West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
Thanks to DN for the photo: The most-quoted lines of the poem that graces a plaque at the Statue of Liberty have been placed at the base of her little sister on Alki Beach. The poem is “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus; you can read it in full on the Statue of Liberty National Monument website.
Family and friends will gather to remember Charles W. Henke at 1 pm next Saturday (February 4th) at Hope Lutheran Church in West Seattle. Here’s the remembrance they’re sharing with the community:
Charles William Henke was born on December 9, 1926, in Gary, Indiana. He was the son of Charles and Martha Henke. He had one sister, Ruth J. Little of Aspen, Colorado, who died in March 2014.
Charles’ father, Charles Sr., was Captain of the Gary Fire Department. As a small boy, little Charles loved to spend time at the fire station sliding down the fire pole. If the fire alarm rang when Charles was in the station, it was his job to open the large doors for the fire trucks to exit. Sometimes his father would let him ride on the fire truck and ring the bell.
Charles and his family were members of St. John’s Lutheran Church, where he also attended school through eighth grade.
During his high school years at Tolleston High, Charles played drums in the band and was Lt. Colonel of the ROTC, in charge of the whole school. In his senior year, he would go to school in the morning, run home to eat a quick lunch, then take the trolley to the steel mill and work 8 hours, unloading an entire box car of bricks for the steel mill settling pond and furnaces.(hard, hot work). He earned $6.36 a day which was good money for that time.
Immediately following graduation, at the age of 17, Charles enlisted in the U. S. Navy and served in the Pacific where he remained until his father died in 1947. He was proud to serve his country.
Charles met his wife, Henrietta Ellen Little of West Seattle, in Chicago in 1949 at the wedding of his sister, Ruth, and Henrietta’s brother, William. Charles had seen a picture of Henrietta before the wedding and said that she was the girl he was going to marry. Charles went back home to Gary, Indiana where he began exchanging letters with Henrietta. Charles proposed to Henrietta in a letter and sent a ring to her father to give to her on Christmas. They were married June 10, 1950, by Pastor Emil Jaech at First Lutheran Church, because the new Hope Lutheran Church building was still under construction.
After the wedding, Charles and Henrietta went back to Gary and, on September 13, 1951, they had their first son, Charles Edward. When little Charles (Chuck) was 11 months old, Charles and Henrietta moved back to her home in West Seattle, where he bought her a brand new house on Gatewood Hill, overlooking Puget Sound with a stunning view of the Olympic Mountains. Two more children joined their family, Jeralee Ellen (Knittel) born December 17, 1953, and Steven Martin two years later, May 16, 1956. Charles and Henrietta lived and raised their family in this same home for 59 of the 61 years of their marriage and created many precious memories there.
On March 31, 1977, Charles and Henrietta had their first grandson, Timothy James Knittel. Over the next few years they were blessed with four more grandchildren, Elizabeth Ellen Knittel (Guzman) Sherilyn Joy Henke (Sweeney), Bethany Rose Henke (Rich), and David James Knittel. Several years later, two other grandchildren were added to the family, William and Molly Henke. Charles and Henrietta loved their grandchildren and made each one them feel special and accepted.
In addition to seven grandchildren, God blessed Charles and Henrietta with six great grandchildren, Kaitlyn, Emma, and Makenna Sweeney; James Guzman; and Izabella and Levi Rich. Right up to the end of his life, Grandpa Charles truly enjoyed having his great grandchildren visit. They brought him much delight!
Charles worked primarily in underground construction, building up manholes, catch basins, and laying water, storm, and sewer lines. He was involved in numerous projects in the Puget Sound area including Sandpoint Naval Base, Fort Lewis, Boeing Field, and Kent, Renton, and Everett Boeing Facilities, as well as, the 2nd runway at SeaTac Airport. He also worked at many other locations around the state, Snoqualmie Pass, Aberdeen, and Ellensburg to name a few. He was a member of local 440 Street Pavers and Tunnel Workers for over 50 years.
