West Seattle, Washington
25 Friday
(Photo added 5:08 pm; by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand)
3:49 PM: If you’ve noticed a big emergency response headed toward Harbor Avenue – it’s for a powerboat reported to be taking on water off Jack Block Park. Some of the responders have already been canceled, but others are continuing on. More as we get it.
3:55 PM UPDATE: Via scanner, the boat’s now been assessed as a 1960s-vintage wood boat, about 22 feet long, nobody on board, and they’re trying to figure out if it’s a “derelict vessel.” The fireboat Chief Seattle is on scene, per MarineTraffic.com; we have a crew headed that way. Scanner also indicates this is likely abandoned and the boat will be impounded if possible; the fireboat’s crew is reported to be doing a “stability survey.”
(WSB photo taken from Upper Fauntleroy this morning – ferry heading toward Vashon)
From today’s edition of Washington State Ferries boss David Moseley‘s weekly newsletter:
Starting this Sunday, Sept. 15, WSF will display our Seahawks pride on home game days by flying the #12 flag on some of our vessels in the system. Thanks to the Seattle Seahawks for graciously giving us the flags to use for this purpose. Go Hawks!
We’re checking to see if Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth will be included. In the meantime, if you see one Sunday, share a photo!
Hit the streets! Tomorrow (Saturday) morning, 9 am-noon, the Admiral Neighborhood Association would love to have your help with their Adopt-A-Street cleanup in the Admiral/California area. Treats provided before and after by Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor), which is also where you will meet ANA members to get started – equipment and bags provided, of course. Look for them outside the store’s main entrance, off 41st/Admiral.
We’re always happy to hear about young West Seattleites’ achievements – whether the news comes from proud parents, coaches, teachers, or from the youth themselves. This announcement might be a first – a news release about a trio of Denny International Middle School students who are performing on the Skylark Club and Café calendar this Sunday, written by a proud dad who happens to work in PR. What really sells the story is the video – that’s Jet City Metro performing the Nirvana classic “Smells Like Teen Spirit” in their only previous onstage performance, the Denny 6th-grade talent show. And they rocked! Here’s their news release:
Twelve-year-old Jackson Spenser, a student at Denny International Middle School, founded a garage grunge band, Jet City Metro, earlier this year with two 12-year-old friends and fellow students. Their band has never performed in public, or even had an audition, but already they’ve landed a spot on the bill of an Americana-themed “All Ages Solo Show” this coming Sunday afternoon, September 15, at West Seattle’s Skylark Café and Club (3803 Delridge Way SW). [See details at end.]
Formed in April 2013, Jet City Metro has only performed together onstage once. As the closing act, they rocked the Denny 6th Grade Talent Show, on the last day of school this past June, with their hard-charging rendition of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”
During the performance, one Denny teacher danced along to the song onstage — throwing her arms up in the air with abandon — while the panel of teacher-judges started doing the Wave.
Though the official notice won’t go out until next week, the city’s master schedule now shows October 10th as the date for the next Southwest Design Review Board meeting. One project is on the agenda so far: 4435 35th SW, a six-story mixed-use building proposed for ~160 apartments, about the same number of parking spaces, and ~16,000 square feet of commercial space. Its site (map) is on the west side of 35th SW, currently holding an empty lot and The Bridge (which is moving to under-renovation 6301 California SW). The 35th SW project has had two Early Design Guidance meetings over the span of four years – after one for the original proposal in 2009, development plans went on the back burner until this year, when a new proposal passed EDG in June. The revised design proposal isn’t available yet but should be at least a week before the next meeting, 6:30 pm October 10th, at the Senior Center of West Seattle (California/Oregon).
