West Seattle, Washington
14 Friday
That’s The Guessing Game, third up in this year’s Summer Concerts at Hiawatha series, presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association, with co-sponsors including WSB. You’ll see and hear The Guessing Game live at 6:30 pm tomorrow (Thursday, August 7th). Find out a bit more about the band – which released its first album “Holy Crow” in May – via this online interview with leader Jeff Rouse. Then pack up your chairs/blanket/picnic dinner/etc. and make plans to be on the east lawn of Hiawatha Community Center for a free night of music.
(County archives photo of the building now known as Charlestown Court)
We’re at the Municipal Tower downtown, where the city Landmarks Preservation Board voted this afternoon to reject landmark status for Charlestown Court. The building is proposed for demolition to make way for an 8-unit townhouse project.
This was the second time the Tudor-style 1920s-era brick fourplex at 3811 California SW had been nominated; the last time, in a process that played out 2007-2008, the board said “no,” but development proposals then stalled until the current one, and the city said too much time had elapsed for them simply to refer to that previous vote, so the process needed to start again.
Before today’s presentation about the building, Paul Cesmat said he has owned it since 2007 and declared it has structural issues – “the brick’s not structurally sound, the chimney has issues, this has been pointed out to us … and we have insurability issues … I feel that this building does not meet historical criteria … and it’s not structurally worth saving.” It is wood-framed without concrete backing the brick, he explained in response to a question later.
The presentation focused on changes made to the building, including its windows, contending the changes made over the years affected the fourplex’s “physical integrity.” The photo you see at the top of the story was shown, with the comment “It’s a shame that’s not there any more.” (The nomination document from the June meeting, including photos and history, can be seen as a PDF here.)
In pre-vote discussion, board members said basically that while you could consider it “handsome” or “charming,” it just didn’t “rise” to landmark status.
That camera view shows the eastbound bridge is partly blocked – looks like the right lane and the bus lane – near the peak of the high-rise because of a car fire. (See other camera views on the WSB Traffic page.)
5:51 PM: It appears this might clear soon – camera shows a tow truck on scene.
5:55 PM: And – all lanes open again.
Quick note in case you’re wondering: The second ballot-count update is out for the August 5th election, and the proposal to create a Seattle Park District has widened its lead a bit. Last night, the yes vote was 52.4 percent; today, it’s 52.7 percent. Next ballot-count update will be out by this time tomorrow.
(Central/Eastern Washington wildfire photos taken this week by Long Bach Nguyen)
The aerial photos by Long Bach Nguyen are dramatic enough – imagine the devastation of the fire victims on the ground, one by one, family by family. Tomorrow, a West Seattle restaurant is one of six around the city participating in a fundraiser to help, in connection with a nonprofit.
The announcement:
*To aid those stricken by the massive fires in Eastern Washington, local non-profit Band of Brothers NW is banding together with successful restaurants Matador, Ballard Annex Oyster House, and Kickin’ Boot Whiskey Kitchen along with the Northwest community to provide aid to the hundreds of families in need, and they’re asking the public for help. There are four ways the public can help in this effort:
*** Visit any of the four Matador locations (Ballard, West Seattle, Redmond, Tacoma), Ballard Annex Oyster House, or Kickin’ Boot Whiskey Kitchen in Ballard on August 7th where 100-percent of all sales from open to close will go directly to families affected by the massive Eastern Washington wildfires. All restaurants will also be accepting cash donations as well as gift cards for donation as well with 100-percent of all of these donations going directly to fire victims. A special guest appearance from Michael “The Wanz” Wansley the Grammy Award winning-singer of “Thrift Shop” for Macklemore will take place at Matador in Ballard where he’ll be signing autographs and taking photos with those who donate.
*** Go to www.bobnw.org to provide a monetary donation in any amount. One-hundred percent of donations to Band of Brothers NW will go directly to families affected by the devastating wildfire in Eastern Washington. Your gift enables Band of Brothers NW to provide gift cards for items such as food, water, medical supplies and other necessities following the devastating effects of the wildfires.
*** Mail gift cards to the Band of Brothers NW office at 8750 122nd Avenue Kirkland, WA 98033.
*** Use your online voice to raise awareness and let others know how you’re helping through social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. using the hashtag #WeCareEWFires.
…The massive fires burning in the Methow Valley, and through much of Eastern Washington, have burned more than 200,000 acres. An estimated 100 homes in towns such as Pateros, Brewster, Alta Lake and others have been destroyed, and roughly 2,000 firefighters are working in Eastern Washington communities with an additional 1,000 National Guard troops and active duty military potentially being called in to help.