Charles and Henrietta served at Hope Lutheran Church from the time they moved to West Seattle. They and several other couples had a vision for a Lutheran parochial school which they thought was important for the spiritual and academic development of the children of Hope. Charles was a member of the Christian Education Board, Church Council, Personnel, and a longtime trustee. He taught Sunday school for many years and helped in any capacity where he was needed. He served the church and others throughout his long life.
Charles and Henrietta loved the Northwest and frequently traveled to the Olympic Peninsula to visit their son, Chuck and his family in the Elwha Valley. They enjoyed the mountains, and walking the ocean beaches of Washington and Oregon. They also took several cruises to Alaska and the Caribbean.
Charles remained active throughout his life and frequently helped his sons and daughter on various home projects-including running a backhoe, repairing water lines, unplugging sewers, and pouring and finishing concrete with his sons until a heart condition began to slow him down 2 years ago. He was a lifelong learner and was always willing to share his practical experiences with others.
Charles’ first priority was always his family. This was clearly demonstrated in his loving devotion to Henrietta during the last several years of her life. As she became weaker and less able to care for herself, because of a series of strokes and other medical issues, he cared for her every need with patience and tenderness. He expressed to his family what a great joy it was to be able to keep her at home and look after her through her final days.
Faithful service sums up Charles’ life. He loved his Lord. He loved his wife and family. He loved serving in his church. Charles humbly and willingly helped anyone who needed it. Everyone who knew him appreciated him and recognized his servant’s heart. We can imagine His Lord saying to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Please share memories and condolences on the guestbook at emmickfunerals.com. Funeral Arrangements entrusted to Emmick Family Funeral Home of West Seattle.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
The City Council usually starts Mondays with a morning briefing, and then gets down to business in the afternoon. Tomorrow morning’s briefing has three topics of interest – not to mention the likelihood they’ll be talking about some of what’s developed since the agenda came out. But just in case you’re interested, the agenda includes a Port of Seattle presentation (the slide deck includes a mention of the Terminal 5 project), an update on the city’s surplus-property disposition process, and the annual report on the Transportation Benefit District (fee/tax to raise money so the city can buy extra Metro service – you’ll see some C Line stats in the slide deck). You can watch live on Seattle Channel (online, or cable 21) starting at 9:30 am.
(WSB photo taken post-workshop – looking south across the triangle)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Whoever you talk to about the “South Delridge Triangle Bus Stop Park” [map], Kim Barnes began, “they say, oh yeah, we gotta do something about that.”
Last summer’s Find It, Fix It Walk provided the spark to ignite “something,” and after a community workshop on Saturday morning, it’s officially launched. About 20 people gathered at the Highland Park Improvement Club to discuss the site’s challenges and possibilities.
Along with community members – led by Barnes, who’s with the Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council – city reps were there too, including SPD’s Lt. Ron Smith and Sgt. Ryan Long, since safety/crime concerns are a major motivator for doing “something.”
So is the fact that the site could become a RapidRide stop when Delridge’s RR line opens in a few years.
Read More
1:16 PM: Three weeks after the High Point Library reopened following a month-plus renovation/upgrade project, it’s party time! Until 3 pm, you’re invited to help celebrate. City Librarian Marcellus Turner is here (at left in the top photo, with HP library staff) and speaking at 1:30 pm. Treats and kids’ activities (book-themed, of course!) too:
The branch is at 35th SW and SW Raymond.
1:40 PM: “We’re really happy to have you back home,” Turner has greeted patrons (and staff), lauding the upgrades here, including the kids’ area, joking that the newly decorated wall means different things to different people – he saw lily pads, while someone else suggested it looked like an aloha shirt. If you haven’t been to the branch since the reopening, some of the biggest changes are small but mighty – additional outlets all around the space, so you can plug in and get your work and/or studies done. (SPL’s full rundown of the changes is here.) While the party’s on until 3, the library’s open today (and all Sundays) until 5.
If you are, or know, a 10th- or 11th-grader who’s interested in leadership in their school and community – here’s a chance for free training. The Rotary Club of West Seattle is accepting applications for the Rotary Youth Leadership Award, which covers the costs of an annual seminar March 16-19 at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, described as “taught by leadership experts and directed at teens in high school. Fully chaperoned, meals included. … Great addition to a college application.” For questions and/or an application, e-mail West Seattle Rotary president Dr. Susanne Gee at drgee@drgee.com.