So pretty, we wanted to share it here on this foggy morning – Danny McMillin‘s view of Puget Sound, the Olympics, and the Foss tug Pacific Star with a barge post-sunset last night. Meanwhile, it’s the second-to-last Friday the 13th of 2013…
SCHOOL BENEFIT SALE: It’s a big weekend of garage/rummage sales, and one is already under way – until 4 pm, the first day of a 3-day sale benefiting Shorewood Christian School (but not AT the school; it’s at 56th/Charlestown)
BLOOD DONATIONS: Puget Sound Blood Center has a mobile unit at PCC Natural Markets-West Seattle (WSB sponsor) today until 3 pm (closed 11 am-noon), walkups welcome. (California/Stevens)
FAMILY NIGHT AT THE Y: This free event is open to the community, not just West Seattle Family YMCA (WSB sponsor) members – open swim, kids’ gym, more, 6-8 pm. (4515 36th SW)
RESCHEDULED OUTDOOR MOVIE: No chance of rain in tonight’s forecast, so the benefit outdoor screening of “Epic” at Schmitz Park Elementary is back on, as noted here earlier this week. Gates at 6:15 pm, movie around 7:30 pm. (50th/Spokane)
MAGIC SHOW AT ALKI COMMUNITY CENTER: Come to Alki Community Center for this show and be amazed – 6:30 pm; info in our listing. (5817 SW Stevens)
ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION FUNDRAISER: Bunco Night and silent auction at the Senior Center of West Seattle, 7 pm, raising money for Alzheimer’s research – details in our calendar listing. (California/Oregon)
HIGH-SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Two games in West Seattle tonight – both at 7 pm: WSHS vs. Seattle Prep at West Seattle Stadium (4432 35th SW); Chief Sealth vs. Cleveland at SW Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle).
YOM KIPPUR WITH KOL HANESHAMAH: Kol Nidre at 7 pm, St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church. Also find details of tomorrow’s Yom Kippur events on the Kol HaNeshamah (WSB sponsor) website. (California/Hanford)
YOM KIPPUR WITH WEST SEATTLE TLC: 7:15 pm prayer service – details here, including how to RSVP for location info.
Find even more on our calendar!
By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog
This edition of the WSBeat contains summaries written from reports on cases handled in recent days by Southwest Precinct officers – generally cases that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, but that might at least answer the question “what WERE all those police doing on my block?”
*Early Tuesday, an officer was driving past an Admiral grocery store when he recognized a car parked near the front door as being the suspect vehicle in many shoplifting incidents. The officer parked nearby and was able to watch the suspects as they “shopped” inside and as the male half of the couple loaded nearly $400 worth of stolen items into the car. Because the female half of the couple had paid for her items, she was interviewed and released; the man was booked into King County Jail for investigation of theft.
*A Shoreline resident was arrested early Wednesday after screaming in the street and damaging a vehicle in the 7000 block of Fauntleroy Way SW. He was aggressive with officers, failed to obey orders to keep his hands visible, and had to be tased. When told he was under arrest, he spit on the inside window of the patrol car. He could face charges of property damage and obstructing public officers.
Ahead – 11 more summaries, including the case of the speeder who turned out to be wanted in a BIG way, panhandlers vs. missionaries, and sidewalk knife-sharpening:
(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
Fog’s back. No out-of-the-ordinary incidents affecting routes in or from West Seattle right now. On the road-work front, SW Thistle eastbound is closed between 35th and 37th for replacement of concrete panels.
Weekend reminders: On Sunday, California SW is closed from Genesee to Edmunds in The Junction for the West Seattle Car Show, 6 am until 6 pm (unless the show participants are cleared out sooner); the show itself is 8 am-4 pm. That’s one of the events on the weekend citywide traffic roundup.
(2009 photo)
You can help make a scene like that happen near the Fauntleroy Way end of the West Seattle Bridge – just join Nancy Driver and other community volunteers, one week from Saturday:
Love the Walking on Logs statues and love seeing them dressed up? Then please consider giving a few hours of your time to upkeep of the site.
The Walking on Logs Landscape Group is looking for volunteers to help with a cleanup of the Walking on Logs site on Saturday, September 21 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. We will be weed whacking, hand weeding and picking up trash . Volunteers should wear good shoes (parts of the site may be muddy) and bring their own gloves if possible, although we will have some gloves on site. If you can bring your own small hand tools, it would be appreciated. Water and snacks will be provided.
We will meet at 9:00 am at the gate on Fauntleroy Way SW near the intersection of SW Andover Street The gate is a bit north of the crosswalk that goes over the highway. A sign will be posted marking the gate. If you need further information please contact Nancy at nldriver@q.com .
Hope to see you there and we particularly hope to see volunteers from the various groups that make use of the site. Thanks.
A little time will make a big difference!
After almost half a year as interim managing director at ArtsWest, Laura Lee is now its official managing director. Board president Dawn Leverett is quoted in the announcement as saying:
“In the time that Laura has been serving as our Interim Managing Director and providing us with strategic and marketing support, we have experienced unprecedented growth. We have exceeded ticket and revenue goals for every production on our stage, hosted a record-setting annual Gala, reversed our projected deficit to end our year with a modest gain, and have started on a path of rebranding and identity strengthening. But what Laura brings to us is more than just box office successes and fundraising, she has re-energized our staff, Board and even our physical spaces. Her light and focus are leading us into a new era and we are excited for all the changes that are taking place.”
