day : 04/03/2015 10 results

(Photo courtesy Beehive Salon)
Another of The Junction’s new storefronts has a tenant. Just this morning, Laurie e-mailed to say it looked as if another space in Oregon 42 at 42nd/Oregon, next to Emerald Water Anglers (WSB sponsor), had been leased. Then tonight, we received e-mail from Annie of Beehive Salon, which she describes as “an Aveda Concept salon in Wallingford that (is) opening a second location in West Seattle,” saying the Oregon 42 space is where they’re going. Annie says Beehive “offers hair, skin, and body services in a fun, professional, and welcoming environment … We couldn’t have picked a better spot and look forward to joining the neighborhood.” Their website says they’ve been in Wallingford for 15 years. They’re expecting to open the expansion salon here in May.

VIDEO: Time-lapse view of tunnel machine moving into repair pit

March 4, 2015 9:54 pm

| 5 COMMENTS

| Alaskan Way Viaduct | West Seattle news

Following up on this morning’s news that the Highway 99 tunnel machine had made it as far into the repair pit alongside the Alaskan Way Viaduct as it needed to go, WSDOT has released the 1:14 time-lapse video embedded above. According to this morning’s update, taking its cutterhead apart to be lifted out for repairs is expected to take weeks.

Share This

VIDEO: Seattle Lutheran sendoff as boys’ basketball team heads to state tournament

March 4, 2015 7:13 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS & Sports

As the school day came to an end at Seattle Lutheran, students gathered in the gym to wish the boys’ basketball team good luck at the state tournament, which starts tomorrow in Spokane.

Then it was time for team pictures out in the sunshine:

The commemorative T-shirts list the team members, and head coach Brett Kapels:

The Saints open the 1B tournament playing Cusick at 3:45 tomorrow afternoon; more info here. They advanced to the state’s final 8 with a regional win over Yakama Nation last Saturday in Bellevue (WSB coverage here).

P.S. As you probably know, the West Seattle High School girls are playing in the state tournament too; their first game is 2 pm tomorrow in Tacoma, and WSHS plans a pep assembly in the morning before they leave.

Share This

Followup: Fire Station 29 now set up in interim North Admiral site

March 4, 2015 5:05 pm

| 6 COMMENTS

| Safety | West Seattle news

As of today, interim Fire Station 29 is officially up and running in those temporary structures on the city-owned right-of-way triangle at Ferry/44th/Hill, across from Admiral Congregational Church and down the street from permanent Station 29.

As first reported here in January, this wasn’t in the original plan for where Station 29 would go while its permanent quarters get earthquake-safety upgrades and a bit of other remodeling; for many months, the city had said it would instead be located at the Harbor Avenue site that had been used for interim Station 36, and the neighbors of this site weren’t notified until eight weeks ago, days before site prep began. They voiced safety concerns but ultimately the plan proceeded, and Engine 29 is now operating out of the temporary station; SFD spokesperson Kyle Moore confirmed to WSB that today was moving day. Also: Battalion 7, which had been based at 29, is now at interim Station 32 on 40th SW in The Junction, home to Engine 32 and Ladder 11 while permanent station 32 is rebuilt, and Medic 32, as noted here last month, has moved temporarily to Station 37. Bottom line – for the next year-plus, you’ll see emergency vehicles emerging from places you’re not necessarily used to seeing them.

P.S. The future of the North Admiral site, post-interim Station 29, is on the agenda for next Tuesday’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting, 7 pm at The Sanctuary at Admiral (42nd/Lander).

Share This

What constitutes ‘frequent transit,’ when it’s time to decide how much parking a development needs or doesn’t need?

March 4, 2015 2:44 pm

| 30 COMMENTS

| Development | West Seattle news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Back in December, we reported that the city was planning to rewrite its rule about what kind of transit availability is required before development projects to be built without parking. That was part of the fallout from a ruling by the city Hearing Examiner on a West Seattle group’s challenge to issues including a project’s use of multiple bus routes/stops to contend “frequent transit service” was available nearby.

