Commercial site? Park? Housing? What’s best for ex-substation in Highland Park?
One of the former substation sites that Seattle City Light might sell is right in the heart of a Highland Park crossroads.
With this Wednesday’s formal public hearing on the ex-substations’ fate approaching, what’s called the Dumar site – on the southwest corner of SW Holden and 16th SW – got a spotlight at this month’s Highland Park Action Committee meeting.
After City Light rep David Barber‘s presentation about the process that’s under way, community discussion revealed some sentiment that it might be optimal for that site to become commercial/retail property, like two of the three other corners at 16th/Holden (NW corner is 7-11, SE corner is Seamart and Wanna Teriyaki/Burger, and the NE corner holds Fire Station 11, which SCL says is using part of the ex-substation for parking).
One attendee voiced surprise that a park/open space wouldn’t be considered the highest and best use of the site, but HPAC co-chair Carolyn Stauffer said some community members with whom she had spoken suggested that HP has a relative abundance of park space already, but not of open space. Most other commercial properties in HP are scattered in one-off sites, until you reach the South Delridge business area.
The 10,000-square-foot site is officially zoned for potential single-family home (5,000-sf parcel) development.
Wednesday’s public hearing is at 6:30 pm at High Point Community Center (6920 34th SW); you can also comment online – as explained here. City Light says it’s not expecting a final decision on this and the other surplus sites before next year.
All-star lineup for ‘Jocks vs. Docs’ in Admiral tomorrow morning
Just got this announcement, and we’re told everybody’s welcome, so if you’re looking for autographs or just to cheer the competitors on, be at Admiral Safeway 10 am-11 am tomorrow morning:
“Jocks vs. Docs” will kick off one of the state’s largest and most successful fundraisers for breast-cancer research. A team of professional and retired professional athletes will compete alongside some of the region’s best physicians in a grocery bagging contest for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Following the competition, there will be a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Safeway/SCCA mammography van [photo left], which has been equipped with new, leading-edge tomosynthesis equipment. This new equipment was funded by Safeway’s 2012 campaign, and the Safeway / SCCA MammoVan will be open for screenings at Safeway stores in Western Washington throughout October. (ADDED: Including drop-in appointments at this location on Tuesday)
Jocks:
· Kasey Keller, Seattle Sounders FC alumnus and broadcaster
· Warren Moon, Pro Football Hall of Famer and broadcaster
· Golden Tate, the Seattle Seahawks
· Megan Jendrick, two-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer (as Megan Quann) and fitness columnist
The announcement continues ahead:Read More
Traffic reminder: Highway 99 closures coming up next weekend
WSDOT has just sent a reminder of this weekend’s Alaskan Way Viaduct/Highway 99 inspection closures – first noted here a week and a half ago: This time, instead of closing for an entire weekend, the closures will be 5 am-6 pm Saturday (October 5th) and 6 am-6 pm Sunday (October 6th). If you will be traveling north of the Battery Street Tunnel, there IS a weekend-long closure, timed to coincide with the other closures: SDOT says, “All lanes in both directions of SR 99/Aurora Avenue North will be closed between the south end of the Battery Street Tunnel and Valley Street from 11 pm Friday to 5 am Monday.”
West Seattle Weather Watch: First sighting of snow
No, not down here. The snow seen from West Seattle today is on the Olympic Mountains, glimpsed briefly this morning from Luna/Anchor Park. In fact, the Olympics are under a Winter Weather Advisory until tomorrow morning.
P.S. Some snow in the Cascades too – and if that has you thinking about skiing, do note that two ski shuttles operated from West Seattle last year; when the season gets closer and we hear updates on this year’s availability, we’ll share the news.
‘Urgent action meeting’ next week to fight teen alcohol/drug use
We first mentioned this planned meeting in coverage of this month’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting, where community members announced it while asking police for advice. Now, they’ve shared a more detailed announcement and want to reiterate that all community members are welcome to come help talk about the problem and solutions, not just those with direct ties to the schools:
URGENT ACTION MEETING regarding West Seattle youth alcohol and drug abuse
The West Seattle High School PTSA is sponsoring a community meeting with Neighborhood House, Seattle Police Department, Seattle Parks Dept., West Seattle High School, Madison Middle School, along with other community members, to discuss drug and alcohol abuse by youth around West Seattle High School and Madison Middle Schools.
