West Seattle, Washington
22 Friday
Thanks to Fred Hammerquist for the view of tonight’s sunset. By the time we get to the holiday on Thursday, we might not have anything resembling this – the Thanksgiving forecast so far predicts “rain at times” during the day, and heavier rain that night. Breezy, too.
(WSB photos)
Almost two years (and one pandemic) after the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) announced its plan for a new preschool/child-care center on the north side of Westwood Village, it’s finally getting ready to open. We toured the space with its director, Jill Mudge:
She’s worked with the Y in West Seattle for 29 years and is excited about not just how the new center is coming together, but about what it will be like to work with 124 kids ages 4 weeks through 5 years. “It will be amazing to watch their growth.” The rooms at the center are spread across two levels of what used to be a vision clinic. Even former patients wouldn’t recognize the configuration – walls have been moved and removed to create the big, bright rooms.
The West Seattle area has desperately needed more chlid-care/preschool options, Mudge says – some couples whose babies haven’t arrived yet are already on a waitlist. Each infant room will have two staffers caring for up to eight babies.
While most of the rooms are age-specific, there’s also flexible space where smaller groups can have lessons, The preschool instructors will teach with The Creative Curriculum:
You might notice in that photo that some books are in Spanish – Mudge says they’ll have some bilingual instructors who can teach in Spanish as well as English. Lots of opportunities to play, too.
That includes outdoor play – by the time the center opens, an expansive playground will be set up a short walk away, in what’s currently little-used parking-lot space immediately south of the Westwood post office. Mudge also foresees the Y’s facility being a boon for the shopping center, too, with an infusion of families shopping and dining before/after picking up or dropping off their little ones. The center’s even designed with hygiene in mind – two little tot-height sinks close to the entry:
They’re expecting to be open by the end of January, 6:30 am-6 pm weekdays. Right now, the Y is offering tours of the space and taking applications – go here to find out more.
The report and photos are from Tomba, who :
Our condo garage gate was broken into last night 11/23 at 3:00 am. ‘
Our security camera recorded the burglar checking out the gate at midnight, he arrived on a bike, returned at 3:00 am on foot with tools, broke into the gate, then cut the security cable on the Hand Trike and left at 3:15 am, riding the hand trike south on Harbor Ave.
This is a Top End Force Three Hand Trike, black with red lettering, customized for a young man that uses a wheelchair full time. This is not easily replaced. I would think this will be very hard for the burglar to sell.
Maybe someone in our West Seattle neighborhood has seen this burglar or this hand trike.
We’ve requested the report number. (Update: It’s 21-921955.) Meantime, if you find the trike, let us know and we’ll connect you.
After a somewhat subdued display in 2020, the Menashe Family Lights will be brighter this year. We stopped by the house in the 5600 block of Beach Drive today and found work already under way in and around the house’s front yard and trees. Josh Menashe tells WSB that they’re expecting to flip the switch on West Seattle’s brightest lights on December 2nd. As noted in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide, Santa will be back this year for photos – 6 pm-10 pm Saturday, December 11th (bring donations for the West Seattle Food Bank).
NOVEMBER 26 NOTE: Though the display appears to still have some finishing touches missing, many of the lights are on, we noticed while passing through the area tonight.
With the holiday almost here, we want to remind you one more time about free community dinner opportunities on Thanksgiving Day:
HALL AT FAUNTLEROY, TAKEAWAY BY RSVP: 11 am-2 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy (9131 California SW) is offering free takeaway holiday meals, but please RSVP ASAP. Some limited delivery is available too. Details and contact info are in our original preview.
WEST SEATTLE EAGLES, SIT-DOWN DINNER: 2-5 pm Thursday, the West Seattle Eagles are serving up their traditional free sit-down community dinner. No reservations needed; all ages welcome. Just show up at 4426 California SW.
P.S. On Thanksgiving Eve, The Junction Church is serving a free community lunch at noon, at 4157 California SW.
Three months after Tacos y Mariscos El Tiburón closed at 17th/Roxbury, the sign’s up for its successor. MexiCuban has opened a takeout/delivery operation as the first phase of its plan for the space, with a sit-down restaurant to follow. Until now, MexiCuban, founded by Chef Octavio Ortega, has been truck-based, but has now added this bricks-and-mortar space in South Delridge. Their food is as the name describes, a Mexican/Cuban fusion – here’s the menu (or, here’s a photo that Therese sent – thank you! – after happening onto Mexicuban’s takeout opening last Sunday), from “fluffy tacos” to Cubano sandwiches and bowls. Via email, MexiCuban tells WSB they’re now open for business Wednesdays through Sundays, 11 am-8 pm (but will be closed this Thursday for the holiday): “We are currently just doing online orders for pickup and delivery. We have a dedicated quick-pickup window on 9448 17th Ave SW. We expect to be open for dine-in by February 1st, with a full-service bar. Orders online can currently be placed at MexiCuban.online for pickup and delivery.”