Lee is quoted as saying:
“This is a time of maturity and growth for ArtsWest and I have a firm vision as we move forward. Respecting the past, living in the moment and looking ahead to the future, we are solidifying our niche in the Seattle theatre community and reaching outward to be good business stewards in West Seattle and beyond. We are in the midst of an extensive rebranding effort and there are many exciting changes underway. We are on the cusp of turning something good into something great. I invite you to stay with us as a stronger, more contemporary mission-driven ArtsWest unfolds.”
Lee has 28 years of experience on nonprofit boards as well as being the founder of Production Sports, described as “a sports promotion/production company that has worked with U.S. Figure Skating, USA Gymnastics and the Seattle Sports Commission to bring elite, international, televised events to the Pacific Northwest.” ArtsWest’s gallery and theater are in the middle of some downtime right now, as noted here, but are close to reopening, with the new season starting October 2nd with the co-world premiere of Lauren Gunderson‘s “The Taming.” The physical box office is closed until September 26th, but online sales are happening here.
We’re starting summer’s last West Seattle Art Walk – it’s year-round, but fall will arrive by the next one – on the north end of the map, at Alki Arts (2820 Alki SW). That’s co-proprietor Diane Venti in our photo with some of tonight’s featured work; also at her gallery, MoonGirl is making music tonight for a sunny evening.
This is also Alki Arts’ final West Seattle Art Walk, since its lease ends at month’s end, after what began as a “temporary” experiment turned into a three-year adventure.
Next, we’re heading south to the Admiral District. Tonight’s venue map/list is here, and Art Walk is on until 9 pm.
6:52 PM: At Mind Unwind (2206 California SW), you’ll meet Los Angeles artist Meagan Segal:
Her art tells a story, with flowers and with the inner workings of humans. Also featured tonight, Seattle artist Robroy Chalmers, and MU proprietor Krystal Kelley has booked live music too – classical guitarist Tim Scallon. Segal and Chalmers’ work together forms the show “Torn Inside,” and is explained in exhibition notes on the WSAW website: “Both look to the body as a source of visual beauty, physical pain, sexual pleasure and intellectual discovery. The images they make reflect a deep understanding of the human form, but both come to a far different end with their rendering of the form.”
Next – we continue southbound, to The Junction.
7:33 PM: Two Junction stops so far, and two more to go. Continuing the north-to-south trajectory, we dropped by Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (4410 California SW; WSB sponsor):
That’s photographer David Atkinson, showing work including incredible natural beauty.
At Click! Design That Fits (4540 California SW; WSB sponsor), as reported here earlier this week, it’s the first book signing for Christopher Boffoli since his “Big Appetites” book hit the stores two days ago:
It’s a reception, too, and Click! also is featuring the realist paintings of Ann Duffy tonight.
8:41 PM: Our last two stops for the night, also in The Junction – Twilight Gallery (4306 SW Alaska), where Kristina Griffith was speaking about her “Iconic Women” work, an “illustrative portrait series celebrat(ing) Iconic Women and their diversity”:
Like many of the exhibits that are up on Art Walk night, you can visit the venue to see this one even afterward – it’ll be up all month. (By the way, you might recall that Griffith is one of the artists who did mural work on the vacant storefronts awaiting demolition on the other side of the California/Alaska intersection.)
Speaking of Mural – the lower floor of that building is home to Wallflower Custom Framing (4735 44th SW; WSB sponsor), where Sue Danielson‘s “Circularity Series” opened:
Next WS Art Walk is the second Thursday in October, so that’s October 10th – the venue list is only locked in one quarter at a time, so there’ll be some additions by then; keep an eye on wsartwalk.com.
Last Friday night, we published an update on the slope-repair project in the slide-beset 6000 block of Beach Drive (map), and quoted SDOT as saying the followup road repair would likely happen by the end of the month. Now, we know the dates: The new edition of the city’s weekly Construction Lookahead says the work is set for 9 am-6 pm September 24-25.
(WSB photo from October 2012, 35th SW south of Avalon)
The date’s now set for the launch meeting of the new West Seattle Transit Coalition (mentioned in WSB coverage of this week’s Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council meeting) – and you’re invited – 6:30 pm September 24th at Neighborhood House’s High Point Center. If you’re concerned about the state of transportation in/to/from West Seattle, don’t miss it. From the official announcement:
Following discussions over several months, a multitude of West Seattle groups have made the decision to attempt to form a West Seattle Transit Coalition. There are at least three factors currently working in tandem to significantly worry a lot of people in West Seattle, that we have been talking about on and off for months in our meetings.