(Photo by David Hutchinson)
A bald eagle’s afternoon grooming at Alki Point caught the attention, and lenses, of at least two West Seattle photographers. Above and below are two views shared with us to share with you, accompanying today’s calendar highlights:
OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE OPEN HOUSE: 9 am-1 pm, staff and parents will be at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School to answer questions. (34th SW/SW Myrtle)
HOLY FAMILY OPEN HOUSE: 10 am-1 pm, meet staff and tour Holy Family Bilingual Catholic School. (20th SW/SW Roxbury)
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, fresh food and beverages are available for purchase from growers/makers – see what’s fresh this week. (California SW between Oregon and Alaska)
HOLY ROSARY OPEN HOUSE: 11:30 am-1:30 pm, visit Holy Rosary School, “a K-8 STEM + focused school. The + stands for our continued commitment to Fine Arts, Language Arts, Music, & Religion.” (42nd SW/SW Genesee)
TIBBETTS VALENTINE PARTY/LUNCH: 11:30 am, all are invited to a “free and fun gathering to make Valentine cards and enjoy a warm meal” – toasted cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. In the Tibbetts United Methodist Church (WSB sponsor) Fellowship Hall. (3940 41st SW)
(Photo by Gary Jones)
HIGH POINT LIBRARY CELEBRATION: 1-3 pm, celebrate the recently completed renovations/upgrades at High Point Library. City Librarian Marcellus Turner will speak at 1:30 pm. (35th SW/SW Raymond)
OPERA PREVIEW LECTURE: 2 pm at West Seattle (Admiral) Library, a preview lecture for “Seattle Opera’s upcoming production of Janáček’s ‘Katya Kabanova‘.” Free. (2306 42nd SW)
NEW YEAR CELEBRATION: 7 pm-11:45 pm at Yen Wor Village, with live music, karaoke, prizes. Details in our calendar listing. (California SW/SW College)
LUCKY BROWN BAND: Soul, jazz, funk, 8-11 pm at Parliament Tavern. No cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
It’s almost postseason time for high-school basketball teams. So we’re checking in with all three local high schools’ varsity teams.
(#11, WSHS sophomore Jasmine Gayles)
WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS: The Wildcats were second in the Metro League standings going into their Friday night home game against the third-ranked team, Rainier Beach.
(#20, WSHS sophomore Grace Sarver)
Beach went home with the win, 73-63. Next up for the WSHS girls, a road game at Cleveland, 7:30 pm Wednesday.
WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS: No game this weekend but they’re also visiting Cleveland next, 7:30 pm Tuesday. The Wildcat boys are #2 in the Metro Sound Conference.
On Friday night, Chief Sealth International High School and Seattle Lutheran High School each had home games for both varsity teams: Read More
It was a striking coincidence that while more than a thousand people were at Sea-Tac Airport protesting the President’s immigration crackdown, a teenage immigrant was onstage at the annual South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) “Gifts From The Earth” benefit, telling her story.
Blanca Olivera was 11 when she and her family came here from Mexico. Two years ago, she graduated from Chief Sealth International High School, and became the first member of her family to attend college, via the 13th Year Promise Scholarship – which offers one free year at SSC for graduates of Sealth, Cleveland, and Rainier Beach. Another scholarship is helping her with her second year, and she spoke before the dinner/auction’s “Fund A Dream” paddle-raising round. We recorded her speech on video:
Among the crowd, we spotted City Councilmembers Bruce Harrell and Lisa Herbold. The council voted for funding to help support the 13th Year Promise Scholarship as it expands to serve more local students, likely including West Seattle High School.
As we finished writing this report, the tally came in via e-mail: A record-setting $273,000 was raised tonight.
Along with raising scholarship money, Gifts From The Earth showcases the culinary and wine programs at SSC, and their alumni. This year’s lineup of guest chefs is here; this year’s lineup of wineries is here.
