West Seattle, Washington
02 Wednesday
(Design concept from packet for 7617 35th SW)
“Name that street corner.” If you can’t without referring to the address in the headline – then you’ve underscored the point made before tonight’s second Southwest Design Review Board meeting wrapped up.
Board chair Don Caffrey and members Scott Rosenstock, Matt Hutchins, and John Cheng decided unanimously to send the mixed-use proposal for 7617 35th SW – the Complete Auto Repair site (whose future has been in play for 5+ years) – back to the drawing board for a second try at Early Design Guidance. Here’s what preceded that decision:
(The three ‘massing’ options for 3201 Avalon; project team’s preference, #3, at right, won the SWDRB’s favor too)
The once-and-future Golden Tee Apartments site, above the northwest side of the West Seattle Golf Course, was the first of two projects getting their first Southwest Design Review Board look tonight. After the review before a full gallery, the board voted to allow the project to move on from the Early Design Guidance phase of the project, which mostly looks at big-picture issues such as building size, shape, and placement on site.
It wasn’t a slam-dunk vote, though – the board almost deadlocked, but talked through concerns. Biggest one: “I want to know that they’re doing the right thing between the buildings,” said board chair Don Caffrey. He was referring to this 7-story project and the 5-story condominiums next door, where most of those commenting during the meeting said they live (that building is partly visible in the photo below):
(King County Assessor’s Office photo)
We first reported last December that redevelopment was proposed for the site, at 3201-3211 SW Avalon Way.
Present tonight from the board along with chair Caffrey were members John Cheng, Matt Hutchins, and Scott Rosenstock, along with the project’s assigned city planner Abby Weber. Here’s how the review unfolded:
(WSB photo of TomboyX founders Dunaway and Gonzalez, at 2013 launch)
Five years after West Seattleites Fran Dunaway and Naomi Gonzalez launched apparel-and-more company TomboyX, they’ve just won a big honor – King County Small Business of the Year. From the announcement of the awards presented by County Executive Dow Constantine at a ceremony in Bellevue today:
Hundreds of nominations were narrowed down to 28 finalists in seven categories, representing 24 of the 39 cities in King County as well as unincorporated areas. Judges from several chambers of commerce around the region selected the winners using criteria like customer service, community involvement, and business model innovation.
The winners are:
Small Business of the Year: TomboyX, Seattle
Minority-Owned Small Business of the Year: Concord Engineering, Seattle
Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year: Triangle Associates, Seattle
Exporting Small Business of the Year: Pier2 Marketing, Seattle
Green/Sustainable Small Business of the Year: Green Cleaning Seattle – Otium-Maid Services, Seattle
Workforce Development Small Business of the Year: Cognission Corporation/Sponge School, Kirkland
Rural Small Business of the Year: Reber Ranch, KentTo be eligible for the Executive’s Small Business Awards, nominees must be located in King County, have been in business for at least three years, and have 50 employees or less.
TomboyX is headquartered just across the Duwamish, between SODO and Georgetown.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Friday and Saturday, Tibbetts United Methodist Church (WSB sponsor) hosts a regional event that’s billed as a “revival.”
Not the old-school fire-and-brimstone preaching-style revival.
The “ordinary revival” Love Thy Neighbor is more about reinvention – and it’s right in line with what Tibbetts’s new pastor, Rev. Sarah Casey, believes.
Rev. Casey is certainly one of West Seattle’s youngest pastors, at 30. But this isn’t necessarily a generational thing. As the daughter of a pastor, she grew up steeped in tradition.
Oh, before we get too far down the road – we should mention she skates with Rat City Roller Derby.
Sunday, the West Seattle Water Taxi is adding a trip to accommodate runners who are in the Orca Half (which is sold out). The alert::
In support of the Orca Half(-marathon) this coming Sunday, Sept 23, the King County Water Taxi will offer an additional roundtrip to West Seattle departing Pier 52 in downtown Seattle at 7:30 AM. There will be an added return trip departing Seacrest Park at 8:00 AM.
The Orca Half – which will not involve road closures – starts at Lincoln Park, with shuttles from Don Armeni, where the run will finish.
Halloween is just under six weeks away, and businesses in The Admiral District have decided to offer trick-or-treating that afternoon again this year:
That’s the official poster, just sent by Brent Amacher on behalf of the Admiral merchants – look for it on Halloween (which is a Wednesday this year) to see who’s participating.
P.S. West Seattle Junction businesses’ trick-or-treating will happen as usual during the Harvest Festival, 10 am-2 pm on Sunday, October 28th.
