are enough chain link fences in this area. The community needs this field to be more accessible.

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