day : 01/01/2020 6 results

DEVELOPMENT: Upper Luna Park-area plan pivots from townhouses to apartments

(WSB photo of project site, September 2018)

Doing some followup work in city files, we discovered a West Seattle development site with a significant plan change since we last reported on it. In September 2018, we noted an early-stage proposal for 30 townhouses at 3101 SW Bradford [map], a site in the upper Luna Park area, bordering the West Seattle Bridge. The file shows a new site plan (PDF) submitted this past November, for an 8-story building with approximately 100 apartments. 55 offstreet-parking spaces for cars, 88 for bicycles. The architect of record on the site plan is Studio 19.

Driver damages Roxhill Park swing set

(WSB photos)

That Roxhill Park play-area swing set is damaged and taped off because of his crash. We got there just as the car was about to be towed away. Police tell us the driver went forward when she meant to go in reverse. No injuries reported.

We’ll be checking with Seattle Parks about repair plans.

UPDATE: About the police response in The Junction

4:03 PM: Multiple texts about a police response in The Junction this past half-hour, near California/Erskine. It was dispatched as an assault, a man beating a woman. We don’t know whether they were acquainted or strangers but the victim is being taken to the hospital and one suspect is in custody.

6:01 PM: SFD spokesperson Kristin Tinsley tells WSB that the victim they treated was actually “an approximately 38-year-old male who stepped in to try to stop an assault. He was stable and had plans to go to hospital in personal vehicle.”

ADDED MONDAY EVENING: The 39-year-old man arrested Wednesday remains in jail; bail was set today at $10,000

VIDEO/PHOTOS: Hundreds splash into 2020 @ Alki New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim

“What a great way to start the year!” That’s one of the comments we heard as people dried off and warmed up after this morning’s Alki Polar Bear Swim, which for most lasted less than a minute, as you can see in our two videos recorded at different spots along the beach. It was an occasion for much photography – before, after, during:

Then there was the matter of what you choose to wear into the water:

Organizer Mark Ufkes, as usual, sported a megaphone for the countdown:

Immediately afterward, the sun emerged, and snow-covered Olympics peaks did too:

Briefly outshining the sun, a Christmas-tree inferno in one of the fire pits:

The air and water temperature were about the same at swim time this year – 50 degrees.

P.S. If you’re looking for an excuse to go back into the water off Alki BEFORE the 2021 New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim, mark your calendar for the February 22 Special Olympics Polar Plunge fundraiser.

THE WEST SEATTLE TURKEY: Holiday parking

Tuesday, a WSB commenter posted a photo of The West Seattle Turkey, saying they had spotted it in the Springline garage in south Admiral. This morning, we got the photo above via email from a resident saying they too had seen it, plus another reader pointed out a social media post expressing concern The Turkey is “stuck” in that garage. We went over and looked at the ungated retail-visitor side of the garage, also peering into the gated residential side, no sign of it, but are hoping it is OK – let us know if you have updated info on its status.

What you need to know on New Year’s Day 2020 in West Seattle

(Reader photo from Bruce)

Good morning and welcome to 2020. Notes for the holiday:

TRANSPORTATION INFO:
*Metro is on the Sunday schedule
*No Water Taxi service
*Sound Transit light rail and buses on the Sunday schedule
*Washington State Ferries‘ Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run is on its regular weekday schedule
*No charge for parking today on city streets in neighborhoods with pay stations
*Traffic cameras: West Seattle-relevant ones here; citywide views are available via this SDOT map

OTHER INFO:
*No trash/recycling/etc. pickup today – Wednesday pickups will happen Thursday; Thursday pickups on Friday, Friday pickups on Saturday
*Seattle Parks closures for today
*Seattle Public Libraries are closed today
*The Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center is closed today
*The Admiral Theater (2343 California SW) is open this afternoon/evening – schedule here

NO CLOSED/OPEN LIST
*We’ve found that far fewer businesses close New Year’s Day than Thanksgiving/Christmas.

EVENTS TODAY
*Alki Polar Bear Swim, 10 am on the beach at 58th SW – here’s the announcement

*5K/10K walk + special Nia class … see our Holiday Guide.

If you see/hear news, please text/call 206-293-6302 – we appreciate your tips 24/7/365 – this year 366!)