*The looming reduction of mass transit services regionwide with the King County Metro funding crisis coming out of Olympia. All services will face up to a 17% cut in volume.
*This is only compounded for us in West Seattle, with the equally looming end of the SR-99 Viaduct and the construction headaches that will cause for all of us soon.
*Third, the population because of increasing density (whether you’re a fan or not) in West Seattle is increasing, further straining transit — transit which may soon reduce, straining it even further.
Individually, any one of these things is a topic deep enough for a three hour meeting, or more. Put together? Again, regardless of what side you’re on about any of these issues, altogether they equal out to everyone coming out of West Seattle having a pretty awful commute very soon.
If for some reason your group is unable to attend or send representatives, this will be not a closed, finite thing. For example, several ideas for draft letters and statements are floating around under discussion. These will be reviewed and possibly finalized–with the upcoming elections, ballots will go out in the beginning of October. This makes the entire thing time-sensitive, but people will be still able to endorse if desired later. This is all very sudden, and a bit of an emergency, with so many things spinning together at once.
Read the rest of the announcement – including a plan to get elected officials and candidates on the record with where they stand – by going here. And be there September 24th to show your support; High Point Center is at 6400 Sylvan Way SW.
Another milestone for the new South Park Bridge – the south leaf of its drawspan was put into place this week, somewhat unnoticed until local community activist Bill Pease mentioned it on SP’s lively e-mail list. We went down at midday today to take a look on behalf of WSB and partner site The South Park News (more photos in our report there). In our photo above, you can still see part of the old bridge in the background; meantime, for context, here’s the rendering of what the finished bridge is supposed to look like:
Three years and three months have passed since King County closed the old bridge because of safety concerns; you might recall the farewell “wake” the night it was shut down for good. King County’s current estimate for bridge completion: Spring of next year.
Thanks to Scott for the tip on an event that wasn’t in our calendar – another West Seattleite who has just published a book is signing it tonight: Maria Federici Doyle. Nine years have now passed since the freeway incident that took her sight and almost took her life, when a piece of furniture that fell off a truck smashed through her windshield. She lives in West Seattle, and made news two years ago while working at The Bridge. Tonight at 7 pm, she is at Feedback Lounge (6451 California SW; WSB sponsor), signing and selling copies of her book “Obstacles … Bring ‘Em,” according to the Feedback’s home page. There’s been at least one book written about her story, but this time, it’s first-person, in her own words, about not just surviving, but thriving.
Three West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports – first, Ann wanted to warn you about a twist on package theft that happened at her condo building in the 3000 block of SW Bradford:
(Wednesday) afternoon, an upstairs neighbor’s phone rang. She answered it, the woman said “FedEx,” she buzzed her in. Then the neighbor checked the condo camera and caught the “FedEx” lady taking packages off the mail shelf. My neighbor hightailed it out the back door and retrieved the loot, but the “FedEx” lady is still at large.
Now, bicycle thefts – Stu from Alki Bike and Board reports this one:
I am sad to report we had a theft of a pretty pricey bicycle. The bicycle was a 2011 56cm Masi Evoluzione full carbon bicycle with Shimano Ultegra components. The color scheme was white/red with white spoke wheels. The retail price was $3899.
And be on the lookout for this bike too – Michael, who recently moved to West Seattle, says it was taken from his apartment building’s garage at 35th and Avalon:
Just over a week ago, on 8/26, our building’s parking garage was broken into and a number of locked bikes were stolen, one of them being my own. The bike is very distinct looking … a State Bicycle Co. single speed (model: Copper). Has a black Brooks England B-17 Saddle, Forte Axis Carbon Fork (front), and Cinelli Handlebars.
If you find it or have other information, contact police and refer to incident 2013-317856.
P.S. Yes, the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meets this month – bring neighborhood concerns directly to police who are in attendance along with the WSCPC’s citizen volunteers. 7 pm next Tuesday, September 17th, Southwest Precinct meeting room (Delridge/Webster).
More recycling means less trash and lower bills, says City Councilmember Jean Godden, announcing a proposal (see the full text here) to require businesses to recycle more than just paper and cardboard:
Councilmember Jean Godden introduced legislation today to require that Seattle businesses recycle glass, plastic, tin, and aluminum, effective July 2014. Six months of educational outreach to businesses would be conducted before the requirement takes effect, with one-and-a-half years before the use of civil infractions for enforcement. Councilmember Godden also directed SPU to streamline the process for business owners to convert to comprehensive recycling, allocating $150,000 for business engagement.
