LAST CALL: Friday’s the deadline for voting on ‘Welcome to West Seattle’ sign

Will it be option A …

… or option B?

If you haven’t yet voted on which you would rather see along the Fauntleroy Way end of the West Seattle Bridge, thanks to the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce‘s receipt of a gift from philanthropist Adah Cruzen, you have until tomorrow (Friday, August 3rd) to get that done! All the backstory is here; the link for voting is here.

25 Replies to "LAST CALL: Friday's the deadline for voting on 'Welcome to West Seattle' sign"

  • old August 2, 2018 (10:12 pm)

    None of the above please!Option A looks like a water park Option B looks like an airport

  • Tom August 3, 2018 (12:49 am)

    Maybe ask Zach Rockstad to paint one

  • Alki resident August 3, 2018 (1:11 am)

    What’s the hurry to spend the money? Why not save it for something important? Are we in dire need of a new sign?

    • WSB August 3, 2018 (7:53 am)

      Because this is what the money was donated for, including funding for the sustainable maintenance of that gateway zone.

  • chad August 3, 2018 (6:51 am)

    Chamber of Commerce isn’t gonna be your source for aesthetics, unfortunately.I agree tho, why couldn’t they come up with something that looks a little more classic and a little less plastic.Oh well.  Progress!  I guess.

  • Junction Lady August 3, 2018 (6:56 am)

    More options to vote would be nice.  

  • RayWest August 3, 2018 (7:40 am)

    Number 2 looks like a tombstone, though maybe that’s appropriate as the old West Seattle I grew up in is no more. I voted for #1.

  • Just another designer August 3, 2018 (7:53 am)

    Yikes. These are both pretty bland and uninspiring.

  • J August 3, 2018 (8:35 am)

    These remind of me of the signs you see at the entry of gated suburban developments. Of the two, I’m going to vote for #1. 

  • Pe August 3, 2018 (9:42 am)

    Something based on this.

  • sarchka August 3, 2018 (10:01 am)

    In comparison to the iconic and charming sign that currently exists, I really dislike both of these.  Please just keep or restore the existing sign!!!!  

  • Admiral neighbor August 3, 2018 (10:08 am)

    I agree that the design options could be improved. Also, a photo providing a wider angle of the installation location would help us visualize. There are a lot of creative people living here that could be consulted for ideas. 

  • Jethro Marx August 3, 2018 (12:15 pm)

    Did anyone see the crane sculpture briefly installed on the Duwamish north of terminal 5? It lit up with a range of colors correlating to live water quality feedback. That’s my kind of public art. I think it was part of Duwamish Alive or something.    As in politics, I wish there were a “none of the above” option.

    • Clinker August 3, 2018 (1:23 pm)

      Hate to be negative, but this isn’t art, it’s more of a “yellow pages” style advertisement for West Seattle chamber of commerce.The current sign isn’t particularly interesting but at least it has some character. The given options are soulless.Thanks WSB for reporting on it!

      • chad August 3, 2018 (5:27 pm)

        I agree.  The current sign has a classic look which just isn’t reflected in these designs.I think either of these signs is a pretty big step backwards.

      • TS August 3, 2018 (10:47 pm)

        Well said! The redesigns look like signage for a business park, not the gateway to one of the coolest neighborhoods in the best cities in the World. Opportunity missed. Who was given the opportunity to redesign the existing sign?  

  • neighbor August 3, 2018 (3:24 pm)

    You do all realize that this was a very generous donation from a community member, right? If you find the options unsatisfactory, I encourage you to pony up your own donation for something you like better.I think this is a beautiful gesture from Mrs. Cruzen and it saddens me to see it received so poorly.

    • RayWest August 3, 2018 (5:21 pm)

      It is indeed a generous donation, but the two design options are rather uninspired, and I’d like to see more ideas that better fits West Seattle’s quirky and eclectic character (or perhaps its history would be more accurate as we’ve lost much of our uniqueness). Personally, I’d have liked the money be used to recreate the stolen Playing on Logs statue. 

    • Also a neighbor August 4, 2018 (11:51 pm)

      It being a generous donation (which no-one is claiming otherwise) has nothing to do with the fact that there were two design firms contracted to make these mockups and they did not do a great job to encapsulate the essence of West Seattle. This is an incredible opportunity that should not be wasted.

  • neighbors August 3, 2018 (3:25 pm)

    You can provide feedback directly to the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce on the website linked in the
    story.

  • Ugh August 3, 2018 (3:35 pm)

    It is indeed a kind and generous gift. I agree, however, that both designs are uninspired, ugly and already dated looking. I would rather not have to see this gift each day coming into West Seattle. Are there other options, locations, etc? If not, I vote no thank you.

  • J August 3, 2018 (8:42 pm)

    Let’s find a way to make this generous gift go towards a sign that reflects the character of the neighborhood.  Neither of these options is an improvement.  Surely the donator wanted the money to be used for an improvement

  • John Enger August 3, 2018 (9:01 pm)

    Thanks to Adah ….but remember, the question is would Earl have wanted either of these options?  There is no rush that I see….how about some additional designs.  

  • Ed Campbell August 4, 2018 (8:30 am)

    How about adding something like Home to bueatiful sunsets 

  • 4thGenWestSide August 5, 2018 (6:27 pm)

    The gift is wonderful, and will be appreciated. Did these design firms do work for Hampton Inn or the Royal Fork?  I agree with most of the comments above in terms of the signs. Maybe we crowd fund to pay for some design firms who know what West Seattle is all about, understanding that many people might be embarrassed  by driving by either one of those for decades to come.  I mean, we are the BIRTHPLACE OF SEATTLE.  Let’s think about this for a while.    @WSB- Does the funding for the gateway area include both sides of the road / blackberries / overgrown shrubs?  I know Earl used to be down there trimming.  I’d love to get involved in “volunteer days” to help cut down on costs. 

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