West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
…. seen from east West Seattle, it was a TV chopper and while there’s nothing breaking in our area right now, there’s an incident right across the Duwamish River:
Seattle Fire on scene at the 4700 Blk. of E. Marginal Way S. for report of possible suspicious package in mailroom. Building evacuated as precaution. HAZMAT team investigating.
— Seattle Fire Dept. (@SeattleFire) November 2, 2018
11:48 AM UPDATE: Per scanner, the package was opened, “just a bunch of brochures, no hazard,” and the situation should be winding down.
(Black turnstones in flight, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
Highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar for the rest of today/tonight:
CANDY DONATION DROPOFF: Until 2:25 this afternoon, you can still drop off unwanted/unneeded Halloween candy at the Lafayette Elementary office to be donated to Operation Gratitude. (California/Lander)
FRIDAY NIGHT SKATING: Go rollerskating 5:45-7:45 pm at Alki Community Center! (5817 SW Stevens)
CORNER BAR: The monthly “pop-up party” at Highland Park Improvement Club starts at 6 pm. Live music with The Mews starts around 8; DJ Dr. Lehl is on hand too; all ages, no cover, more details here. (1116 SW Holden)
MEZZE: Live at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), “an eclectic mix of jazz, blues, and bossa.” 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
“WELCOME TO NIGHTFALL ORPHANAGE”: Post-Halloween chance to visit the spooky homemade show on Alki Avenue with a story. Read about it at nightfall1031.wordpress.com. 7:30-10:30 pm, and tonight they have candy. Alert that it “might be too scary for younger children.” (2130 Alki SW)
ALBUM RELEASE: Dead Sonics live at The Skylark, with Sus & Mitchell Siburg, doors at 8, show at 9, $8 cover, 21+. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
SEE WHAT’S AHEAD FOR THE WEEKEND … by previewing our complete, frequently updated calendar!
Thanks to Jim Borrow for the rainbow view from Alki! Before we get to the news and events – a forecast reminder: The wind could gust up to 30 mph this afternoon, 35 mph tomorrow night and Sunday, and with some leaves still on the trees, that’s still enough to possibly cause trouble this time of year. As always, if there’s weather trouble – outage, downed tree, etc. – wherever you are, once you’ve notified authorities, please let us know too! 206-293-6302 is our text/voice hotline, 24/7.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:02 AM: Good morning. No incidents reported so far in/from West Seattle.
WEEKEND REMINDER: Daylight Saving Time ends early Sunday. At 2 am Sunday, we’ll fall back one hour to 1 am.
7:22 AM: Trxter
Says a crash is blocking 1 lane of NB 99 by the stadiums.
(“Wally,” a 2016 Fauntleroy Creek coho photographed by Mark Ahlness)
With the first spawners spotted in Fauntleroy Creek – as reported here earlier this week – you’re invited to visit, to try to see for yourself. Creek steward Judy Pickens says her fellow volunteers Dennis Hinton and Pete Draughon will staff an “open creek” time this Saturday (November 3), 1-4 pm. While on one hand stormy weather is a boon – Judy says they’re hoping the next wave of rain will “bring in another wave” of fish, as they haven’t seen new arrivals since Tuesday – if it’s too stormy on Saturday, she notes, “we’ll have to cancel as wind could bring down limbs and heavy rain will muddy the water and cause dangerously high flow.” (If that happens, check here for an update.) But in the meantime, you can tentatively plan to visit: “All are welcome and children should come with a parent. People should dress for the weather, including boots or old shoes. Dogs must be on a leash and well behaved.” Come to the fish-ladder viewpoint (SW Director & upper Fauntleroy Way SW, across from the ferry terminal) and a volunteer will invite you down.
(Design packet provided for tonight’s meeting, downloaded from city website)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Eight months after getting thumbs-down on its first Early Design Guidance try, the 15-apartment Alki proposal for 3015 63rd SW (map) got thumbs-up tonight.
The proposal went through some major revisions before returning to the Southwest Design Review Board.
Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections‘ assigned planner Tami Garrett noted that since the project’s first turn at Early Design Guidance, the project team has said it will seek a contract rezone that would allow an extra floor plus incorporate Mandatory Housing Affordability. That will be considered in a separate process after this one.
Board members present: chair Don Caffrey along with Crystal Loya, John Cheng, and Scott Rosenstock.
ARCHITECT/PROJECT TEAM PRESENTATION: Oly Wise, representing the family that owns the site (see our original report here), opened by saying they’d learned a lot had changed since the project was initiated. They were pleased to learn about MHA and thought it would turn their project from good to great. He then made way for architect James Raptis.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The city wants to know what you think about locating one of its future public fast-charging stations at Don Armeni Boat Ramp in West Seattle.
