West Seattle, Washington
15 Sunday
(Proposed ‘preferred’ massing for the development; rendering courtesy Nicholson Kovalchick Architects)
Tomorrow (Thursday) night is the first Southwest Design Review Board meeting for 3210 California SW, the 166-apartment project that’s the first proposal for a block-long stretch of South Admiral upzoned two years ago, after an at-times-contentious process that started more than three years earlier. The meeting was set to happen last month – until neighbors pointed out that the notice had not gone to everyone affected, so the city postponed it at the last minute. Those neighbors live in the single-family neighborhood behind the proposed development plan; while they expect to be at the meeting, they also have drafted a 13-page letter they sent in advance in hopes the board members would have time to consider it. Here’s a copy they provided. It details their concerns, particularly regarding height, bulk, and scale of the new development. Looking at homes to the east along 42nd, you can see its potential top floors in blue to the west.
An excerpt from the letter:
1. The proposed project abuts a much less intensive SF zone of substantially different scale, along its long axis. 80-percent of the abutting single-family residences are one or two-story bungalows on 5000 sf lots. The absence of an alley for access and buffer is conducive to a project of smaller scale.
2. The proposed project is two full stories taller than the buildings on California Ave to its north and south. (See Section D in the project packet.)
3. The development site is of such exceptional length not only for its immediate context, but for Seattle overall. The proposed building is 200 feet longer than a downtown block, with a footprint equivalent to 6 NC parcel lengths and 9 SF parcel lengths. Even with one “break†in the building’s upper stories, the two masses are still each far longer than any other buildings.
4. The current proposal appears substantially greater in height and scale than in representations made in connection with a 2011 rezone.
The project packet can be seen here. This review is the second one on the board’s agenda for tomorrow night at the Senior Center of West Seattle (second floor of California/Oregon building) – at 6:30 pm, they take up the 39-apartment building proposed for 3829 California SW, and then 3210 California SW’s part of the meeting is scheduled to start at 8 pm. There’ll be a period for public comment on each project.
Police are investigating a suspicious incident that happened in Schmitz Park this evening. The person who reported it has just sent her story, and we’re sharing it, not in the interest of panic, but in the interest of “knowledge is power,” particularly since we have unsolved incidents including last Tuesday’s California SW attack. Here’s what she wrote:
I was walking with my 3-year-old son just inside the entryway to Schmitz Park behind the elementary school. We wanted to see some big trees, but I had a strange feeling that we needed to turn back. I heard some rustling and had an urgent feeling we needed to get out. We had to maneuver around a puddle, and I glanced over my shoulder. A man with reddish hair, a slight build, with a brownish sweater, tan pants, and brown shoes was running straight at me. If I hadn’t turned around and looked him in the face, he would have overcome me. When I looked at him, he stopped and turned sideways. He had something he put in his pocket. He sort of made another move forward, because as I looked around, we were still out of plain view. So I used a very loud voice to tell my son we were going home now. My son made a lot of noise complaining that he didn’t want to go home. I kept my eyes on the man and picked up my protesting, screaming son. And the man literally ran back into the park.
Police reiterate that they want to be notified, via 911, when something suspicious happens – and that’s exactly what this mom did.
It was a crosstown soccer match on Tuesday afternoon at Southwest Athletic Complex – Chief Sealth International High School vs. West Seattle High School. The division-leading Seahawks came away with the win, Sealth over WSHS 5-0. Here’s the scoring recap from our partners at The Seattle Times; ahead – our gallery of scenes from the game, photographed for WSB by Nick Adams:
As discussed when the Whole Foods/370-apartment megaproject at 4755 Fauntleroy Way SW came back to the Southwest Design Review Board two weeks ago (WSB coverage here), the proposal also is in the midst of a crucial review by another city-organized group: The Seattle Design Commission. They must sign off on the developer’s request for an “alley vacation,” a process that would make public land private, and they must decide whether its “urban design merit” and “public benefits” pass muster. At their first review March 7 (WSB coverage here) they sent the project back for revisions and so will be reviewing its “merit” again on April 18th, 1:30-3:30 pm. The public is welcome; the meeting will be in the Boards and Commissions Room on the L2 level of City Hall downtown.
Another car to be on the lookout for, reported by Katy:
I just wanted to warn others/inform loyal blog readers that my car was stolen from SW Lander St & 42 Ave SW by the Admiral Safeway, near the tennis courts, between 10:30 pm (4/9) and 8 am (4/10). The car stolen was a gold ’91 Lincoln Town Car with gold seats. The license plate is 879-WJD. There is also a USC sticker on the back windshield along with a few bumper stickers and a QA magnet on the back trunk. The car may also have a disabled placard up (it was in the car at the time of the theft) as the vehicle had belonged to my mother, a longterm Alki resident.