(Photo courtesy Seattle Audubon)
You don’t have to leave the city to enjoy nature – or to teach kids about it, which is the goal of a Seattle Audubon looking right now for West Seattle volunteers. The announcement, from Wendy Walker:
Do you know how spiders navigate their own webs without getting stuck, or why tree leaves are different shapes? Explore these and other fun science topics with Seattle Audubon’s *FUN (Finding Urban Nature) program.
The FUN program introduces 3rd-grade students to the nature in their schoolyard habitat and examines how each organism depends on others to survive. Volunteers lead small groups of four to seven students through a series of outdoor investigations, which teach kids to use their senses and scientific practices to discover the importance of urban biodiversity firsthand.
Four lessons in the fall and four more in the spring give students the opportunity to build knowledge and observe seasonal changes in their schoolyard habitats. We are currently recruiting for volunteers for the fall lessons at Sanislo, Lafayette, and Genesee Hill Elementary Schools.
A volunteer training will be held in early October at Genesee Hill, and in-school lessons will be held at each school beginning in October.
Interested? E-mail Wendy at FUNvolunteer@seattleaudubon.org to receive an application and schedules.
(WSB photo: Southwesternmost West Seattle Junction flower basket, earlier this week)
Seven notes for the rest of your Thursday:
SUPPORT GROUP: 1 pm in the second-floor café at Senior Center of West Seattle, the monthly brain-injury-support group meets. More info here. (4217 SW Oregon)
YOUR DOG, THEIR POOL: Today’s the third session of the Arbor Heights Swim and Tennis Club‘s annual Dog Days of Summer. The pool has closed for the human-swimming season – so before its annual cleaning, the club opens it to dogs for swimming, as a fundraiser. 5-7 pm. (11003 31st SW)
MOVE? REMODEL? This free workshop could help you decide. 6 pm at Graystone Mortgage in Jefferson Square. (4726 42nd SW)
DESIGN REVIEW DOUBLEHEADER: As previewed here, the Southwest Design Review Board looks at two projects tonight – 3201 SW Avalon Way (6:30 pm; here’s the packet) and 7617 35th SW (8 pm; here’s the packet). Both are Early Design Guidance reviews, focused on the building’s size/shape/site placement, both include public-comment periods, and both are at the Senior Center/Sisson Building. (4217 SW Oregon)
ALKI COMMUNITY COUNCIL: 7 pm at Alki UCC, with an agenda including a noise-enforcement update and renewal of the Statue of Liberty Plaza maintenance agreement. (6115 SW Hinds)
BILL DAVIE: Singer/songwriter/poet at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
‘SKELETON CREW’ OPENING NIGHT: 7:30 pm, the new production at ArtsWest opens. Tonight’s sold out but we’re mentioning it in case you want to get tickets for an upcoming performance. (4711 California SW)
WONDERING WHAT ELSE IS UP? Quick! Check our full calendar!
Two quick West Seattle Crime Watch notes so far this morning:
CAR PROWL: From Marvin, “Car was broken into in the 3500 Fauntleroy Way area. Lock your car doors; be aware that while you are sleeping, there are people looking to steal from you.”
FROM THE ‘LIKELY STOLEN AND DUMPED’ FILE: Texted photo:
The passerby didn’t have time to stop to look inside but guessed that it’s a violin case, seen in The Triangle/East Junction. Possibly yours? Let us know.
THURSDAY NIGHT UPDATE: Haven’t heard from anyone yet – except for an update from the finder, who went back later in the day and took the case – and the instrument inside – for safekeeping.
(Click here for full-size PDF flyer)
In case you haven’t already seen it in our calendar – we’re spotlighting Sunday’s Lantern Festival and Competition because lantern-makers interested in competing need to make theirs in advance and bring them to the festival. It’s set for 4:30-8 pm Sunday (September 23rd) at Southwest Teen Life Center (2801 SW Thistle). The competition is optional; prizes will be awarded, as you can see on the flyer. The festival also will feature performances, a Lion Dance, and kids’ arts and crafts. It’s presented by Van Lang Vietnamese Cultural Language School and Seattle Parks, and everyone is invited.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:06 AM: Good morning! No incidents reported in/from West Seattle so far.
TRANSIT NOTE: Just for the record … Metro says the 5:40 am 21X didn’t run today.
HIGHWAY 99 CLOSURE: Friday night until early Monday, this NB 99 closure is planned.
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