That group, Seattle NERD, says the proposed “director’s rule” runs counter to the ruling in their appeal (we covered the appeal hearing – here, here, and here – and the ruling, last fall). This is all unfolding as the deadline for comment on the rule rushes up – it’s tomorrow (March 5th).

If you blinked, you might have missed the notice that the rewrite was ready for review and comment (we did, until Seattle NERD pointed it out) – it was linked from this notice in a recent edition of the city’s Land Use Information Bulletin, and lumped in with an unrelated proposed rule change, as per the screengrab below:

The overview of the proposed rule:

Purpose

The purpose of this rule is to define the Department’s requirements for demonstrating that a development site is eligible to be developed without parking (pursuant to 23.54.015 Table A, Row J or Table B, Row M) or qualifies for a 50% reduction in amount of required parking (pursuant to 23.54.020.F) due to the site’s location within walking distance of frequent transit service (FTS).

Background

To promote environmental and transportation policies of the Comprehensive Plan and support alternatives to driving, either no parking is required, or a reduction in the required amount is allowed for residential uses in multifamily and commercial zones in areas of the city where transit service is adequate to serve commute and non-work related trips.

The full text of the proposed rule is here. (Note that its example involves 35th/Avalon.)

It would, as Seattle NERD alleges, allow combination of bus routes and stops to arrive at a determination of “frequent transit” availability. The group points this out, including color-coded comparisons, in detail on the home page of its website. It’s pointed this out to City Councilmembers, and at least one, West Seattle-residing Tom Rasmussen, has promised to check it out.

This isn’t just an abstract process; the future of at least a few development projects awaits the decision – for example, the microhousing project planned at 3050 SW Avalon Way (with no offstreet parking) has been corresponding with the city on the issue.

If you have any comment on the proposed rule, e-mail Mike Podowski, whose address is on the notice – and again, tomorrow is the deadline.

Share This

Crime Watch: Safety alert after student approached; car prowl

March 4, 2015 12:39 pm

| 3 COMMENTS

| Crime | Safety | South Park | West Seattle news

Two Crime Watch notes this afternoon:

STUDENT APPROACHED: This happened in South Park, but the student attends Pathfinder K-8 in West Seattle, and the alert is being circulated among parents in both communities, so we were asked to share it:

My 14 year old daughter was approached by a man on Trenton Street while she walked to her school bus stop this morning. This guy obviously had no good intentions! My daughter describes him as Hispanic, thin with dark hair. His car was a gray 4-door sedan of an older (1990s) model. She believes that he was using or on some sort of substance.

His intent was to get her into his car!!! She avoided his questions, got to her bus stop and called the police. She has since given a statement to police (at her school) and her school has been made aware of what happened this morning.

I want to be clear: My daughter felt threatened by this man and that he was very intent on getting her alone. Please help keep an eye out for this person and help keep our kids safe!!!

Via Twitter, the police log indicates this was near 10th Avenue S./S. Trenton (here’s a map).

CAR PROWL: Two car prowls are on the police log so far this morning. One was reported in the 7300 block of Delridge Way, and we learned of the other one in this reader report from David:

My car was broken into in the Gatewood area just west of 35th sometime between 1100 PM and 0700 AM. A window was broken and some items removed. It has been reported to the police.

SPD shared car-prowl-prevention/deterrence advice a month ago; we published it then but it bears sharing again:

Share This

Heads up if you walk, run, and/or ride to/from Alki Beach: Repair work ahead at 53rd Avenue Pump Station

March 4, 2015 11:14 am

| Comments Off on Heads up if you walk, run, and/or ride to/from Alki Beach: Repair work ahead at 53rd Avenue Pump Station

| Environment | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

Sidewalk detours and a bus-stop move are ahead next week with repair work at the 53rd Avenue Pump Station on Alki Beach. We just received the official notice from the county Wastewater Treatment Division – you can scroll through it above (or read it here, as a PDF). The county expects work to start next week and last up to a week.

