West Seattle, Washington
18 Monday
(Photo by Travis Tyler, t_ravtyler on Flickr, via the WSB Flickr group pool)
Two weeks ago, West Seattle’s County Councilmember Joe McDermott sounded the alarm about the state’s proposal for renovating the main ferry terminal downtown, Colman Dock, without a spot for passenger ferries, including the West Seattle and Vashon Water Taxis that now dock on its south side, at Pier 50.
Tonight there’s an update: Word from 34th District State House Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon is that the House has a “proviso” in its supplemental transportation budget – other news organizations had pointed out this was in the works – requiring WSDOT to continue to accommodate passenger-only ferries at its dock. That language is NOT in the State Senate’s budget, so, talks are under way between Senators, House members, and WSDOT to work something out before it all gets to the governor. Rep. Fitzgibbon says he worked on the “proviso” as a member of the House Transportation Committee. Fitzgibbon says it’s not just a matter of making sure the passenger ferries have someplace to dock – it’s a matter of making sure “that our state’s most important ferry terminal continues to connect with our passenger ferries and King County Metro buses.” Whatever winds up in the final plan, Colman Dock renovations are expected to start in about two years.
You have two more weeks to tell the state what you think about its future – as explained here.
The occasional “can you identify this …” reader photos we publish tend to be birds. Tonight, we have … bones. Jana and her kids found them while out on the beach south of Alki Point in the sunshine. Guesses?
P.S. Jana also shared a sunset photo from tonight – not one of those wild color-splashed scenes, yet beautiful in its own right:
Side note: Daylight Saving Time is less than two weeks away – we “spring forward” an hour at 2 am Sunday, March 11th.
Today’s sunshine was a tantalizing taste of approaching spring – which also means sale season! Yard sale, rummage sale, garage sale, etc. The two concurrent 
West Seattle church sales with a friendly rivalry are less than two weeks away – Tibbetts United Methodist Church (WSB sponsor) on March 9th (9 am-4 pm) and 10th (9 am-3 pm), and West Side Presbyterian Church also on March 9th (9 am-5 pm) and 10th (9 am-2 pm). From West Side, Kristin Pimblett e-mailed to say, “I wanted to let folks know that we also have a Bake Sale area inside the church .It’s like a community coffee shop! We sell lots of wonderful home baked goods; cookies, cakes, bars, you name it.” (Kristin is bake-sale coordinator.) And looking further down the road, West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day, coordinated again this year by WSB, is now just two and a half months away – it’s always the second Saturday in May, which this year is May 12th, 9 am-3 pm, and we’ll announce registration details next month. P.S. If you have your own sale, any time of year, you are invited to post it for free in the WSB Forums‘ Freebies/Deals/Sales section – just go here. (2011 WSPC sale photo by Ellen Cedergreen for WSB)
WEDNESDAY NOTE: Since publication, this work has been canceled.
ORIGINAL STORY: Just in from SDOT – this will affect eastbound drivers this weekend:
The contractor working for the Seattle Department of Transportation on the Spokane Street Viaduct Widening project will be closing the intersection of First Avenue S at S Spokane Street this coming weekend in order to repave the southern half of the intersection.
The intersection will be closed to all traffic beginning Friday, March 2 at 8 p.m. and will reopen on Monday, March 5, at 5 a.m. The eastbound First Avenue off-ramp from the West Seattle Freeway will also be closed. Motorists wishing to exit to SODO can still use the Fourth Avenue off-ramp, which provides motorists the option of then driving either north or south on Fourth Avenue S.
Southbound traffic on First Avenue S will be detoured west at S Hanford Street. Northbound traffic on First Avenue S will be detoured east at S Dawson Street, and then north on Fourth Avenue S.
Thanks to Bob A for the glorious view of the Olympic Mountains, Puget Sound, and a state ferry, photographed today from North Admiral. Though we escaped the snow that hit some Western Washington areas over the weekend, the National Weather Service suggests another chance is heading this way – see the latest “forecast discussion” here. P.S. The spring equinox is just three weeks away – 10:14 pm our time on March 19th.
