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FOLLOWUP: About the new signs along Delridge Way

December 3, 2018 2:17 pm
|      23 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | Seen around town | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

(WSB photo)

Thanks to Scott for spotting the new signs that have just gone up along Delridge Way SW. These are the signs referred to in a survey the Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association circulated a month ago – one result of the North Delridge Action Plan process that’s been unfolding over the past few years. As DNDA executive director David Bestock explained when announcing the survey:

There are ~83 store-front small businesses along Delridge Way SW that are operated by a diverse group of owners who provide the neighborhood access to vital goods and services. Despite their numbers and longstanding presence in the area, thousands unknowingly pass by Delridge business destinations unaware of the wonderful goods and services they offer.

The signs mark the North Delridge business districts/nodes at/near Andover, Brandon, and Sylvan. They were funded as part of an “Only in Seattle” grant from the city Office of Economic Development and installed by SDOT.

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23 Replies to "FOLLOWUP: About the new signs along Delridge Way"

  • Yma December 3, 2018 (2:37 pm)

    The businesses are already there. Folks already know about them. We need the signs why? Yes- many folks pass by daily – on the commute to/from work. (Sorry – very snarky today)

    • McBride December 3, 2018 (3:59 pm)

      The signs are there to acknowledge geographic identity, which reinforces community, a pride in and sense of place. For the businesses (and, frankly, everyone involved), this is important. Do you shop in that store on California, or do you head over to the Alaska Junction to buy stuff? Both answers are probably correct, but one of them is a better (and far more attractive) descriptor.

  • J December 3, 2018 (3:03 pm)

    That sign already looks outdated 

  • Julia December 3, 2018 (3:10 pm)

    Looks good!

  • Q December 3, 2018 (3:53 pm)

    If people weren’t so busy flooring it to get to the next stoplight they’d be more aware of their immediate surroundings. Slow down and reduce car traffic and businesses will grow. Keep treating local streets like freeway onramps and don’t be surprised when the whole community suffers.

  • a. December 3, 2018 (4:49 pm)

    What a ridiculous waste of money.

  • PDiddy December 3, 2018 (5:12 pm)

    maybe the signs should say your next townhouse here. SFR buyers not welcome.

  • Mongo December 3, 2018 (5:20 pm)

    I drive just about the entire length of Delridge on most weekday mornings – on my way to work.  So, based on the blurb excerpted in the post, it sounds like I’m one of the target market for this campaign.  I understand the concept, but I don’t get the execution.  Are they trying to use “Brandon” as their geographic descriptor?  Are they trying to start a “Brandon” neighborhood?When I first looked at the sign, my first thought was “Who is Brandon, and what has he done to drive businesses to welcome him?”   Not being sarcastic – that’s what I actually thought.  And, from an “n=1” perspective, I can tell you that these signs wouldn’t make me any more (or less) likely to patronize the businesses on that street.I do notice some of those businesses as I drive by but, quite frankly, I can’t say I’ve really seen much where my thought was “there’s a vital service provider I need to try”.  I’m sure many of those business owners are good people, working hard trying to build their businesses.  From that perspective, I hope they succeed.  But I can’t say I’ve been overwhelmed by perceptions of great value propositions as I’ve been driving by.Perhaps part of the problem is the lack of critical mass in any type of “business district” at any point along the way on Delridge (other than down near White Center).  It just seems to be a random collection of 1-2 businesses per block, without anything tangible pulling them together.  And, quite frankly, a few road signs aren’t likely to have much impact.Not trying to diss their objective, but I think this execution will really do much.  Hopefully I’m wrong…

  • trickycoolj December 3, 2018 (5:36 pm)

    I was a little confused when I saw “Orchard Businesses Welcome You” yesterday tucked into the brush across the street from the police station.  My thought was: there’s not that much business here, but ok I guess we’re making Orchard a thing? 

