36 Replies to "West Seattle development: Another Avalon Way proposal"

• Cole August 13, 2012 (8:11 pm)

  My Goodness! There sure are going to be a lot of folks piled on top of each other in WS soon. How many “apartments” proposals and projects does that make now? At least this one has proposed parking. I just wish the developers would think beyond the dollar sign and give serious thought to the mark these projects will leave for years to come and whether they will beautify our streets or be eyesores. No more crap construction please!

• WestSide45 August 13, 2012 (8:46 pm)

  Sure, parking space is nice, but 77 more cars on the road AND the road is not any wider. What developers won’t do to make a buck. And our fair city, desperate for tax revenue, will probably approve the idea and we’ll get a bunch of new neighbors who don’t know anything about West Seattle…maybe I should move to Canada, where they at least have great Olympics coverage, not the Bob Costas Show every night.
  Sorry, different subject.

• coffee August 13, 2012 (9:57 pm)

  Oh good grief charlie brown……really do we really need these??

• DTK August 13, 2012 (10:41 pm)

  So much for “Rapid Ride.”

• cj August 14, 2012 (3:14 am)

  This is getting ridiculous. Can we have some limits please?

• JD August 14, 2012 (7:23 am)

  How about some condo’s instead of apartments, Least bring the value in the neighborhood up.

• June August 14, 2012 (7:51 am)

  Let’s put them at bay so that only the natives can stay. I’ve lived here all my life, and I hate how it is becoming. WS simply does not have the capacity for high density! They are adding 150 cars on the road daily with the North Delridge apartment complex alone. Add that to the others, we have got ourselves a hot mess! I think it’s time to make Save West Seattle signs before we become the next Ballard.

  • WSB August 14, 2012 (8:04 am)

    Well, if only the natives can stay, then I guess Patrick and I have to leave. We came from California 21 years ago, when the concept of migrating here from California was so reviled that we were warned to change our license plates at the border. We rented a Beach Drive unit for two years and then bought the little bitty Upper Fauntleroy house we’ve lived in for 19 years. The concerns about density and planning are certainly an important conversation to keep having but please be kind to the “non-natives”; whether you like or don’t like the building/s they move into, they (we) contribute to the community too. – TR

• NorDel August 14, 2012 (8:15 am)

  I just heard from the renters next door that their owner is planning to start building a townhouse……wait for it……in the driveway!!

  No plans to tear down only plans to squeeeeeeze in between his existing structure and our newly purchased home. :(

  I checked online for permits and plans, but I have had no luck. Since they are renters, they really don’t know what the plan is. She said he just wanted to them a “heads up” because they’re starting next month.

  Anyone know where else I can check on his plans? There were no permits filed under the address of the house, but I am not sure if it’s different since it is not an addition to the house it is a whole new structure.

  Thanks friends!

  • WSB August 14, 2012 (8:23 am)

    If you e-mail me I’d be happy to offer research hints. Could be that they haven’t filed anything yet – or, the addressing can indeed be different (happens all the time with the developments we’re always researching) … editor@westseattleblog.com

• Twobottles August 14, 2012 (10:15 am)

  Only the natives can stay? So you would have to show a birth certificate stating that you were born in WS to stay in WS? Welcome to a ghost town… I’ve lived in the Admiral District for 25 years, ain’t going anywhere.

• NotMe August 14, 2012 (10:25 am)

  There is ALWAYS someone that is “from” West Seattle that will always mention he/she has lived here his/her whole life. I have lived here for only 1/3 of my life, but I still pay taxes, help the community when I can, clean up trash in the park when I see it, coach baseball even though my kids have graduated college, shop as much as I can in and ONLY in West Seattle, walk – not drive – to the grocery store (I love Metropolitan!), eat at restaurants in West Seattle – and yet – you still look at me as though I am some sort of cancer. Do us ALL a favor: stay in your home as much as you can. Try not to experience anything new. That way, you won’t be troubled by any of those nasty Californians that decided THIS was a great place to live inspite of losing so much sunshine.

• RG August 14, 2012 (11:18 am)

  Generationally speaking, families staying where they were raised isn’t the norm any longer (except in economic down turns when the kids can’t leave the nest). I don’t think it’s so much an issue of WS native vs non-native but rather the inevitable change to this area; here change comes so quickly and unexpectedly it can feel like it’s out of control. I don’t think being a WS native makes one superior to those who are not but I do think that sometimes when someone says that it comes more from a place of frustration at how much the landscape has changed, and changed so quickly. Good, bad, that depends on who you are. The Blog, thankfully, gives us a common place of community. Look what folks accomplished with that zipline. We’re moving forward regardless; let’s do it together.

