West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
Most of Seattle’s stairways are actually part of city streets, in spots where the right-of-way can’t quite accommodate anything else. There are more than 500 of them. A new one planned for SW Myrtle between Sylvan and 25th – as announced in August – has stirred up some neighborhood concern, so SDOT and SPD invited neighbors to the Southwest Precinct last night to talk about it.
At the front of the room, SDOT’s Greg Funk and Dan Anderson.
Funk said he works on about 10 to 12 stairway projects per year and this one’s a little different in that
it’s a stairway that needs to be installed from scratch. Most of his projects – all but an average of about 1 each year – are replacements, or major maintenance, for existing stairways.
Most of those in attendance said they use the existing path that’s there now because Sylvan is too dangerous to walk along – too much traffic and poorly defined pedestrian boundaries.
But there’s neighborhood concern about a serious uptick in trash along that existing path over the past year. Two residents who live by the east end of the future stairway say they’ve seen and heard lots of suspicion-sparking people, along with arguments, and they’re worried the stairway will be a magnet for more.
Overall, though, most attendees were in favor of the new stairway, with some noting that improved access to and from Myrtle will be especially helpful when Route 120 becomes the RapidRide H Line and has a station at Delridge/Myrtle.
Various questions related to lighting and, as already mentioned, trash. Funk said lighting is not in the plan; trash trouble can be reported via Find It, Fix It.
The precinct’s crime-prevention coordinator Jennifer Danner said she’d visit the area to talk about Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. The area’s Community Police Team Officer Ken Mazzuca said calling 911 and using Find It Fix It are both vital so any problems in the area can be not only addressed but also documented (as SPD is very data-driven).
What’s next? Since the project went on hold for a bit to address concerns, the one-to-two-month installation is not expected to happen before the first quarter of next year.
Two notes in West Seattle Crime Watch:
DOORSTEP THEFT: Not a package! Haley shared that video and said this happened very early last Sunday morning, near the Charlestown water tower. Recognize the people in the video? SPD incident # 18-415274.
SIGN UP NOW FOR SAFETY TRAINING: Announced tonight by Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner:
The Seattle Police Department is offering two Women’s Personal Safety trainings at the SW Precinct (2300 SW Webster) in the next month!!
-Monday, November 19th – 6 pm-9 pm
-Sunday, December 2nd – 12 noon-3 pmLearn proactive tips and steps you can take to enhance your personal safety. This is a facilitated discussion and lecture about crime prevention and safety taught by female Seattle police officers. Please note: This is not a self-defense course.
Space is limited – please register today using the below links! Feel free to share this information with all the women in your life!
As previewed this morning, it’s West Seattle Art Walk night!
Our first stop, Verity Credit Union (4505 California SW; WSB sponsor), where Chris Kelleher is live-painting. He’s scheduled to be there until 8. (You can also catch him Saturday afternoon during the Canna Culture grand opening at 5435 California SW.)
Big show at CAPERS (4525 California SW) – above, Marie Tornow is one of a roomful of artists showing tonight. It’s the second annual Abstract and Ceramics Invitational – also including Christine Olson:
It’s also an invitational – but in this case, for jewelry – at Click! Design That Fits (4540 California SW; WSB sponsor) – with participating artists including Grace Matsumoto:
Every West Seattle Art Walk is cool – but you will want to make sure you don’t miss the next one, the Holiday Art Walk, December 13th!
5:17 PM: Since multiple factors might affect your homeward drive/ride, we’re on pm traffic/transit watch. So far: The protest march isn’t a march yet – it’s gathering first at Cal Anderson Park on Capitol Hill. (CapitolHillSeattle.com is tracking it on Twitter.) When protesters do march, the route is expected to be west on Pine to 2nd, then southbound to the Federal Building. Some buses are rerouting, per Metro.
Meantime, as mentioned in this morning’s traffic/transit watch, the stadium zone will be busy tonight with the Sounders’ 7:30 pm playoff match vs. Portland.
And not related to either, but a crash in the West Marginal Way S/Holden area – by the South Transfer Station – is causing trouble between West Seattle and South Park.
5:50 PM: The march from Capitol Hill to downtown started a few minutes ago, CHS’s Justin Carder reports.