Share This

Five ways to spend part of your West Seattle Wednesday night

March 4, 2015 10:44 am

| Comments Off on Five ways to spend part of your West Seattle Wednesday night

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

From the WSB Flickr pool (thanks!), Patrick O’Brien‘s sunset photo captures not just the colors and the water, but also a neighborhood … one of the million reasons to love living here. So now we look ahead to what’s happening (besides, maybe, another beautiful sunset) tonight – highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

BECOME A MASTER COMPOSTER! INFO SESSION: 6 pm at Chaco Canyon Organic Café in The Triangle, join Seattle Tilth for an informational session about its upcoming “master composter” training – details in our calendar listing. (38th/Alaska)

Y UPDATE, COUNCILMEMBER @ SW DISTRICT COUNCIL: 6:30 pm, it’s the monthly meeting of reps from community councils and other organizations/groups in western West Seattle, comprising the Southwest District Council. On the agenda: An update on the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) expansion project and Q/A with City Councilmember Sally Clark (one of three, so far, who have announced they’re not running for re-election). Upstairs at the Senior Center of West Seattle. (Oregon/California)

KIWANIS CLUB OF WEST SEATTLE: Thinking about joining a local service club? The Kiwanis Club meets in the evening now, 6:30 pm Wednesdays, and you’re welcome to join them tonight at their regular meeting spot, Senior Center of West Seattle. (Oregon/California)

HOLY ROSARY SCHOOL PLAY: 7 pm, first of two performances of ‘Fairy Tale Network‘ – read about it in our calendar listing, then go cheer the young performers tonight. Free but “donations warmly accepted at the door.” (42nd/Genesee)

OPEN MICROPHONE @ SKYLARK: Signups at 7:30, performances start at 8:30 pm, free and fully backlined, open to 21+, every Wednesday night at Skylark Café and Club – details in our listing. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

Share This

Help celebrate Youngstown Cultural Arts Center’s ninth birthday!

March 4, 2015 9:40 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| Delridge | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

It’s been 9 years since Youngstown Cultural Arts Center opened in Delridge’s historic Frank B. Cooper School building, and you’re invited to celebrate on March 28th:

It’s back! Youngstown’s annual birthday party, the Thrive, returns this March for an evening of family-friendly arts activities, games, and entertainment at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center in West Seattle. This year, the celebrated, dynamic arts hub is ringing in its 9th year of fostering arts and cultural activities for West Seattle and the city at large. Thrive 9 is a community-fueled night of fun and frivolity that encourages neighbors and friends of the center to come dance, play

The party features the energetic musical stylings of Eduardo Mendonça, award-winning Brazilian singer, composer, and Show Brazil band leader; and Eli Rosenblatt, bringing kid-friendly, multilingual songs in swing, reggae, salsa and samba styles. Also performing is the Dogg Pound Dance Crew, a youthful breakdance group who found their beginnings at Youngstown. Seattle Balloon Arts is back again this year, twisting custom balloons to amaze and astound.

Thrive 9 welcomes families and adults alike, and will feature a lounge area for the 21+ crowd who want a beverage and snack while the kids enjoy making art with Youngstown staff and volunteers as they bounce to the beat of the musical offerings. Guests will enjoy refreshments provided by community partners including Chaco Canyon, Spiro’s Pizza & Pasta, Metropolitan Market, Hilliard’s beer,

Proceeds from the event will benefit critical youth arts programming and facility needs at Youngstown. Tickets can be purchased by visiting brownpapertickets.com/event/1238982.

The building itself is coming up on its centennial – read more about its history here.

(WSB photo, 2012)
Its grand opening as an arts center was in February 2006.

Share This

TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Wednesday on the move; tunnel machine goes as far as it’s going, for now

March 4, 2015 6:59 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Four WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
6:59 AM: Good morning – clear and cold to start the day; no surprises on the outbound roads so far.

7:15 AM: Since it’s quiet, we took a look at the camera showing the Highway 99 tunnel-machine continuing to advance into its rescue pit:

You can see the newest view any time here. No formal update from WSDOT yet this week.

ADDED 10:25 AM: Didn’t realize when we grabbed that image that the machine has now reached the point where it’s stopping for repairs. WSDOT has since published this update, saying the “disassembly process will likely take weeks.”

Share This