(SDOT photos)
Three months after SDOT closed the Andover bicycle/pedestrian bridge over the west end of the West Seattle Bridge, they’re one month into construction of its retrofit, with two months to go. Here’s the update we just received:
We began construction in mid-October on the SW Andover St Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge Seismic Retrofit Project and are on schedule to complete construction in the next two months.
The SW Andover St Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge is a vital pedestrian connection between the Youngstown and Genesee neighborhoods. The bridge was built in 1961, prior to the modernization of the seismic design code. This project will strengthen key bridge components to better withstand seismic events like earthquakes.
What’s happening now?
We’re installing new bridge expansion joints, which allow the concrete to naturally expand and contract without cracking. The bridge deck was originally supported by three joints that were not adequately connected to each other to withstand an earthquake. The bridge will be fused together with steel plates, additional rebar, and concrete to improve its resilience to earthquakes.
We’re also strengthening the east side of the bridge where it is secured to the ground. Four long steel rods, called ground anchors, will be installed 40 feet deep into the ground to support this side of the bridge. These improvements will make the bridge stronger and safer in the event of an earthquake.
We are on schedule to complete the work in the next two months. As soon as construction is done, we’ll open the bridge for use again.
Cost of the project is estimated at $1.9 million.
Thanks for all the tips! Orcas are back in our area today. According to the most recent report, from Jeff Hogan of Killer Whale Tales, they were southbound south of Brace Point. Kersti Muul says they’re residents (added: J Pod, to be specific). They eventually have to head north, though, so be on the lookout later!
(Lincoln Park on Sunday – photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
From the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide and year-round Event Calendar:
HOLIDAY ORDERING DEADLINES: If you don’t want to do all the cooking, two stores’ deadlines are today – Whole Foods Market, info herem and QFC (info here),
FESTIVAL OF TREES: Visit the Brookdale Admiral Heights (2326 California SW) lobby 8 am-8 pm daily to see the donated, decorated trees.
NEED THANKSGIVING FOOD? 10 am-2 pm, the West Seattle Food Bank (35th/Morgan) has turkeys available for walk-up distribution.
UNDERSTANDING MEDICARE: Patrice Lewis will be at the Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon) again today, 11 am-12:30 pm, for individual consultations – call to see if any time’s open.
DEMONSTRATION: Join Scott‘s weekly demonstration for racial justice, 4:30 pm-6 pm at 16th/Holden; signs available if you don’t have your own.
GAME NIGHT: Tuesday nights are Game Nights at The Spot West Seattle (2914 SW Avalon Way), 5-9 pm.
BINGO: 8 pm-10 pm at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), join hostess Cookie Couture for free “Belle of the Balls Bingo.”
The photo is from Our Lady of Guadalupe School – near the city’s highest elevation at 35th/Myrtle – where the Huskies’ flag is flying this week. Here’s why:
Monday morning, Principal Anton Kramer raised the University of Washington flag above Our Lady of Guadalupe school. UW came out on top at last year’s Huskies v. Cougars spring-auction showdown, which means the highest point in Seattle will be flying Purple and Gold for this weekend’s Apple Cup.
At OLG’s 50th Golden Anniversary auction, in March of 2022, we will again be auctioning the honor of raising either the WSU or UW flag at OLG. Who will come out on top? Will Crimson and White be flying above OLG this time next year?
Want to attend to make sure that your school’s flag is raised? Or looking for a local sponsorship opportunity? Please reach out to olgprocurement@gmail.com we would love to chat with you.
P.S. The principal’s flag-raising assistants in the photo are Husky fans Stella and Gresham.
6:02 AM Good morning! Two days until Thanksgiving.
WEATHER
Partly sunny with a chance of showers, by evening; high near 50.
ROAD WORK
26th SW – Southbound closure between Roxbury and Barton continues for RapidRide H Line prep work.
20th/Roxbury – Also part of the RapidRide project, with work starting on the SW side of the intersection.
BUSES, WATER TAXI, FERRIES
Metro remains on its regular weekday schedule, except for the rerouting in RapidRide H Line work zones, including 26th SW. Watch @kcmetrobus for word of trip cancellations. (Thursday will run on the Sunday schedule, Friday on a regular weekday schedule.)
Ferries and Water Taxi: WSF continues a two-boat schedule on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run. Check here for alerts/updates. The Water Taxi is in service – here’s the West Seattle schedule. (No Water Taxi service this Thursday-Friday.)
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
610th morning without the West Seattle Bridge. Here are views of other bridges and routes:
Low Bridge: Automated enforcement cameras remain in use; restrictions are in effect 5 am-9 pm daily – except weekends; the bridge is open to all until 8 am Saturday and Sunday mornings. (Access applications are available here for some categories of drivers.)
The 1st Avenue South Bridge (map):
South Park Bridge:
West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way:
Highland Park Way/Holden:
The 5-way intersection (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):
Are movable bridges opening for vessels? The @SDOTBridges Twitter feed can tell you; 1st Ave. South Bridge openings are also tweeted on @wsdot_traffic.
See all local traffic cams here; locally relevant cameras are also on this WSB page.
Trouble on the streets/paths/bridges/water? Please let us know – text (but not if you’re driving!) 206-293-6302.
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