Thousands headed to 2nd Ave where mayor will speak pic.twitter.com/c2846vXCsd
— jseattle (@jseattle) November 9, 2018
6:07 PM: Scanner indicates protesters are still on Pine, westbound between 3rd and 9th.
6:14 PM: If you’re outbound from West Seattle – a crash is reported on the eastbound bridge by the Delridge onramp.
6:24 PM: The marchers are reaching their destination on 2nd; here’s the city camera at 2nd and Marion:
6:31 PM: SDOT says that West Marginal/Holden situation has finally cleared.
7:35 PM: 2nd Avenue is clear; the downtown march/rally ended peacefully; the soccer match has begun.
3:57 PM: You might have seen TV-helicopter aerials of orcas off south Vashon Island earlier today. Kersti Muul sends word the orcas have emerged from Colvos Passage on the west side of Vashon and are northbound in the Southworth vicinity. So if you want to whale-watch, grab your binoculars and take a look from west-facing West Seattle. Let us know if you see them! (And remember that The Whale Trail has an Orca Talk tonight, as featured in our highlights list.)
4:07 PM: Just talked to Kersti. These are residents, she says, and they’re now moving fast – off the south end of Blake. Closer to the west side of the Sound so you DEFINITELY need binoculars.
Watching the real-estate listings, we saw this relatively new one of note:
(King County Assessor photo)
3600 CALIFORNIA SW: Listed as “California Court Apartments and Redevelopment Site,” the 90-year-old 9-unit brick complex at 3600 California SW is on the market for just under $3 million. The marketing flyer (PDF) elaborates:
Situated on a prime 12,500 square foot corner lot on California Avenue SW at the epicenter of West Seattle’s vibrant North Admiral District, the California Court presents investors with the rare opportunity to invest in a trophy asset with significant redevelopment and value-add potential.
A massing study provided by Neiman Taber Architects shows the potential to develop 13 townhomes with an average unit size of 1,172 square feet, as well as an alternative plan for a 14+ unit condo or apartment development with an average unit size of 826 square feet. A wealth of potential exists for an investor to capitalize on historically high demand for both single-family and multifamily housing in a fantastic West Seattle location. The existing 9 unit provides investors with immediate income to off-set holding costs prior to redevelopment.
On that point, the flyer adds: “The current owner has intentionally kept 7 rent-ready units vacant upon turnover to allow the future purchaser the opportunity to quickly boost Net Operating Income with new tenants on market rate leases. 2 units remain occupied by tenants on a month-tomonth basis at rates well below comparable units in the neighborhood.” This also is the first flyer we’ve seen noting that the 2030 light rail is “1 mile away.” The site is zoned Lowrise 3.
P.S. The adjacent, similar complex to the east, which has different ownership, is not part of the listing.
(WSB file photo, future park site at 48th/Charlestown)
Thanks to the texter who noted that an informational sign is finally up at the “landbanked” future park site at 48th SW and SW Charlestown. When last we checked in, earlier this year, the timeline was for planning to happen in the first half of this year, but now it’s expected to last into next year, and construction is still two years away, according to the newest update. Since the website doesn’t mention what kind of public process – meeting, survey, etc. – will be part of the design phase, we checked today with Seattle Parks. We’re told the project is in the middle of a change in planners so it’ll be a few weeks before that info is available. The park-development budget remains listed at $1.2 million.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
In the post-Thanksgiving shopping frenzy known as Black Friday, you have a special reason to keep it local this year.
It’ll be Grand Opening day for Lika Love Boutique‘s new flagship store in the West Seattle Junction.
We reported last week that Lika Love would be taking over the space where Terjung’s Studio of Gifts just ended a 50-year run. This week, we spoke with proprietor Malika Siddiq in her future space, where remodeling is already well under way.
As is … uncovering. Like the door on the north wall that had been hidden for a long time.
But remodeling doesn’t mean a complete overhaul. More like a “facelift.” Some things are staying. The door is among them. So is the candy counter. “We’ll have the exact same candy!” Malika promised. They’ll sell by the pound.
Also staying … some of the unique shelving, including a display area with illumination on the south wall, and the area in a back corner that has its own mini-roof.
Rather than convert that space into something like a fitting room, Malika explained, she’ll turn it into a “cool jewelry area you can come into … maybe fun curtains, where you are walking into an experience.”
