West Seattle, Washington
23 Tuesday
Very short list for this week’s traffic alerts. We’ll group them by projects, instead of days:
SPOKANE STREET VIADUCT: Nothing in the coming week, says SDOT.
ALASKAN WAY VIADUCT/99: Tonight through Thursday night, it’s closed southbound, 9 pm-5 am, between the Battery Street Tunnel and West Seattle Bridge, says WSDOT.
P.S. If you drive through SODO, remember that there’s a Seahawks game Monday night and a Huskies game Thursday night, both likely to affect traffic. As noted here on Friday, the West Seattle Water Taxi has late-night runs for both games.
Big meeting tomorrow (Monday) night in West Seattle for those with something to say about Seattle Public Schools‘ BEX 4 levy before it’s finalized and sent to voters. Tomorrow may be the last public meeting here, since the School Board is scheduled to approve the levy’s language in November, though the election is not until February. We reported on the most recent version when it was announced to district families September 11th, then followed up with more details from the 
School Board “work session” the next day.
The Arbor Heights Elementary community (left) is particularly concerned about BEX 4 because, while their dilapidated school is still scheduled for a $45 million rebuild, the newest version of the levy plan pushes it back another year to completion and opening in fall 2019. As this grid shows, West Seattle’s two other major projects would be done first – a $20 million addition/upgrade plan for the five-years-closed Fairmount Park Elementary so it could open in fall 2014, and a $38 million rebuild of overcrowded Schmitz Park Elementary on the three-years-closed Genesee Hill campus, to open in fall 2015. The Arbor Heights PTSA is putting out a call for support at tomorrow night’s meeting:
Arbor Heights Elementary needs to be rebuilt ASAP – we cannot wait!
This can’t happen without our community/neighborhood support. Please tell your neighbors as well. …
Please wear yellow to show support.
The meeting is at 6:30 pm at Madison Middle School, 45th/Spokane. Here’s a preview of the PowerPoint (first shown at a meeting elsewhere in the city last week); other background material is linked here. The agenda for the meeting, and how comment will be taken, is shown here; if you can’t go but want to e-mail thoughts about the levy plan, capacity@seattleschools.org is the address.
SIDE NOTE: The day after this meeting, on Tuesday 9/25, West Seattle’s school board rep Marty McLaren has her first informal community-conversation meeting of the new school year, 1:15-3:15 pm at Delridge Library.
Did you see the intense color of the sun, and its reflection on the water, just before sunset tonight? WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams photographed it from the north Lincoln Park area in a way that revealed a sunspot – same one shown in this image from NASA – if the sunspot’s not visible in our photo on your screen, click the photo to bring it up in a larger size.
If we were betting types, we would bet this week we’ll hear something resembling an opening date for Marination ma kai at Seacrest Boathouse, the second “bricks and mortar” location for the team behind the famous food truck that’s been coming to West Seattle for three years. Today, we scooted over to Seacrest after Marination mentioned on Facebook that they were building chairs. As our photo shows, it was an even-livelier scene than the phrase “building chairs” implies. (P.S. They’re tracking progress, and introducing staffers, on their Tumblr.)
Leasing has begun for apartments in the building that has been in the works seemingly forever at 35th and Avalon – stalling more than once along the way, during ownership changes among other things. Our coverage goes back exactly five years; the site was intended to be part of the never-built monorail, and was at one point owned by troubled fugitive developer Michael Mastro. While a commercial “for lease” sign has been up for a while in its retail windows on the corner, today was the first time we noticed a sign inviting would-be renters to check out the apartments – referred to as “The Residences at 3295.” The website for the ~60-unit building is at rent3295.com, and shows floor plans ranging from studios to 2 bedroom/2 bath units. We’ve been talking with project representatives for a while in hopes of getting a look inside.
(See a larger version here)
That May 1954 photo of Mr. B’s Double-Decker Hamburger, from the Seattle Municipal Archives, came to our attention on Friday, when the Seattle City Council Twitter account flagged it as “Photo of the Week.” It’s one of the archive photos also featured on Flickr, and its main page there includes comments from Flickr member “Severinus” with more information, including a link to an exterior view “Severinus” pinpointed Mr. B’s address as 38th and Fauntleroy – now home to the dry cleaners immediately north of Link Apartments.
Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch – first, a hit-and-run solved by the husband of the victim. She writes:
I woke up (Saturday) morning to find my car had been sideswiped overnight. I park on the street because I have no driveway (39th & Hinds). The genius lost a very distinctive wheel hub. I called the police and an officer came within 30 mins. While they were on their way, my husband canvassed the neighborhood and FOUND THE CAR! Just a block away. Unbelievable. The officer headed right up there after I told her where it was. Two criminal citations later and justice is served. Karma wins!! Oh and yes, they have insurance. I am just glad they didn’t hurt anyone!
Second report, about a car break-in at Westcrest Off-Leash Park – and extra information thanks to victim vigilance in tracking down who was using her stolen card:
The team from 1 Green Planet (a nonprofit) was already very busy when we stopped by the fall “Recycle Roundup” at Fauntleroy Church minutes after it started this morning. This pickup truck full of big recyclables followed several vehicles that already had come through and dropped off their contributions to the recycling drive. It continues till 3 pm, so you have time to go see what you have in the basement or the storage unit or wherever – as long as it’s listed here as the type of item they’ll accept – and take it to the church parking lot at 9140 California SW.
Though today’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s is wrapping up along Lake Union right about now, it had West Seattle representation – this group headed out this morning from The Kenney (WSB sponsor). Participants included residents and staffers. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, the walk’s beneficiary, 35 million people are affected by Alzheimer’s worldwide, and this is National Alzheimer’s Month – find out more here.
(Photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
A shelf-like layer of clouds provided the drama for last night’s autumnal-equinox sunset watch with West Seattle’s NASA Solar System Ambassador Alice Enevoldsen at Solstice Park. WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams was there and shows us how it unfolded – ahead:
First full day of fall – perfect time for fall cleaning, if you want to divest yourself and your home of any items on the list for today’s “Recycle Roundup” – one of the highlights from the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar:
TRAFFIC ALERT: Tonight begins another Sunday-Thursday series of overnight closures for southbound 99/Alaskan Way Viaduct, 9 pm-5 am.
RECYCLE ROUNDUP: 9 am-3 pm today, it’s the fall edition of Fauntleroy UCC Church‘s twice-yearly recycling event with 1 Green Planet. Free (though they’ll have donation baskets if you want to offer a few $ out of appreciation for the service). Drive into the church parking lot at 9140 California SW (map) – the list of what they will and will not take is here.
PANCAKE-BREAKFAST FUNDRAISER: Support the Westside Wildcat youth sports/cheer organization by joining them for breakfast at the Masonic Hall, 40th and Edmunds, 9 am-11:30 pm – details in the calendar listing.
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: As always, 10 am-2 pm, 44th and Alaska in The Junction.
CREATIVE-WRITING CLASSES: A new series of weekly classes starts today at Gatewood B&B, 10 am-noon. Details here.
OPEN HOUSE AT CAMP LONG: 12:30 pm-4:30 pm, you’re invited to an open house about Camp Long’s challenge courses and community collaboration around them. Full details here.
GLOBAL LENS FILM SCREENING: The Portuguese/French film “Craft” will be screened free at the West Seattle (Admiral) Library, 2 pm, as part of the Global Lens series.
Preview the week ahead by browsing the calendar!
| Comments Off on This week’s West Seattle-related traffic alerts: Short list!