• Spike August 14, 2012 (11:20 am)

  Place is going to the dogs . . .

• Joey McQueeb August 14, 2012 (12:59 pm)

  Anyone bring cheese for all the whine?

• bsmomma August 14, 2012 (1:01 pm)

  This is just madness. I can think of 5 new residential living projects off the top of my head, I’m sure there’s more. And this is in addition to the newer 4 completed residential living projects. It’s not a native/non native situation. It’s a to much to soon situation! We are soon to be the “clown car” of neighborhoods! We have an awesome community but soon it will be very difficult to enjoy a lot of it because of all this. There has to be a limit of new residential construction………..and if there’s not, lets do something about it!

• Spike August 14, 2012 (1:36 pm)

  I am with you momma SAVE WEST SEATTLE . . .

• Ms. Sparkles August 14, 2012 (2:25 pm)

  Why doesn’t Seattle make new developments pay into a “transit / traffic mitigation fund”? We can live all piled up on top of each other as long as the city provides reliable, convienent rapid transit to get us to work – works for New York (so I hear, never been there myself)….right?

  Do we write to our City Counsel reps and the Mayor?

• Mickymse August 14, 2012 (2:29 pm)

  I contionue to be amused by the same comments threads over and over… as if something is being “done” to West Seattle by “evil, rich developers” or “crazy” City officials.
  .
  Almost all of the devlopment here in the last few years has been within existing zoning put in place 10 or more years ago. And I’m sorry to say there’s plenty more zoning room for more density to happen, with little input by residents now.
  .
  As i keep saying, some of your neighbors have been trying for years to tell you about the neighborhood planning, the need for a monorail, the impact of building a waterfront tunnel. It’s not all Trader Joe’s and french bakeries, you know. And, most of the time we’re waved away from your doors or told you don’t have time to listen.
  .
  We’re not really asking for much. If hundreds of you can turn up to “protect” Lincoln Park from ziplines, then some of you can turn up to community and neighborhood group meetings. Or at least read the Blog’s write-ups afterwards. (Tracy and Patrick do an amazing job, and some times film the important presentations!) Take five minutes to email or call a City/County Councilmember to express your opinion. And give a neighbor five minutes when s/he comes to your door. (We’re nice! I promise!)

• datamuse August 14, 2012 (2:35 pm)

  So, how long do I have to live here before I’m a native? Is 13 years long enough? Or should I leave now? (Good luck finding a buyer for my house in this market…hey, maybe a developer can tear it down and put up more apartments.)
  .
  Seriously, people. Keep this up and you’ll get your wish when prospective new neighbors get the idea that West Seattle is unfriendly and mean spirited. Then you can complain about the empty apartment buildings.
  .
  Oh, and Spike, you’re too late…I saw at least a dozen pooches on my neighborhood jog last night.

• boy August 14, 2012 (3:57 pm)

  We get mad when people move out to the country and invade the animal habitat. We get mad when people move in next door. Where are people suposed to live? Where is mans natural habitat? Kind of damed if do and damed if you do.

• Spike August 14, 2012 (4:21 pm)

  Leave now you too can help SAVE WEST SEATTLE

• miws August 14, 2012 (4:44 pm)

  Aw crap, datamuse! Does that mean I’ve been wasting my time sucking up to cats, believing they were gonna be the ones to take over the world?

  .

  Or, are the dogs simply teh kittehs’ minions? ;-)

  .

  Mike

• datamuse August 14, 2012 (4:44 pm)

  Oh, and New York is AWESOME. I’ve never needed to drive there because they have real transit and dedicated bike avenues and walkable streets. Sure would be nice to have those things here.

• RG August 14, 2012 (5:02 pm)

  Boy: It seems like urban density and urban sprawl happen at equal rates nowadays. I think it’s hard for some people to see changes that could potentially affect their property values, but more importantly (to me anyway) is that it’s hard to watch an old house get razed, or realize a beach bungalo disappeared sometime in the last few days and is slated for condos, townhouses, or apartments. It appears as if with each bulldozer, each new cookie-cutter building, we lose a bit more of what makes WS different, personal, and charmingly quirky. I can also see this from the side of people wanting to share in the uniqueness and move here; for some families that means apartment living (which I think is underrated).