In the bigger picture – the Morgan Junction shop will stay open: “We’ve built a good following there,” and its inventory has its own unique character. Outside West Seattle, her Queen Anne shop – which just celebrated its one-year anniversary – is staying; her Madison Valley shop just closed. Her original “location,” the Lika Love fashion truck, will keep rolling.
If you haven’t shopped Lika Love before, Malika wants you to know it’s not an intimidating experience, even if you don’t consider yourself particularly fashionable.”Our vibe is ‘on the go’ – how many ways you can wear our pieces.” (See for yourself on Lika Love’s Instagram feed.) It’s apparel you can “live in,” geared for “different body types,” she adds. And you get help in decisionmaking; “we employ stylists (to) create a full look for you, personalized.” Not pricey – she says most of the inventory is “under $100.”
The vision for the Junction shop goes beyond clothing – a “fun and comfortable place” with special events and a lot of community involvement, someplace people can feel they’re a part of.
The familiar faces of the space’s past are welcome to be part of it too, Malika added. She says she’s gotten to know the Terjung family: “I offered them a key and told them, come by any time!”
P.S. She’s hiring another stylist “and would love to hire someone in the community” – email likalovefashion@gmail.com to find out more.
Happy second Thursday! For starters on our highlight list, it’s West Seattle Art Walk night, 5 pm until late. This quarter’s map/venues:
Here are this month’s highlights! Venues spotlighted in that roundup include Verity Credit Union (with painter Chris Kelleher, 4505 California SW); Click! Design That Fits (“A Jewelry Invitational,” 4540 California SW); Wallflower Custom Framing (artist Tara McDermott, 4735 42nd SW); Viscon Cellars (artist Megan Simmons, 5910 California SW).
Also happening today/tonight:
TRIVIA AT WELCOME ROAD WINERY! 6 pm: “Bring a team or go solo and test your mad knowledge in categories ranging from food and wine to pop culture to Seattle history. It’s an always fun – and never truly serious – competition for bragging rights and prizes.” At Welcome Road Winery (WSB sponsor). RSVP to save your space – our calendar listing explains how. (3804 California SW)
MOVE OR REMODEL? 6 pm free workshop including reps from construction (WSB sponsor Niederberger Contracting), real estate, mortgage lending. At Graystone Mortgage in Jefferson Square. RSVP – our calendar listing explains how. (4726 42nd SW)
WORDS, WRITERS, WEST SEATTLE: 6 pm at Southwest Library, the author series continues tonight with David Skover discussing his newest work, “Robotica: Free Speech & Artificial Intelligence.” Free. (9010 35th SW)
CHIEF SEALTH IHS PROSPECTIVE STUDENT NIGHT/SHOWCASE: 6:30-8 pm, 8th graders and their families are invited to come learn about Chief Sealth International High School and its programs. (2600 SW Thistle)
THE WHALE TRAIL: You’re invited to the 7 pm Orca Talk – at Dakota Place Park this time. Learn about “kin-directed prey-sharing behavior” and find out what’s new in the whale world. Ticket info in our calendar listing. (California/Dakota)
‘THE DETENTION LOTTERY’: 7:30 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, “Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association (DNDA) partners with Global Law Advocates, PLLC and Casa Latina to present an interactive theater production designed to educate and empower the community on the U.S. Immigration enforcement system, and Immigrant protections and rights.” More info here. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
‘FOOLS’ OPENING NIGHT: 7:30 pm, the West Seattle High School Drama Club‘s production of the Neil Simon play opens. Ticket info in our calendar listing. (3000 California SW)
AS ALWAYS, YOU’LL FIND EVEN MORE … by browsing our complete calendar.
Thanks to Darryl for sending the photo! He explains:
A hidden history is revealed at 16th and Trenton. We’ve heard stories from long time residents that this house on the corner used to be a neighborhood grocery store, but have never seen pictures from that period. Today, as the house is undergoing another transformation, I caught this cool image that confirms the story. Kind of neat!
UPDATE: Thanks to everyone who’s added to this story via the comments – don’t skip them!
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
6:59 AM: Good morning! No incidents or transit alerts in/from West Seattle so far.
STADIUM EVENT TONIGHT: Sounders FC hosts a playoff game vs. Portland, 7:30 pm at CenturyLink Field.
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