Read on for the rest of the announcement:
Don’t stay home tonight – it’s West Seattle Art Walk night! Go here for the walking map/venue list. Here are a few highlights (followed by tonight’s other West Seattle happenings):
FINAL ART WALK AT ALKI ARTS: The gallery at the beach is closing at the end of the month, as first reported here last month, and tonight’s the final West Seattle Art Walk night at Alki Arts. Co-proprietor Diane Venti has always thrown a great party on WSAW night, with art and music – tonight the latter is courtesy of AA fave MoonGirl. Here’s a preview. (2820 Alki SW)
CHRISTOPHER BOFFOLI AT CLICK! As reported here earlier this week, longtime WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli has published a book of his world-famous photos, “Big Appetites,” and tonight’s the first book-signing event, at Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) during Art Walk. Painter Ann Duffy is at Click! tonight too! (4523 California SW)
‘ICONIC WOMEN SERIES‘: That work by Kristina Griffith will be featured in the opening reception and artist talk tonight at Twilight Gallery – details in our listing. (4306 SW Alaska)
ROOF BARBECUE AT WEST SEATTLE OFFICE JUNCTION: Our area’s first coworking space invites you to a roof barbecue (great view!) tonight, along with its art display featuring Wesley Mayer. (5230-B California SW)
MORE ARTIST/VENUE PREVIEWS – on the official West Seattle Art Walk website!
Also tonight, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
EQUILIBRIUM FITNESS OPEN HOUSE: This new Junction business welcomes you to an open house 3-6 pm. (4740 44th SW)
ARBOR HEIGHTS BARBECUE & PTA MEETING: Here’s the official flyer for tonight’s back-to-school barbecue (5 pm) and PTA meeting (6:30 pm):
The school’s at 37th and 104th.
WINE CLUB, WITH ART AND MUSIC: 2nd Thursday also means Wine Club at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor). Photographer Machel Spence is featured tonight, plus the music of Choro Tocando. Details in our calendar listing. (5612 California SW)
IRISH DANCE CLASSES BEGIN … at the VFW Hall in The Triangle, 6:15 pm. Details in our calendar listing.
‘HEALTHY HAPPY HOUR‘: Health info and healthy treats, 6:45-8 pm at Ampersand Café – details (and RSVP contact) in our calendar listing. (2536 Alki SW)
FALL KAYAK SALMON-FISHING SEMINAR: Mountain to Sound Outfitters is hosting the seminar at its storefront in The Triangle – led by Ocean Kayak pro staff member Scott Brenneman:
You can feel it in the air, fall is upon us. As the leaves begin to turn golden, salmon continue closer to their spawning grounds. It is time to change tactics and locations for September and October. So let’s have a talk about targeting salmon from a kayak in our Northwest estuaries. Learn about what you need for a successful day on the water.
With over 10 years of experience kayak fishing in the Pacific Northwest I will share some of the subtle techniques that I have refined over the years. Topics cover safety, rigging your kayak, terminal tackle, hardware and bait. Our discussion will also include the popular estuaries of our region and how to correctly fish them throughout the tide cycles.
M2SO is at 3602 SW Alaska.
From West Seattle Car Show producer Michael Hoffman of Liberty Bell Print and Design, here’s your preview of this year’s official T-shirt, three days before the show (with co-sponsors including WSB). It’s the sixth year that classic (pre-1980) cars, trucks, and motorcycles will line the heart of The Junction; Hoffman says pre-registration is at its highest level ever. But you can still register on show day – registration is $20, T-shirt (optional) $10. Here’s the form! No admission charge for spectators, as always; just come stroll The Junction 8 am-4 pm on Sunday (September 15th) and enjoy the sights and sounds (classic music, too). P.S. As with other events closing California SW in The Junction, there’ll be bus reroutes that day – check Metro to see if yours is affected.
(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
Cooler day expected today, though still warm. One major road-work reminder – if the SW Thistle repaving work is on schedule, it will shift to an eastbound closure today. And a weekend reminder – this Sunday, California SW will be closed in the heart of The Junction for the West Seattle Car Show, from early-morning hours until the show clears out following its 4 pm closing time.
Driving back from Alki in early evening, we noticed the Patriot Day flags flying on this building across from Don Armeni.