A hit-and-run driver damaged two vehicles belonging to one Seaview household between 1 am and 5 am this morning – and the victims have collected enough debris to “get a part/model number,” traced to an early 2000s black Toyota 4-Runner, so they’re hoping you can help find the vehicle. The debris left behind included a “newer Toyota center hubcap/cover with logo on it”; it likely would have “emerged southbound out of the alley between 50th and 51st onto Hudson, heading west.” See anything in that area? Know of a vehicle matching the description that suddenly has damage it didn’t have last time you saw it? Contact SPD; the victims have filed a report (and have given police the information about the debris, too).
Update on the West Seattle Car Show, set for September 14th with Swedish Automotive and West Seattle Autoworks (both WSB sponsors) carrying on from its late founder Michael Hoffman: It’s registration time! And, as requested by many, the WS Car Show is now “open class,” meaning there are no longer specific requirements for year, etc. But there’s still a limit – only so many spaces along the streets in the heart of The Junction – so if you’re interested, go here to sign up now it’s first come, first served. (If you don’t want to register online, you can get a form by e-mailing wscarshow@gmail.com or calling 206.938.8685.)
Several people have texted about a large police response in the Admiral area, in the 4300 block of SW College. Here’s what we know: It’s being investigated as some kind of an assault. The victim is being treated; a suspect was being sought; it was initially described as a case of domestic violence. That’s all we know, pending a call back from police.
ADDED: We finally heard back from police late in the day – a voice-mail message, while we were covering a hearing, so no chance for followup questions, and we don’t know the victim’s condition but one thing to add: The response was so big at least in part because there was a report the suspect was armed with a knife.
Just stopped by the mural project outside Youngstown Cultural Arts Center for a quick update. We reported last week on the start of work on what was a blank 200-foot wall along Delridge Way SW beneath the center’s parking lot, with participants in a summer arts-jobs program, same one that led to the signal-box mini-murals last year. This mural is still scheduled for completion and “unveiling” one week from tomorrow; its features so far include not just Northwest beauty like water and mountains but also a hint of the nearby maritime industry (the iconic red cranes).
(Photo by Loren Beringer, shared via the WSB Flickr group)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
TECH IN NATURE: Burke Museum reps are at the High Point Branch Library 11:30 am-12:30 pm to explore with kids ages 4-8 how nature inspirestechnology – details in our calendar listing. Free. (35th/Raymond)
TODDLER STORY TIME: Songs, rhymes, fun for toddlers, 11:30 am, Southwest Branch Library; details in our calendar listing. Free. (35th/Henderson)
CHARLESTOWN COURT LANDMARK VOTE: The city Landmarks Preservation Board is scheduled to vote this afternoon on whether to confer landmark status on the Charlestown Court fourplex (file photo at right) at 3811 California SW, rejected for that status six years ago but being reviewed again with a new teardown-to-townhouses proposal on the drawing board. Here’s the agenda for the board’s 3:30 pm meeting on the 40th floor of the city Municipal Tower downtown; there’ll be a time for public comment if anyone wants to speak for/against. (700 5th Avenue)
HIGH POINT MARKET GARDEN: Fifth of 12 Wednesdays this summer/fall when you can visit the High Point Market Garden Farm Stand 4-7 pm to buy organic produce grown there by local gardeners. (32nd/Juneau)
DANCE TIME WITH LAUREN PETRIE: 6-8 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle; details in our calendar listing. (Oregon/California)
ULTIMATE FAMILY FRISBEE: It’s now twice a week, including 6 pm Wednesdays at Fairmount Playfield. (Fauntleroy/Brandon)
MUSIC AND OTHER NIGHTLIFE … see the individual venues’ listings on our calendar!
6:59 AM: Seattle Fire units are arriving at a possible house fire in the 4800 block of 25th SW [map]. More to come.
7:07 AM: It was declared “tapped” relatively quickly. Via scanner, crews are reporting it as a “room fire” and saying two people were home at the time, both of whom got out OK.
7:29 AM: The fire is out and firefighters are leaving. Police are on scene investigating what was described via scanner traffic as an apparent (marijuana) “grow op.”
7:56 AM: City Light is on scene too; fire and police are continuing to investigate.
8:24 AM: SFD says the fire was started by a wiring problem, with damage confined to a “back bedroom” and estimated at $15,000. The SFD report says police are investigating “items found in the basement of the home.” Our crew, still on scene, says that the remaining fire crew is pulling material away from one corner of the back of the house (photo added above), apparently to check for anything still smoldering.
(WS bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
6:52 AM: Traffic watch is on for Wednesday morning. Nothing major so far.
7:06 AM: If you’re in the North Delridge area, there’s a fire response in the 4800 block of 25th SW [map]. We’ll be updating it here.
8:10 AM: Thanks to Joe Szilagyi for the photo-accompanied news that 30th is closed north of Roxbury by Roxhill Elementary:
He says it’s posted as school-bus-bulb-related work, through August 24th.
5:28 PM: Car fire situation is blocking the bus and far=right lanes at the peak of the eastbound bridge.
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