West Seattle, Washington
25 Monday
(‘Preferred option’ rendering from draft design packet by MZA Architecture)
Thursday night brings this year’s first – and so far only – scheduled meeting of the Southwest Design Review Board to look at a West Seattle development plan. It’s 1116 Alki SW, and the design packet for the meeting finally appeared online this afternoon, if you’re interested in reviewing it to comment on the plan – see it below or here.
This is the Early Design Guidance stage of Design Review, which means the board has to be shown three options for massing – size, shape, site placement of the building. Above is the project team’s “preferred option,” which would include 58 residential units in a six-story building with 92 parking spaces: 27 described as “mechanical,” 30 at ground level, 35 underground. The packet includes many other project details. The meeting is online at 5 pm Thursday (April 7th) and includes a public-comment period – this page has details of how to watch/listen/participate.
Generous local restaurants are teaming up with local schools for dine-out events. Here are two more we’ve received word of:
WHITE CENTER CO-OP PRESCHOOL @ WESTWOOD MOD: 10:30 am-10 pm tomorrow (Wednesday, April 6th) you can support White Center Co-op Preschool by dining at MOD Pizza in Westwood Village:
You can participate in this fundraiser by:
Takeout
Delivery
PickupMOD Pizza will accept your order online or at the Westwood Village restaurant:
Restaurant Website – Use code: MODF4677Storefront Walk-in – Visit the location at 2800 SW Barton St. Mention that you are with White Center Cooperative Preschool before placing your order. (No 3rd-party orders, please)
WSHS JUNIOR ASB @ LADY JAYE – PLUS PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT: The junior class of West Seattle High School is offering this two-part fundraiser:
Come support the students of WSHS on Saturday, April 23rd, at Lady Jaye!
A percentage of the profits from the butcher shop and from the restaurant will be going to the WSHS ASB. The butcher shop opens at 10 am and the restaurant opens at 4 pm, and any purchases made at any time during the day or evening on the 23rd will be counted toward the fundraiser. Make reservations here: bit.ly/38b6cC0 and order takeout here: bit.ly/3wU7D1Z!
Optional: Parents, drop your (potty-trained, ages 4 -11) kids off at the parents’ night out from 5:30 – 10:30. Pizza, games, crafts, and a movie will be provided.
Here’s the flyer with details on the “parents’ night out” – including how to sign up.
(Southwest Seattle Historical Society photo)
The home of West Seattle’s history, the Log House Museum at 61st/Stevens, is about to reopen its doors to the public after its latest pandemic-precautionary closure. The Southwest Seattle Historical Society’s interim director Maggie Kase sent the announcement:
We are very excited to announce that the Southwest Seattle Historical Society’s Log House Museum will be re-opening to the public Friday, April 8th, 2022. Our hours of operation are 12:00 to 4:00 pm Friday-Saturday. Face coverings are still required in the Log House Museum for all visitors age 5 and older regardless of vaccination status. No appointment required, walk-ins welcome. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Information on visiting the museum is here.
P.S. You can learn more about the SWSHS in the latest episode of Keith Bacon‘s podcast All Ways West Seattle.
If this was a flesh-and-blood bunny, we’d put it on the WSB West Seattle Lost/Found Pets page. If it was found in a park or at a playground (etc.), we’d point the finder to the WSB Lost/Found Non-Pets section of our Community Forums. But this one somehow showed up at the West Seattle UPS Store in Jefferson Square, amid documents left late last month for shredding. The store staff doesn’t think the bunny was intended for the shredder, so they’re trying to figure out who lost it. Laurie at the shop says, “We will hold onto it in our lost and found drawer just in case its owner comes along.”
All three of our area’s State Legislature positions, representing the 34th District, are up for election this year. Of our area’s two State House representatives, one (Rep. Eileen Cody) has announced she’s retiring. Now, our area’s State Senator, Joe Nguyen, has announced he’s running for a second term. Last year, Nguyen attempted to oust King County Executive and fellow West Seattleite Dow Constantine, finishing with 44 percent of the vote, but continued in the State Senate, as his term doesn’t expire until the end of this year. Today’s announcement touts his most-recent achievement as “help(ing) pass a historic transportation package and direct(ing) significant investments for working families during this crucial period of pandemic recovery.” Sen. Nguyen was elected to a leadership post before the 2021 legislative session, assistant floor leader for the State Senate Democratic Caucus. Today’s announcement notes Nguyen will be running in a district that “has slightly changed with recent redistricting,” now including Georgetown as well as South Park and part of downtown, in addition to West Seattle, Burien, White Center, and Vashon/Maury Islands. He is the only candidate so far to file a campaign with the state Public Disclosure Commission.
Three thefts in West Seattle Crime Watch – first, two more reports of catalytic converters being taken:
CC THEFT #1: From Peter:
I’m writing to report that my catalytic converter was stolen last night from my 22 year old car in my driveway in the Fauntleroy/Lincoln Park area.