Three reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
CAR WINDOWS SHATTERED: The photo is from Megan, who says her car and others along 9th SW in Highland Park were broken by bullets/projectiles overnight. She counted 10; we haven’t heard from any of the other victims, so we don’t know about others, but SPD’s auto-tweets do show a Highland Park Way/Portland “property destruction” call, which is also in the area. (SUNDAY UPDATE: Megan says police have since told her that 22 vehicles were hit.)
BURGLARY: From Ronnie:
I live in the 5400 block of 23rd Ave SW, half a block south of Brandon. Sometime between 1:15 and 3:15 Thursday afternoon, my house was broken into. I have no idea how they got my garage door open, but that’s definitely how they got in. They walked away with several thousand dollars worth of electronics and guitars. They took 3 game consoles but left behind laptop and desktop computers that were in plain sight. They took my Gibson SG but left several much more expensive guitars behind. The police officer said it was probably kids. I have three dogs that were home at the time, and they were completely unharmed and locked in one of the bathrooms.
WIRING THEFT: Karen says a neighbor in the 5000 block of 36th SW reported a streetlight outage to Seattle City Light and discovered it was because of copper-wiring theft – which would have had to have been done by someone climbing two poles. Neighbors speculated that a truck might have been used. So if you have a streetlight outage, be sure to report it promptly, so that SCL can check out the cause (and repair it, as has been done in this neighborhood already). This SCL webpage offers three ways to report it – an online form, e-mail address, and phone number. And if you see suspicious activity, of course, call 911.
Suzanne sent the photos, saying she encountered this 6-year-old girl and her grandmother at Constellation Park today: “She was with her mom last Saturday in the Womxn’s March, carrying a sign she filled with messages of love, and continues to be inspired to do all she can to sustain it, her grandmother said.”
So if you saw, or see, the messages (which also included “Let Freedom Ring”) … now you know.
7:18 PM: The video is from King County Council Chair Joe McDermott at Sea-Tac Airport, one of multiple U.S. airports where demonstrators rallied today/tonight in opposition to the presidential order detaining people of certain nationalities even though they have visas. He reports seeing another West Seattleite among the demonstrators, City Councilmember Lisa Herbold. The American Civil Liberties Union went to court and reports that a temporary injunction has been granted. Also at the airport with demonstrators, area U.S. Reps. Pramila Jayapal (whose district includes West Seattle) and Suzan DelBene, and Gov. Jay Inslee:
With @RepDelBene and @GovInslee, we are attempting to meet with border authorities to ascertain what has happened to detained immigrants. pic.twitter.com/Z785VE9GNl
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) January 29, 2017
ADDED 7:35 PM: Thanks to Keri Watson for sending this photo from Sea-Tac, where she has seen other West Seattleites participating and says the demonstration in the arrival hall is expected to continue until 10 pm:
Anyone else there – editor@westseattleblog.com – thank you!
ADDED 9:31 PM: We don’t know if any of the people affected by the airport detentions are from, or related to anyone from, our area, but we did want to add one line from a media dispatch from Congressmember Jayapal’s office: “Family members of anyone detained at the airport should contact the Northwest Immigrants Rights Project at outreach@nwirp.org for assistance.”
ADDED SUNDAY: Thanks to Lauren for two more photos from the Saturday demonstration.
Our state’s Attorney General Bob Ferguson has joined 14 others around the country in vowing to fight the ban:
As the chief legal officers for over 130 million Americans and foreign residents of our states, we condemn President Trump’s unconstitutional, un-American and unlawful Executive Order and will work together to ensure the federal government obeys the Constitution, respects our history as a nation of immigrants, and does not unlawfully target anyone because of their national origin or faith.
Religious liberty has been, and always will be, a bedrock principle of our country, and no president can change that truth.
Yesterday, multiple federal courts ordered a stay of the Administration’s dangerous Executive Order. We applaud those decisions and will use all of the tools of our offices to fight this unconstitutional order and preserve our nation’s national security and core values.
We are confident that the Executive Order will ultimately be struck down by the courts. In the meantime, we are committed to working to ensure that as few people as possible suffer from the chaotic situation that it has created.
Meantime, opponents of the immigration-related order have announced another Seattle protest, 5 pm tonight at Westlake Park downtown.