That was the bottom line when Victor Couto and Jacob Orenberg from Seattle City Light‘s “Customer Energy Solutions” group visited the West Seattle Transportation Coalition‘s meeting last week.
They noted that the city “has multiple departments working to increase electric-vehicle ridership.” Transportation is responsible for two-thirds of Seattle’s carbon emissions, compared to 26 percent in the rest of the country, so tackling this can make a huge difference. The city hope to own and operate 20 public DC fast-chargers, and install 200 (slower) residential chargers.
For those who aren’t electric-vehicle experts, they explained the difference:
5:48 PM: Thanks to Matt for tweeting the photo, and to texters who also tipped us – that car/bus (a 125) crash is on Delridge at Dakota. No SFD dispatch so apparently no serious injuries. We have a crew en route to check the scene.
6 PM: Our crew says the bus is gone; the damaged car is off to the side, and traffic is flowing normally.
Outside and inside, things are seriously tasty right now during the annual West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) Holiday Taste event.
What, you ask, holidays already? Keep in mind that Thanksgiving is only three weeks away.
So the store is full of possibilities – meats, cheeses, breads, dips, more – for you to sample until 7 pm, to get ideas for your holiday parties and meals. (And if you’d rather get expert help with an entire pre-made meal – here’s how Thriftway can help you with that!)
If you are active in West Seattle community matters, you probably know Mat McBride. (If you don’t, you should.) But whether you do or don’t – he is fundraising again as part of Movember, and we wanted to let you know in case you didn’t already have somebody to support this year. Movember is an initiative spanning the month of November,supporting men’s-health issues including suicide prevention (twice as many males die by suicide in our state as females), cancer, and more. Male Movember participants are invited to grow facial hair during the month as a symbol of their support – Mat sent before and after-shaving photos (obviously there’ll be another “after” photo in a month!) – though it’s not the only way to participate. Here’s how to pledge to his team “Mo West, Young Man“; Mat’s page, explaining his personal focus, is here.
Two West Seattle Junction notes with just days to go until Tuesday’s voting deadline:
NEW BALLOT BOX REMINDER: We first told you two weeks ago about the new King County Elections dropbox on the south side of Alaska west of California. It’s open around the clock until 8 pm (sharp!) on Tuesday, and two parking spaces by the box are reserved for dropoff, as shown in our photo. West Seattle’s other KCE dropbox is on the south side of SW Raymond east of 35th SW, by High Point Library. And of course you no longer need a stamp to send your ballot in the USPS mail (but however/wherever you send it, you’ll want to verify that it’s going to get postmarked by Tuesday).
‘ELECTION DAY CAKE’: West Seattle-residing chef and cookbook author Kim O’Donnel tells WSB she will be at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market for about an hour Sunday morning (November 4, 10:30-11:30 am-ish) with samples of “Election Day Cake” as part of this fun and flavorful election-related project for which she runs an Instagram account:
The backstory is in our calendar listing, along with the recipe.
Thanks to Monica Zaborac for the photo from Constellation Park south of Alki Point! If you’re a wave-watcher, things are wet and wild there right about now, with an 11.4-foot high tide at 12:58 pm and winds from the south to southwest. Gusts could get up to 35 mph later today, according to the forecast, maybe 40 mph tomorrow, so even though that’s not quite warning level, it’s a good idea to keep things charged, just in case.
WSDOT has long said that there’d be a public goodbye/hello party of some sort on the Alaskan Way Viaduct and in the new Highway 99 tunnel before it opens for use. This morning, the details are out. First, the news release:
Early next year, the public will have a unique weekend to run, bike, or simply explore Seattle’s past, present, and future.
Slated for Feb 2 and 3, the Washington State Department of Transportation and city of Seattle will host a grand opening celebration to mark the completion of the new State Route 99 tunnel, the final days of the viaduct, and an improved and reconnected waterfront.
Bookended by a fun run and bike ride, the weekend festivities also include a ribbon cutting, an art festival on the viaduct to celebrate the future waterfront, a public walk through in the new SR 99 tunnel, and interactive science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) activities at the tunnel’s portals. Live music and food trucks will round out the celebration.
“This family-friendly event is a celebration for the Puget Sound region, and a big step forward for Seattle,” said David Sowers, WSDOT deputy administrator of the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program. “Event activities span from the stadiums to the Space Needle, so for the best experience, we’re encouraging people to plan their weekend and reserve tickets early.”
Saturday event schedule
WSDOT will kick off the weekend early Saturday morning, Feb. 2, with a community fun run sponsored by the HNTB Corporation. The 8K route will take runners through the new tunnel, on to the viaduct, and through the Battery Street Tunnel.
Officials will then cut a ribbon near the south portal, officially opening North America’s largest bored tunnel. At that time, the public can explore:
· The new SR 99 tunnel.
· An arts festival featuring over 100 local artists, installations and a community celebration on the viaduct.