Thursday, October 10th
7:00 pm-8:30 pm
West Seattle High School (meeting in the Library)
3000 California Ave SW
Over the summer 4 young teens were hospitalized after overdosing in our community on cough medicine. Many parents are concerned about the apparent increase in marijuana and alcohol use and sales around Hiawatha Park and the schools.
By working together, we can address these issues and create a safer environment for our kids – but it takes everyone working together.
For questions, or more info please contact: Mike Graham-Squire, Neighborhood House, 206.353.7945, mikegs@nhwa.org
A few years ago, there had been a community group active in tackling these situations, but it went dormant for a variety of reasons. Again, organizers of this meeting stress that everyone’s welcome to come help plan and take action.
West Seattle development: Demolition starts Wednesday for Equity Residential’s Junction project
New information today about the impending demolition at the Equity Residential development site at California/Alaska/42nd in The Junction: A notice circulated by the contractor, Andersen Construction, says demolition of the eastern building (right side of our photo) will start this Wednesday (October 2nd), and demolition of the western building (ex-Super Supplements, etc.) is set to start one week later, on Wednesday, October 9th. Full text of the notice, shared by a reader (thank you!):
Demolition of the East Building located at 4203 SW Alaska Street will commence on Wednesday 10/02/13. The sidewalks located along 42nd Avenue SW and SW Alaska Street will be closed to pedestrians during this time.
Demolition of the West Building located at 4706 California Avenue SW will commence on Wednesday 10/09/13. The sidewalks located along California Avenue and SW Alaska Street will be closed to pedestrians during this time.
Demolition work will be complete by 10/21/13.
The North end of the Alley will be closed to through traffic as needed during construction activities; however, egress will remain open as traffic will be diverted through the parking lot located south of the East Building.
The project – initiated five and a half years ago by Conner Homes, which sold the site to Equity two years ago – will include two 7-story buildings with ~200 apartments and 20,000+ square feet of retail space over a ~265-space underground parking garage shared by both buildings. Equity had originally planned to start work in summer of last year and ordered the retail tenants out by July 31, 2012, and has not commented on what led to the subsequent delay. (Its west building, by the way, is in the same block where the 4730 California project, owned by The Wolff Company, is in its fourth month of construction, with the crane going up two weeks ago. Equity’s crane is likely to be up in about three months.)
New date for West Seattle education fair: October 28th
Shopping for a school for next year? The West Seattle elementary/middle-school education fair hosted by Seattle Lutheran High School (and sponsored by WSB), originally set for this week, has a new date: Monday, October 28th, 6:30-8:30 pm at the SLHS gym. The later date reopens registration for schools interested in participating – here’s the signup form. Free for families to attend and find out about local schools – see you at 4100 SW Genesee, four weeks from tonight.
TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Stormy Monday updates
(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
Though the wind wasn’t as strong as feared – the wind warning was downgraded to a wind advisory by midnight – it’s still been blustery overnight, and it’s breezy and soggy out there now, so plan extra time to get where you’re going. Reminder for bus riders: Metro’s service change took effect Saturday, including three routes serving West Seattle.
7:24 AM: The Fauntleroy approach to the bridge is backed up to Fairmount Park because of what @AMinSeattle tweets as a “minor” crash – here’s the “live” cam from just after the turn at Alaska:
From the 911 log – police are responding to a crash at 14th/Cloverdale in Highland Park (not major – SFD’s response is already closed).
7:58 AM: Crash on the county side of Roxbury at 8th – text says that northbound 8th is closed at Roxbury:
King County Sheriff’s Office is directing traffic, says our tipster.
West Seattle weekend scene: Neighborly cider collaboration
(Photos by Holli Margell)
It’s a North Delridge fall tradition – cider-pressing! Blustery weather couldn’t stop this year’s edition, and so the West Seattle Tool Library-loaned cider press was set up under a canopy at the Delridge P-Patch, and friends and neighbors of all ages got busy collaborating, like Lily and Cooper above. Below, Harpo (with mom Amanda Leonard) will likely have to wait a year or two.
If you missed the cider event, another chance to meet North Delridge neighbors is coming up when the neighborhood council meets, 6:30 pm Monday, October 14th, at Delridge Library.
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