Though they are in White Center, their experimental delivery zone includes part of West Seattle, so here’s what Proletariat Pizza just announced (via e-mail to us, as well as a note on Facebook):
We’re taking a leap of faith and will be trying out delivery tonight. Monday through Wednesday only, rough boundaries are 35th to the west, 4th to the east,
TrentonThistle to the north and 112th to the south (Arbor Heights, just call first, we’ll likely make an exception if you’re just outside the boundaries.) $2 delivery fee. Whole pizzas only (no halves), drinks, salad and dessert, but sadly, no beer and wine delivery. And all this is subject to change as we get it all figured out, which will likely take some time.
The FB version from Proletariat co-proprietor Stefanie mentioned a slightly-further-north border (Thistle), so we have a followup question back out to clarify.
2:55 PM UPDATE: Thistle it is.
That’s Tammy, who, with husband Pete, has just opened Alki Juice and Java across from Seacrest. (The space they have taken over was longtime home to Bubbles.) Tammy e-mailed us to share the news about their new business (she shared the photo too), and says:
The menu consists of fresh organic juice options, as well as smoothies made with frozen fruit and juice, and espresso. We already have an amazing mix of customers, residents nearby, scuba divers, Coast Guard employees, water taxi commuters, and people out for a stroll along the water.
No website yet, but Tammy says it’ll be up soon. Alki Juice and Java is open 7 am-4 pm weekdays, 8 am-4 pm weekends.
ADDED 2:09 PM: For commenter “Coffee” and anyone else who wondered – Tammy says they’re using coffee from Zoka.
As a new workweek begins, that demolition project in North Delridge is down mostly to the cleanup stage; over the weekend, we photographed what’s left of the old industrial site on the southeast corner of 28th/Yancy (we reported its impending demolition here on Valentine’s Day). Meantime, from the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar:
OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS: As school resumes following the district’s last weeklong mid-winter break, it’s also the start of open enrollment, today through March 9th – information here.
TODDLER/PRESCHOOLER ART CLASS: Daily “Coffee Break” class for ages 3-5 at Mind Unwind, whose announcement explains: “While kids do art, moms or dads have the opportunity to take a coffee break next door at Caffe Fioré, grocery shop at Metro Market, run errands or just use our free wi-fi, for two hours each morning (Mondays through Fridays), we have fun, interactive music and art that engages children’s natural ability to use their creative imagination. All projects are created from recycled household items. Class starts at 9:30 am and goes until 11:30 am. Only potty-trained children, text or email saying you are coming as late as day of. Texting number is 206-849-7222 … e-mail is create@mindunwind.org.” $25/class or 5-class punch card for $100, “art-supply donations welcome!”
WEST TURNS MIDWEST: West Seattle Cooking Club meets today, 3 pm at Beveridge Place Pub, and the theme is “Midwestern.”
FAMILY STORY TIME: At High Point Library, 7 pm.
DAKOTA PLACE PARK DISCUSSION: The Parks and Green Spaces Levy Oversight Committee meets at 7 pm tonight, Seattle Parks HQ downtown. Agenda includes the project to finish the historic substation building at Dakota Place Park, as well as the timeline for the next round of Opportunity Fund grants (for which individuals and groups can apply).
NIGHTLIFE: Trivia with Brian Calvert at Christo’s on Alki, 7 pm … Karaoke with Kelli at Skylark Café and Club, 9 pm … Also at 9 pm, the “Flat Earth Society” weekly vinyl DJ’ing at West 5 features Dawndra Budd … Talarico’s has karaoke @ 9:30 pm.
Story and photos by Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Exactly two years after the Fauntleroy Community Service Agency completed the deal to buy it from Seattle Public Schools, the old schoolhouse at 9131 California SW is full of new life, and new opportunities – for example, want to host your next meeting in a conference room with a bonafide old-school (literally) blackboard?
Even before the multi-year effort that secured the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse’s longterm future as a community-owned facility, it was already home to an eclectic, if small, assortment of established businesses/organizations – Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes Catering, Fauntleroy Children’s Center, Seattle Civic Dance Theatre/Dance! West Seattle among them. Now they’ve been joined by others, with room still for more.
Education is obviously a natural fit; last year, looking for a new home, Lincoln Park Cooperative Preschool – which is an educational program for parents as well as preschoolers – landed at the schoolhouse.
But you might be surprised by what, and who, else you find if you tour the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, as we did one day recently. Such as – an international game business!
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