“We’ll see you around the neighborhood,” Kent Sadow assured a family that just stopped in to say goodbye in the final hours of the Admiral District retro-toys-candy-and-more shop he and wife Parris Sadow opened nine years ago.
The full name, Max and Quinn’s Atomic Boys Shop-O-Rama, is in honor of their sons – now college and high-school students, respectively. The Sadows announced in early December that they would close the shop rather than renew the lease again. And this is closing day – they’ll likely be there until about 5 pm. Not much is left to sell – party supplies, mostly – but they still have some fixtures and other items to clear out after they put up the CLOSED sign for good. Some will be donated, and some, they say, will be kept because they’re not sure what the future holds – might be more retail, someday!
P.S. One thing that’s definitely not for sale – the retro Coca-Cola bottle-vending machine by the door. Don’t even ask!
(Thanks to Gina for the tip.)
The family of Amy Paton is sharing this remembrance:
Amy E Paton
1/14/1921 – 1/20/2017Amy E Paton, age 96, passed away on January 20, 2017 in Seattle.
She is survived by her granddaughters Lisa Gondola, Lynne Corgatelli, and grandson James Layton. She is also survived by five great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.
Amy lived a long, full and healthy life and will be greatly missed. A formal memorial service is not planned. In celebration of Amy’s life and memory, please consider a donation to the American Heart Association.
Share memories @ emmickfunerals.com.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
Until 3 pm – as previewed in today’s list of calendar highlights – you’re invited to stop by Highland Park Improvement Club to learn more about raingardens with RainWise, to help maintain the raingardens and related areas at HPIC, and/or to pick up free tree(s) for your yard! We took the photo while leaving HPIC after this morning’s Delridge Bus Triangle Park workshop (separate story coming up later).
Meantime, HPIC sent out this announcement today for its new art initiative:
Highland Park Improvement Club is looking for art teachers!
2017 brings new programming ideas to HPIC that showcase the artist talents of our neighborhood. Starting in February, we’re kicking off an art night at the club! HPIC will serve as a venue for local artists to teach a class, as well as offer a community art room. And yes, the HP bar will be open!
Are you interested in sharing your craft? All ideas are welcome! Sewing, knitting, a DIY project, jewelry making, pottery, painting, collage, making dream catchers, etc. Our pilot painting class in December – Bottles & Brushes – was a sold out success!
Please come to our info session to learn more about the opportunities to teach your classes at our neighborhood club!
Date: Tuesday February 7th at 7 PM
Location: HPIC (1116 SW Holden)Come share your talents, interests and ideas! If you have any questions please email hpic1919@gmail.com
Something else you can do today — create art for the West Seattle Garden Tour. The volunteers behind the WSGT asked if we would remind you one more time about the annual competition, because turn-in time is now just two weeks away – February 10th-12th. The theme is “The Art of Gardening” and the winner is showcased on the poster and ticket-book cover as well as during the West Seattle Art Walk, as well as receiving a $500 prize. This year’s WSGT, by the way, is on June 25th.