Thanks to longtime WSB’er “k” for photographing the sign installation at West Seattle Vision, taking over much of the former Windermere Fauntleroy space (closed after WF merged offices with Windermere in The Junction) in the 6500 block of California SW. We’d been working on a story but since the sign’s up – here’s what we know so far: It will be a group practice of optometrists, part of the Northwest Eye Care Network. Their opening date isn’t firmed up yet, but we’re told they’re getting close. Their Facebook page includes sneak peeks at the remodeling they have been doing inside the building. We first mentioned an eye clinic was on the way in this March 15 story about the new tenant for the rest of the space – Pet Elements, moving from its original location a block south.
(Brant photographed by Danny McMillin; shared via the West Seattle Blog group on Flickr)
We missed the chance to publish the morning roundup of calendar highlights, but here are 5 notes for tonight:
QIGONG CLASSES: 6:45 pm, a 10-week series taught by Sifu Viola Brumbaugh starts at South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor). Details here.
34TH DISTRICT DEMOCRATS: 7 pm tonight, The Hall at Fauntleroy (9131 California SW). From chair Marcee Stone-Vekich, tonight’s agenda highlights:
We will begin with a memorial for Booth Gardner. At 7:30, we will start with a program regarding the proposed district elections for Seattle City Council. There will be a speaker for and against. Speaking for is John Bush and speaking against is former Seattle City Councilmember and Judge Jim Street. At about 8:10, there will be a short presentation on public campaign financing for Seattle.
WSHS STUDENT MUSICAL: “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” starts its second and final weekend, 7:30 pm at the West Seattle High School Little Theater (3000 California SW). Info’s at westsidedrama.com.
AMERICAN LEGION POST 160 MEETING: From Commander Kyle Geraghty:
The West Seattle American Legion Post 160 will be holding a General Meeting on April 10, 2013 at 8 pm. The Legion Hall is located at 3618 SW Alaska Street. The Post will be holding elections for board members to serve during the 2013-2014 time frame. All eligible Veterans are encouraged to attend.
KING COUNTY ONLINE SERVICES OUTAGE: The county’s online services and website are scheduled to be out for maintenance 9 pm-10 pm.
Lots more on the calendar, including nightlife – find it here.
Police are looking for three men who they say kicked in the door of a Highland Park residence this morning, 
overpowered the woman who was asleep inside, and robbed her of items including her car. They say it happened around 7 am in the 7900 block of 9th SW (map). The robbers are described only as “three young black males, light-skinned”; they demanded the woman’s car keys and made off with her purse and some cash as well as her 2006 white 4-door Chevrolet Malibu, which has a magnetic cat’s-paw print on the passenger-side door. The robbers did not show a weapon, police say, and the victim was not seriously hurt, but did suffer a bloody nose because one of them put his hand over her face to keep her from screaming. She ran out of the house right after they left and saw them driving away in her car; police were nearby and say they arrived quickly but were not able to find it. If you see the car, call 911.
That pile of stuff represents donations dropped off last weekend at Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) in The Junction – one of many businesses, groups, and individuals who have reached out since WestSide Baby‘s urgent call for help last week. Hotwire proprietor Lora Swift shared the photo just before heading to WestSide Baby HQ on Tuesday to drop off the donations, so before we in turn shared the photo, we asked WS Baby executive director Nancy Woodland what they still need the most:
We will continue to need all clothing and diapers and safety equipment – car seats, strollers, etc. – but our current critical list is:
Boys pants 4t-12,
PJs, boys and girls 4T-12,
newborn diapers,
diaper cream, and
baby shampoo
WestSide Baby is open certain hours for dropoffs, and has satellite dropoff locations – for the latest list, check their website; we know Firefly Café and Creperie (WSB sponsor) is also collecting car seats through month’s end and is matching each car-seat donation with a packet of diapers.
We’re in the second week of registration for the 9th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day, presented/coordinated by WSB, coming up Saturday, May 11th, all over the peninsula. So far on the tally board: Almost 100 sales! Plenty of room on The Map for more. So if you’re thinking of signing up – or interested in participating at a group site – we’ve just published an update to the official WSCGSD site; see it here.
9:09 AM: Just announced on Facebook and via e-mail, the Junction clothing boutique Sweetie is closing at the end of this month. The announcement:
After ten wonderful years in West Seattle, Sweetie will be closing its doors at the end of April. Thank you so much for your passion, your spirit, your kind support.
I love being part of the West Seattle community, with all of my heart, and I adore the time spent with each and every one of you. It’s been an honor and a pleasure dressing you all. You are my Sweeties, and I will miss you very much.
Wishing you the very best this amazing world has to offer.
Love,
JoeannaPS – Stay tuned for special events in April…!
ADDED 2:42 PM: We stopped by Sweetie to follow up with Joeanna, who’s in our photo above. She says she’s closing because of a combination of factors – her lease was up, and she has a five-year-old she would love to spend more time with.
(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; see other cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
7:32 AM: It’s a rainy commute, but no major incidents are reported in the outbound-from-West Seattle vicinity right now. A few notes, starting with:
METRO SURVEY: If you are a bus rider, Metro is asking for your thoughts this morning – conducting this online survey concurrently with nine other cities around the world to compare passengers’ views.
8:07 AM UPDATE: Thanks to the commenters reporting trouble on the low bridge, apparently a stalled semi-truck.
| 18 COMMENTS