    • Lorax December 3, 2018 (6:56 pm)

      Ha!I confess that that was me in the bushes.    I asked folks at the  DNDC and the business node names apparently came from OPCD. Sylvan = Of the Forest Long live the Sylvan Node!  

  • Darryll December 3, 2018 (5:50 pm)

    I find these signs to be highly controversial. Also, my life is boring. Sorry.

  • dsa December 4, 2018 (12:29 am)

    The sign does nothing for me other than pollute.  It tells me absolutely nothing about what is located there that might interest me.

  • Question December 4, 2018 (3:08 am)

    Can I get a show of 👋 of how many bloggers actually were raised here in West Seattle?

  • Lorax December 4, 2018 (7:27 am)

    I think I’m with Darryll and DSA in recognizing the lack of meaning  in these signs (although I’m now all in for the “Sylvan Node”.)  The problem stems from the naming having come from somewhere outside of the community in an exclusive naming process.   Maybe this act of naming would have no meaning for either of you under any circumstance but I agree with MCBRIDE , that place naming and potential connections that we can make with our surroundings are very important.   As mundane as this conversation may appear, the lack of naming and  the disconnect that people have with their surroundings is a big problem and is related to a long list of social problems.   Not saying we need more un-vetted names posted everywhere, just that this was a subtle loss of opportunity for those that live in the area.   BTW is the Sylvan Node truly in North Delridge?

  • KBear December 4, 2018 (9:31 am)

    But Brandon, Andover, and Orchard are very long (though not continuous) streets that span nearly the entire width of West and South Seattle. The name “Brandon” doesn’t do anything to denote a specific neighborhood along that street in the same way that “Alaska Junction” signifies a particular place on Alaska Street. If you’re going to invent new place names, at least choose something unique.

  • Bob F Forrest December 4, 2018 (10:22 am)

    We used to all be Seattleites and Americans.  Do we really need to become even more subdivided into little agenda-driven areas. I guess one could classify as a  “Male, Anglo-American, Brandoneze West Seattleite”.  Or would that be racist/mysogonist?   –Raised in WS.

    • WSB December 4, 2018 (11:01 am)

      Um … regardless of what you think about these, business-district signs have been around pretty much forever. I remember them in California when I was a kid back when dinosaurs roamed the earth. In West Seattle, The Junction has banners, among other neighborhood-specific signage …

  • McBride December 4, 2018 (10:27 am)

    Sylvan is, literally, an edge case. It’s in-between, and not really claimed by several neighborhoods. It may have had a designation at one time, but if so it’s either lost or not in current circulation. Sylvan was ultimately chosen because the road is the most recognizable landmark. As to whether or not it’s North Delridge, that’s an artifact of OPCD, who put together the Action Plan with Sylvan as the southernmost border of the “north” plan. From their perspective, there’s a north and south plan (no timeline on when the south plan will be started, far as I know). From a community/neighborhood perspective, it would not be considered North Delridge.

    • WSB December 4, 2018 (10:59 am)

      Please note that while the original announcement from DNDA said Sylvan, apparently the signage says Orchard, according to a photo taken last night (or early today) by original tipster Scott. We only saw the Brandon and Andover signage while out looking yesterday but we’re headed out to look at something relatively nearby so we’ll look around – TR

    • Lorax December 4, 2018 (7:03 pm)

      Long live the Orchard Node!    Thanks to the DNDA  for their patience … 

  • n7oep December 4, 2018 (3:05 pm)

    “Brandon”? Really? I grew up (and still live) in that neighborhood and it was always known as “Cottage Grove”. That name makes more sense than “Brandon”. Sheesh…

  • Mickymse December 4, 2018 (3:15 pm)

    I think it’s funny how many people are complaining about attempts to apply these “new” 20-year-old names to these areas… Are these the same people who complain about designating buildings with “Youngstown” and “Cottage Grove”?Here’s some more history for you. Until relatively recently, most people didn’t consider “Delridge” a part of “West Seattle” — with all the requisite racist and classist reasons for thinking so. There’s still plenty of people living west of 35th who think this way.

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