Junction demolition update: Teardown of 2nd building begins

| Development | West Seattle news

You won’t notice it yet if you drive by on California or Alaska, but from 42nd SW, you can see that demolition has indeed begun on the remaining building on the site of Equity Residential’s 2-building, ~200-apartment project. A closer look shows long-hidden interior brick walls:

As discussed in comments on recent WSB coverage of teardown elsewhere on the site, this building was once – when it had a second story – home to the West Seattle Hospital, which later moved to the site on SW Holden that is now home to Navos. Meantime, another reminder that sidewalks on California and Alaska are closed – temporarily, as noted here Friday – while this stage of demolition continues for several days.

heather October 21, 2013 (4:42 pm)

Thanks for the demo photos. I think they’re rather cool to see.

Diane October 21, 2013 (4:57 pm)

do any photos exist of the original hospital; would love to see; and I mean from street level, not aerial

WSB October 21, 2013 (5:14 pm)

Diane, I’ve been looking all around. Commenter SC has mentioned a photo hanging at Zatz; it’s part of the MOHAI Pemco collection, but it’s not in what they are displaying online (I looked through more than 100 of those photos this afternoon). If anyone has one, can we come over and take a picture of your picture?

Diane October 21, 2013 (6:23 pm)

Thanks TR; this would be especially advantageous now, as a small group of us our starting on a project to document and retain history of California Ave

Brad October 21, 2013 (6:55 pm)

I suppose this is progress..but I have lived here my entire life and will miss those old buildings and the “feel” they lent to the junction..Just returned from Europe..those buildings there would have been considered “new”

Diane October 21, 2013 (7:31 pm)

are (not our); spoiled by editing feature on fb

alki forever October 21, 2013 (9:18 pm)

I absolutely love new buildings. The Hamm bldg should be torn down next.

miws October 21, 2013 (10:14 pm)

What do you have against the Hamm Building, alki forever?

If torn down, not only would we lose Easy Street (which several months back signed a new 15 year lease) and a few other shops, but the Corner Pocket Bar as well, after already losing Rocksport over a year ago.

There’d be even fewer places to toss back a few shots, and watch a game on TV.

Mike

David October 22, 2013 (12:27 am)

The Hamm building has potential. But that other corner was just a nondescript generic building with no character whatsoever. No loss there. Same with that hideous ugly old PetCo building, what an eyesore that was. Now we’ll have a pedestrian alley passage just like there is across the street by the Mexican restaurant….that’s a major improvement to the walkability of the junction. I used to walk through PetCo in the day,but always felt guilty about using their business as a sidewalk.

Lilli Ann October 22, 2013 (2:23 pm)

I’m so sorry they are tearing down the low-rise buildings. We will just be another Ballard. The small-town feel that this area has is rapidly going away. With it we get the big city vibe- nice when your in the big city, but then we got to come home to the sweet small town West Seattle and a warmer friendlier place. I think shiny new building are ok, but not on the strip. For me it’s a sad day.

Jic October 22, 2013 (10:45 pm)

West Seattle isn’t a small town though. It’s a neighborhood in a major American city. To expect it to continue to look like, and have the density of, a small town far removed from the city is absurd.

Marcus M October 24, 2013 (10:37 am)

Why all the hate for Ballard? I used to live there when it was more like West Seattle, and you have to admit it has a lot going for it – more restaurants, a real movie theatre, more young folk…

Sorry, comment time is over.