• datamuse August 14, 2012 (5:21 pm)

  Miws, the dogs are the advance team. I ALSO saw a cat hanging out on the sidewalk last night, looking VERY proprietary…think that must’ve been their leader. ;)
  .
  Y’know, RG, I sympathize to an extent, but to be honest I can’t decry the changes coming to the Junction. The building-formerly-known-as-Petco is really pretty ugly and doesn’t present any friendliness or charm to the street. Talerico’s is a marginal improvement in that sense over when New Luck Toy was there (worst Chinese food I’ve ever eaten, by the way, and I’ve eaten a LOT) but only marginal. And I don’t see anything appealingly quirky about the vacant lots where Huling Bros used to be, the giant hole in the ground, or the fence around the decrepit gas station.
  .
  If y’all don’t like it, you’d do well to read Mickymse’s comments and get involved sooner rather than later. By the time the developers arrive it’s already too late.

• Ratsinacage August 14, 2012 (6:24 pm)

  WS jumped the shark awhile ago.

• Spike August 14, 2012 (6:59 pm)

  I guess I will have to start calling these counci
  Members and maybe attending these gatherings I do better following then leading but . . . So the reason I bring up west seattle is going to the dogs is one of the oldest “natives” who happens to be I believe previous owner of the huling lots said so to me he said “west seattle is going to the dogs” I recall him mentioning seeing so much trash around now. Mind you this man who still lives graduated from the local high school in the 40s so he has seen a lot of change. I am a finger pointer and feel superior at time yes. Its all a bunch of b&@~€it. Have some respect for us who are West Seattle and watching it . . . Yeah. :(

• datamuse August 14, 2012 (8:30 pm)

  Funny, being referred to as a dog doesn’t make me feel like being respectful.

• betty August 15, 2012 (10:54 am)

  What the ****?! How in the world does current zoning allow this level of high-density development when traffic can barely get over the thin ribbon of bridge on/off the “island” as it is? This is madness! So frustrating. Grrrrrr…

• Curiouser August 15, 2012 (7:01 pm)

  Are there any zoning laws here? Is there a maximum density?
  .
  We moved to WS 22 yrs ago, partly because of the “small town” feel. Oh well.

  • WSB August 15, 2012 (7:30 pm)

    Yes, there are zoning laws. As for maximum density – wherever is currently zoned for a certain height/size of building can have that height/size of building, if the land owner chooses to build that way (and meets other city codes). Much of the heart of The Junction, for example, was zoned to 65/85 feet more than a decade ago, and only now is the redevelopment really beginning (with the exception of Alaska House, the building at 42nd and Alaska that is higher than anything could be under current zoning). You can browse the city’s maps to see what parcel is zoned for what height …
    .
    http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/Research/Zoning_Maps/default.asp
    .
    The zoning classifications you’ll see on that map are explained here:
    .
    http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/static/Seattle%20Zones_LatestReleased_DPDP_020250.pdf

• Harry Reems August 15, 2012 (7:56 pm)

  The more the merrier I always say….

  However, is the infrastructure in place (or planned?) to support this growth? How many other Seattle communities have such limited access?

• Jet City August 16, 2012 (2:29 am)

  @June “Let’s put them at bay so that only the natives can stay. … I think it’s time to make Save West Seattle signs before we become the next Ballard.”
  .
  Only the natives can stay… what an excellent idea! You can have a sign-making party at the Duwamish Longhouse and write all the ‘Save West Seattle’ signs in Lushootseed. Anyone unable to trace their native ancestry back to the last glacial period, 8,000 BC, can get packing.

• bolo August 16, 2012 (4:31 pm)

  Thanks for the interesting historical facts, WSB. This makes me curious. I keep hearing how the economy is not doing so well. Unemployment is problematical.
  But evidently some part of the economy is doing very well, to enable these projects now, at this time, instead of at other times during the (more than) last ten years that they were allowed. Does anybody know?

  Maybe the fact that the viaduct is coming down, opening up a desirable waterfront?

  Possible new basketball arena/NBA franchise?

  Could these be igniting a new perception of possible upside to WS development?

  • WSB August 16, 2012 (4:49 pm)

    Bolo – I’m trying to beef up two just-published stories so can’t look this up for a bit but: The WS Chamber awards breakfast earlier this year had a presentation/speech by a local economist who gave some interesting info about what’s going on – though he said apartments seemed to be close to getting maxed out – you wouldn’t know it around here (I have even MORE to report on in the next day or two) … TR

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