If you’re among those who still appreciate music on vinyl – West Seattle’s three-time Grammy nominee David Miles Huber has a project that might interest you. It involves the work you can hear by clicking “play” above – a recent live performance of his trademark electronic music that he’s hoping to turn into a record, with the help of crowdfunding. The project is titled “Chamberland: The Berlin Remixes,” and Huber explains:
This project is quite unique, in that it started out life as a studio project, but then took on a new life as a live performance in Berlin. These performances were then captured and transferred back into the studio setting for mixdown, mastering, and further preparation for the Limited Vinyl Edition and special digital download set.
Those who invest in this project will be receiving a whole slew of special gift and quality analog and digital product incentives (more than is actually stated in the listing), plus you’ll be doing your part to help support the year of hard (and rewarding) work that went into making it possible.
“Chamberland” is one of Huber’s Grammy-nominated works; it was up for “Best Surround Sound Album” (but not on vinyl!) earlier this year, same category in which he was nominated in 2009 and 2010. Meantime, for the record project, his Kickstarter page is here.
Right now, a few floral tributes rest at the base of the Alki Statue of Liberty, simple remembrances of 9/11 on its 12th anniversary, though a shadow of what was there two years ago on the 10th anniversary:
The plaza built around the statue, a touchstone for gatherings of many kinds, has just passed a milestone anniversary of its own: Five years since its dedication on September 6, 2008. If you moved to West Seattle sometime after that, you might not realize the statue was originally on a square concrete base in a sea of asphalt:
Now, it is the centerpiece of a swirling plaza of bricks and benches:
This West Seattle icon was renovated in two stages: The statue itself was replaced and re-dedicated in 2007. By then, a local couple who had met nearby was leading a committee pursuing the vision of something grander to surround it, a new statue pedestal and plaza. Libby and Paul Carr headed up the Seattle Statue of Liberty Plaza Project, a citizens’ committee that made it happen, mostly through private donations. We saw Libby last weekend at another special event nearby and talked about the plaza’s anniversary. She later shared this remembrance:
It was wonderful to see another great example of community support and participation with the celebration of the Harbor Seal Day festivities and dedication of the “Sentinels of the Sound” sculpture just north of the Bathhouse on Alki Beach.
It reminded Paul and I of another picture-perfect day just 5 years ago … and another wonderful community celebration for the long awaited completion of the new Statue of Liberty Plaza. The Seattle Statue of Liberty Plaza Project worked for almost two years to bring this long awaited project to completion, which was overwhelmingly supported by the whole West Seattle and greater Seattle community. In fact, people as far away as Brooklyn, NY, and even further, bought bricks, plaques and benches which raised the money to build this beautifully designed space, designed by architects Matt Hutchins and Chris Ezzell, who so generously donated their work.
Like so many people, we have have often enjoyed strolling on the promenade and then coming to the Statue Plaza to enjoy a slow meditative meandering and reading many of the brick inscriptions and getting glimpses of the meaning and history this place holds for so many.
I am glad that Paul and I and the whole community could participate in building this special space that promises to be here for a long time to come …
Libby Carr, Co-Chair of SSLPP
We were first reminded of the anniversary by one of the architects Libby mentioned in her note, Matt Hutchins of CAST Architecture. We asked for his thoughts, five years later:
For my part, the plaza is more of a success than I had hoped!
When we were working with our neighbors during the community design process, our goal (from my design presentation notes, Sept. 2007) was to:
‘Provide a community landmark with a safer, rejuvenated public space that celebrates not only the symbolism of the Statue, but also the commitment of this community to this part of Alki Beach history. The plaza is designed to inhibit vandalism and reduce the need for City maintenance. ”Given the nearly three-year struggle to get it approved, funded and build, nothing is more satisfying that to see the Statue and plaza so well used and loved. I’m always filled with pride seeing how many people are hanging out there, meeting friends, doing tai chi, salsa dancing and, yes, even using it for guerrilla-art installations.
It is holding up very well given the environment and the use, and I credit the ongoing efforts by community members, the Parks Department, and the maintenance endowment written into the fundraising campaign.
Your editor here is finishing this story while seated on a bench at the plaza, where in just the past hour or so we’ve seen people stop by to look at the floral 9/11 tribute, to read the statue’s plaques, or just to bask in the sun and sea air on a 90-degree afternoon.
P.S. Stewardship of the plaza, by the way, is now in the hands of the Alki Community Council, since a 2010 agreement.
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