· Community festivals near the stadiums and Seattle Center, with food trucks, live music and STEM activities.
· An interactive “Excavation Station” presented by Dragados U.S.A. that will show how crews used the tunneling machine Bertha to drill and build the 5-story tunnel under Seattle.
Sunday event schedule
On Sunday, Feb. 3, the weekend celebration closes with a bike ride sponsored by Cascade Bicycle Club. The 12-mile route will give cyclists their only opportunity to ride on both the upper and lower decks of the tunnel and viaduct.
Free and paid registration for events
WSDOT encourages participants to visit the Step Forward website to register for the following weekend events:
· Free tickets to explore the tunnel and viaduct on Saturday. Those who register gain entry priority.
· Paid entry to the Saturday morning fun run and/or Sunday morning bike ride. The public must register in advance in order to participate.
It’s complicated so we browsed the site for shortcuts. For one, if you’re interested in the run, the sooner you register, the lower the price – we checked the site and it’s $35 for the first 5,000 participants, going up from there. (The bike ride does not have the same fee structure.) For two, if you’re just interested in a (free) walk onto the Viaduct, that’s Saturday afternoon, but you still need (free) tickets.
P.S. The Alaskan Way Viaduct’s permanent closure is still on for January 11th.
(Love the leaves before they go! WSB photo by Christopher Boffoli)
Welcome to November! Here’s what’s up for the rest of today/tonight:
SOUTHWEST ARTIST SHOWCASE PICKUP: One more reminder that participants in the Southwest Library‘s annual showcase need to go get their artwork and take it home. The library’s open until 8 tonight. (9010 35th SW)
PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: 11 am at Delridge Library. (5423 Delridge Way SW)
WEST SEATTLE THRIFTWAY HOLIDAY TASTE: 4-7 pm, come to West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) to sample food you might consider for your holiday meals/parties. (4201 SW Morgan)
FALL TRASH BASH: Join the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce‘s community cleanup. Meet at 4:30 pm. (California/Charlestown)
SKELETON THEATRE, NIGHT 2: 6-9 pm, second and final night for this year’s edition of the animatronic show.
Here’s our coverage from last night. Free. (36th/Hanford)
DESIGN REVIEW DOUBLEHEADER: As previewed early today, the Southwest Design Review Board has two Early Design Guidance meetings tonight to look at West Seattle projects, with public comment at both: 3015 63rd SW at 6:30 pm, 4508 California SW at 8 pm. Both meetings are at the Senior Center/Sisson Building. (4217 SW Oregon)
KENNEDY HIGH SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: 6:30-8 pm, families considering John F. Kennedy Catholic High School (WSB sponsor) are welcome to visit. (140 S 140th, Burien)
VIADUCT & MORE AT NORTH HIGHLINE UAC: 7 pm im White Center, all are welcome at the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council‘s monthly meeting, with guests including WSDOT talking about the viaduct-to-tunnel transition. Meeting’s at North Highline Fire District HQ. (1243 SW 112th)
Kids hauled in too much Halloween candy? Or, you have leftovers because of a low trick-or-treater turnout? The Lafayette Elementary PTA says you can bring it to their school today/tomorrow:
We would like our greater community to know that Lafayette Elementary is collecting Halloween candy for Operation Gratitude. Candy can be dropped off to the front office until 2:25 pm on November 2; your donation will be picked up after school.
Lafayette is on California north of Lander.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:02 AM: Good morning. No incidents reported in/from West Seattle so far.
WEEKEND NOTE: Daylight Saving Time ends early Sunday – at 2 am, we’ll fall back an hour to 1 am.
8:08 AM; Crash reported at Delridge/Holden.
Tonight (Thursday), the Southwest Design Review Board will consider two projects’ second tries at the first phase of the DR process. Both reviews at the Senior Center/Sisson Building (4217 SW Oregon) include public comment, so if you’re interested, here’s a look at the “design packets” for both:
3015 63RD SW, 6:30 PM: While this was originally proposed as a 3-story, 15-apartment building, the new packet says the owners will be seeking a rezone to allow four stories with Mandatory Housing Affordability (which they would incorporate into the project). That would require 22 offstreet-parking spaces under the Alki “overlay.” City reports on its first review eight months ago are here.
4508 CALIFORNIA SW, 8 PM: As with the night’s first project, this one is a second go at the Early Design Guidance phase of Design Review, meaning the discussion is meant to focus more on the building’s size and shape than on the fine points of its proposed appearance. This project is proposed for a seven-story building with ground-floor commercial, a level of lodging, and five floors totaling about 74 apartments, plus ~17 offstreet-parking spots, to replace the commercial building that holds Lee’s Asian and Kamei restaurants as well as the former West Seattle Cyclery space. Here’s our report on the project’s first review three months ago.
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