(Photo by Paul Weatherman, from Friday’s sunset)
More than a dozen options for your Saturday, morning through night, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
WHITE CENTER SUMMIT: 8 am-3 pm at the Evergreen Campus, the White Center Community Development Association invites WC community members to this year’s summit, with the theme “Call to Action.” Details on our partner site White Center Now. (830 SW 116th)
TUKWILA TO ALKI HALF-MARATHON: Just an FYI in case you notice the runners: Informal, no-bib, no-fee race leaves Tukwila 8-9 am and finishes at Alki Beach Park. (2666 Alki SW)
DELRIDGE/BARTON BUS TRIANGLE COMMUNITY WORKSHOP: 10 am-noon at Highland Park Improvement Club, come talk about the future of the “Bus Triangle Park” at Delridge/Barton – as explained here. Doors open at HPIC at 9:45. (12th SW/SW Holden)
CLICK! DESIGN THAT FITS, OPEN AGAIN: After a few weeks of winter break, Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) reopens today. 10 am-5 pm. (4540 California SW)
GAME GROUPS @ MEEPLES: 10:30 am-11:30 pm, half a dozen game groups meet at Meeples Games (WSB sponsor) – see the calendar on the right side of Meeples’ home page! (3727 California SW)
RAINWISE WORK PARTY – AND FREE TREES: 11 am-3 pm at Highland Park Improvement Club, learn about raingardens and maintaining them, with some hands-on practice, plus free yard trees for the taking. (12th SW/SW Holden)
WEST SEATTLE MONTESSORI & ACADEMY OPEN HOUSE: 1-3 pm, visit West Seattle Montessori & Academy (WSB sponsor) to find out about the school and how to apply. (11215 15th SW)
FITNESS TOGETHER’S 10TH ANNIVERSARY OPEN HOUSE: 4-6 pm, Fitness Together West Seattle (WSB sponsor) in The Junction celebrates 10 years in business with an open-house celebration. Details are in our preview from earlier this week. (Upstairs, via alley entry, at 4546 California SW)
GIFTS FROM THE EARTH: Sold out, so this is just a reminder if you did get tickets – 5-10 pm annual food, wine, and auction gala at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor), in the Brockey Center. (6000 16th SW)
ROO FORREST & FRIENDS: Live music at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7 pm. (5612 California SW)
‘MOTHERS & SONS’: Directed by Makaela Pollock. 7:30 pm curtain time at ArtsWest Playhouse in The Junction. (4711 California SW)
THE TIKIGRAPHS: 9 pm at Parliament Tavern in The Admiral District:
The Tikigraphs play exotica lounge music inspired by the tiki pop culture phenomenon of the 1950s and 1960s. The Tikigraphs carry on the tradition of the legendary exotica artists such as Martin Denny, Yma Sumac, Les Baxter, Arthur Lyman and more. Percussion, marimbas, lap steel, flute, surf guitar and lush vocals make up their sonic curtain.
$7 cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
CHRISTA SAYS YAY & PITY KISS: 9 pm at Whisky West in Morgan Junction. No cover. 21+. (6451 California SW)
MORE! It’s all on our complete calendar.
By Cliff Cawthon
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
When you come to the gate, instead of the encampment beyond, the first thing you’ll notice is that there’s usually someone being either welcomed in, looking for help, or offering to help.
Camp Second Chance is on the city-owned Myers Way Parcels, and while it’s been there, unauthorized, since last summer, it is also the site of one of the three “new” authorized-encampment locations formalized by a mayoral emergency order, approved by the City Council, last week.
The original December announcement of those three locations (including one in Georgetown) marked a leap forward for a plan the mayor calls Bridging the Gap to Pathways Home. The camp is to be given a one-year lease, with the possibility of renewal for a second year.
Nonprofits, community members, and residents are currently in a conversation around the Mayor’s move. And a community meeting is scheduled for 7 pm next Wednesday (February 1st) at the nearby Joint Training Facility. The authorization is greeted enthusiastically by camp liaison Eric Davis: “Being able to safely transition into housing, as opposed to being [swept] out of somewhere every three months…it’s a blessing the Mayor [has] sanctioned us [so far].”
I visited the camp to talk to residents about what this order means for their future. Read More
(Image from community grant application)
One more reminder if this isn’t already in your Saturday-morning plan: You are invited to a community workshop 10 am-noon tomorrow to talk about the future of the “Triangle Bus Park” in South Delridge (as first previewed here two weeks ago). Here’s what the workshop at the Highland Park Improvement Club is all about:
Centrally located in the Westwood-Highland Park Urban Village, the “Triangle Bus Park” was aptly named for lack of any true identity. For years it has been noted as a badly conceived space attracting illegal dumping and suspicious activity while repelling community members from proper use. We aim to change the trajectory of this space.
Through the City of Seattle’s Find It Fix It Walk for the Westwood/Roxhill neighborhood, the community has been awarded a small grant of $1500 to kick-start the process of reclaiming and redeveloping the Triangle Bus Park.
With SDOT, the workshop will explore and document community-led findings centered on the space’s history, safety needs, envisioned improvements, and community identity of the area. Community members will be shown examples of best practices in urban design to spark and inspire innovative ideas.
This is just a first step toward figuring out what could and should be done, but there’s no second step without a first step, so all are invited to come get things started. Doors at HPIC (12th SW/SW Holden) open at 9:45; the schedule for the 10 am-noon workshop, and more backstory, can be seen here.
Thanks to Chief Sealth International High School teacher Noah Zeichner for the photos and report:
Three university students from South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Angola spent the morning in American Government classes at Chief Sealth International High School today.
They are in Seattle as part of the Study of the US Institute for Student Leaders on Civic Engagement, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. They also visit Washington DC and New Orleans as part of the program. They are part of a group of 20 undergraduates from Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe and are in the United States learning about civic engagement. They are participating in volunteer and service activities, leadership workshops, and cultural excursions. The program is coordinated locally by the Foundation for International Understanding Through Students.
In the government classes this morning, they discussed the 2016 election, the U.S. criminal justice system and they compared and contrasted government structures and public education systems.
They also listened to 12th grade students give a presentation on the Bill of Rights.
Four months ago today, a three-alarm fire gutted one building at the Lam-Bow Apartments complex in Delridge. More than 40 people lost their homes; many stayed in a temporary shelter at Delridge Community Center until the Seattle Housing Authority found new places for them to live. The fire’s cause was never determined.
During her appearance at this week’s “State of Delridge” community-group meeting in Highland Park (WSB coverage here), Councilmember Lisa Herbold was asked about plans for the charred building. That reminded us we had not followed up on it lately, so we took the question to SHA spokesperson Kerry Coughlin, who told us, “The building has been deemed unsalvageable. We will have to take it down completely. That much has been decided. What hasn’t yet been determined is what happens after that and when. We are still looking at options.” As for the demolition timeline, “We have submitted all the paperwork and fees to the City for the permit and are just waiting on that. As soon as we get it we will begin the work.” City files show, in fact, that the demolition-permit application for the building at 6955 Delridge Way SW went in just yesterday.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
“How do we grow as a city and create more affordable housing in all of our neighborhoods?”
That’s the question the current proposal for Mandatory Housing Affordability rezoning, as part of the city’s Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda, is supposed to address.
But despite hundreds of properties proposed for rezoning, it could result in fewer than 100 affordable units over the next 20 years in the West Seattle Junction Urban Village, according to one part of the presentation seen by ~200 people last night, filling the upstairs hall at the Senior Center for a briefing, Q&A session, and small-group discussions of that area’s part of the plan.
The meeting was officially billed as a Community Design Workshop. We were there for the entire three hours. First – in case you are still catching up on HALA, which includes 60+ components in addition to the MHA rezoning – we recorded the half-hour primer provided by Brennon Staley of the Office of Planning and Community Development – “the background and how we got here,” regarding what he described as a “housing affordability crisis”:
Other city staffers from OPCD were there, as well as a representative from the office of Councilmember Rob Johnson – who chairs the Planning, Land Use, and Zoning Committee through which the final proposals will go – District 1 Councilmember Lisa Herbold (observing rather than speaking), and consulting-firm employees who facilitated the small-group discussions.
The Junction area has 3,880 homes today – that includes apartments, townhouses, houses – Staley said. If nothing (zoning, etc.) changes, 2,300 new homes are expected to be added in the next 20 years. If MHA rezoning is approved, that number is expected to bump to 2,800 new homes, with 80 to 130 of them “affordable.” After the four-digit building boom of the past few years, those numbers drew some audible expressions of disbelief from around the room. Staley did offer the caveat that it’s “just an estimate, could be more or less.”
The presentation had a few points of customization for the West Seattle Junction area – including “retain(ing) highest density along the SW Alaska ‘transit spine’,” the “transition from (higher heights) to single-family areas,” and larger density increases near transit, stores, Fairmount Park.
That brought the question that resurfaced at last week’s Junction Neighborhood Organization Land Use Committee meeting – what about waiting for rezoning until the station locations for Sound Transit 3 are known? There was no real answer to that, aside from the acknowledgement that it’s a unique issue for this area.
Another common question was the potential effect of rezoning on property taxes. That’s where the question-and-answer section began – here’s our video of that half-hour:
That didn’t get to all the questions, and it was promised that they all will be answered on a TBA webpage. But that could take a month, the city reps acknowledged, when asked how long that would take, given that no summary of the December 7th open house – 7+ weeks ago – has turned up yet.
If you’re interested, but couldn’t go last night, we highly advise taking the time to listen to the video, but here are a few highlights:
Questions included how “infrastructure” is being addressed, including the need for more schools. The city is “working closely with Seattle Public Schools” as it plans for the BEX 5 ballot measure (followup to BEX 4, which built new schools including Genesee Hill and Arbor Heights Elementaries), reps said.
And then there was the question of whether the “affordable housing” to be generated by MHA will “contribute to solving the homeless problem.” Staley’s response was that it’s “interrelated but not the same issue” – homelessness, he said, is caused partly by the cost of housing, and also by “other issues” (he did not elaborate).
The Junction already has absorbed much more growth than was envisioned to have happened by now, so could some of the proposed growth be shifted to other areas of the city that have not? “That’s why we are out talking to people,” Staley replied.
The perennial issue of vehicle parking came up. “We know (it) is a concern,” Staley said, adding that there is no minimum or maximum for it in urban-village projects, but most projects, he said, include it. (Many attendees shouted, WRONG! at this point.)
And then there was a followup on the small number of affordable units expected to be generated, whether by percentages or fees, from Junction upzoning, and a question about where in this area that the city already had built affordable housing. Staley contended there had been a “lot,” and when asked where, started to mention the High Point redevelopment, but the discussion veered away at that point. (He said the Office of Housing has a map, but did not have a representative at the meeting.)
Around midway through the three-hour meeting, the small-group discussions began. People who had RSVPd were pre-assigned to certain tables, and more were added for those who had not – “there’s so much interest in your community,” the facilitator explained.
The room was abuzz with conversation all the way until the 9 pm conclusion – some left early, but not many. We listened in at multiple tables, where concerns ranged from wanting to exempt single-family areas from rezoning, to wanting more green space, to wanting to be sure that West Seattle’s hilly topography was taken into account when considering how height changes would play out. By the meeting’s end, maps on tables had many comments, from discrepancies to suggestions – here are a few examples:
West Seattle Junction is one of four urban villages in West Seattle – this type of meeting was held, though little-publicized, in Westwood-Highland Park in November; Admiral will have one the morning of Saturday, February 11th; and Morgan Junction will too, with a date TBA. MHA rezoning also affects commercial/multifamily property EVERYWHERE in the city, so you might be affected even if you’re not in an “urban village” area. (Added: Here’s the interactive map you can use to zoom in on any area of West Seattle – or the rest of the city – to see whether any particular spot is affected.)
COMMENT ONLINE: You can comment on any urban-village proposal at hala.consider.it. Or, you can e-mail comments to halainfo@seattle.gov.
(WSB photo)
Something else you can do today – or any Thursday/ Friday/ Saturday/ Sunday afternoon, when the Log House Museum is open – go check out its ongoing project “Telling Our Westside Stories” exhibits. A reception at the museum last night celebrated both the culmination of the project and the involvement of both youth and elders in interviews done as part of it. In our photo above are Lola Demurger and Zoe Harper, 16-year-old West Seattle High School sophomores who were Madison Middle School students when they were part of the project. They’re talking with Seaview resident Detlev Kroll of West Seattle’s Kroll family, as in Kroll Map Company. Questions during their interview demonstration last night were largely about what had changed since he was their age. He recalled the Admiral Theater‘s single-screen days, and shops that used to be in the Morgan Junction area, including the old butcher shop at the corner of California/Graham (it was in this building demolished back in 2008).
Before the demonstration interview, the project was explained last night by former Southwest Seattle Historical Society president Judy Bentley and Madison MS teacher Amy O’Donoghue, whose language arts/history students were part of the project. You’ll hear from them, followed by the demonstration interview, in this video from last night, recorded by SWSHS executive director Clay Eals:
Curator Lissa Kramer emceed the reception. “Telling Our Westside Stories” includes exhibits themed “Land” (2012), “Work” (2014), and “Home” (2016).
The program was funded in part by 4Culture. Regular hours at the Log House Museum are noon-4 pm Thursdays-Sundays.
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