We’ve got a followup out to ask what kind of car. (Update: 1999 Chevy Cavalier.)
CC THEFT #2: From Dayton:
At 12:30 am on Monday, April 4th, my wife and I heard some sounds of metal being cut. Thinking at first that this was a business causing after-hours noise, my wife went outside our house to investigate. She saw a car stopped in the road on 17th Ave. SW [3800 block] with a driver behind the wheel. She then heard metal-cutting sounds from underneath an ’80s Land Rover Discovery which belongs to one of our neighbors. When she was looking to find out what was happening, a big man stepped out from between two cars, scaring her, so she ran in and alerted me. As I was leaving the house, we saw two men jump into the car, which backed down to exit the cul-de-sac and sped off. We tried to see the license plate, but were unsuccessful. When we went back to look at the Land Rover, we could see that both catalytic converters had been sawed off. A broken Sawzall blade was under the car. Unable to get a good look at the car, the best description I can give is that it is a late-model, 5-door mini SUV with roughly the same outline of a Ford Ecosport, dark blue or black in color. It had an oversized black rack on the top of the type which can be used for a rooftop tent.
BIKE THEFT: Be on the lookout for Steve‘s stolen bike:
I had a bike stolen last night from my garage that I had not yet locked for the night at about 11 pm, in Morgan Junction. It was a nice full suspension Diamondback. Let me know if you see it. I’ve not seen many in WS that have the orange rear triangle.
(SDOT image)
12:26 PM: California SW is blocked northbound at Hanford because of a crash. No serious injuries reported.
12:48 PM: Part of NB California is open again at the scene.
(SDOT photo)
10:30 AM: Just in from SDOT:
Concrete trucks arrived early this morning on the West Seattle Bridge. The first pours are for new expansion joints as part of major maintenance work being done while the bridge is closed.
Following the expansion joint concrete pours, we’ll then pour concrete inside the bridge for the improved post-tensioning system that will provide additional strength for the repaired bridge. These bridge repairs require 245 cubic yards – or about 30 truckloads of specialized concrete. Once the concrete structures are done, they’ll be capable of holding more than 20 million pounds of force for decades to come.
While we’re encouraged that our construction crews have begun the concrete work delayed by the strike, we now need to see how the deliveries will go and manage the pours for the next month or so. After the pours are done and the work inspected, we’ll be able to revisit the project schedule and share an update about the timing of the reopening, originally scheduled for mid-2022.
It’s now six weeks past the February 20th deadline the city originally cited for needing concrete in order to stay on that schedule. The labor dispute between concrete drivers and suppliers hasn’t been resolved yet, but some drivers represented by striking Teamsters Local 174 recently said they would return to work for some suppliers in order to get things moving on the West Seattle Bridge and other major public projects. SDOT’s contractor Kraemer North America was then in talks with supplier Cadman to ensure the necessary specialty mix would be available, and then to determine a schedule. We’ll be asking a few followup questions.
12:39 PM: Still awaiting followup answers. In the meantime, Mayor Bruce Harrell has issued a statement – here’s an excerpt:
Reopening the West Seattle Bridge is the top transportation priority for my team and getting concrete today is an encouraging step that brings us closer to that goal. Throughout this strike, I’m continuing to have intense discussions with both sides to urge a fair resolution to this contract dispute. I want to again thank the Teamsters for taking the extraordinary, good-faith action of returning to work with three concrete companies. Despite those companies having no existing agreement with our contractor to work on the bridge, my administration immediately engaged to identify which business could meet our specific needs and worked relentlessly to help facilitate concrete delivery. Thank you to Cadman for their willingness to assist and help expedite a solution.
West Seattle/South Park City Councilmember Lisa Herbold has published a similar statement – read it here.
5:24 PM: SDOT has sent replies to our followup questions. They’ve confirmed that Cadman committed to all 245 yards of concrete the bridge project needs. Will the concrete situation add to the repair-project cost? “We’re hoping this doesn’t add extra cost, but won’t know for sure until all the concrete is delivered. We don’t anticipate any cost increases to the overall contract, which includes built in contingency that could be released to cover additional costs if needed.” Anything else causing delays right now? No, SDOT says.
P.S. The next major public briefing on the bridge will be at the Community Task Force meeting at 4 pm April 21st.
After the first 24 hours of registration for the 16th almost-annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day – first one since 2019 – we already have 40 sales signed up!
Saturday, May 14, 2022, is the day for simultaneous sales all around West Seattle. Registration will be open for about three weeks – no earlier than April 25th – in case you are still deciding. We close it a few weeks before WSCGSD so we have time to make a map/guide with locations and listings for all registered sales, in clickable and printable formats, available a week before sale day so you can plan. Several other Seattle neighborhoods have Garage Sale Days; this one started in 2005, and we’ve coordinated it since 2008, when we reduced the fees (which we’ve never raised) – $12 for an individual sale, $20 for a business/organization/school, $30 for a block sale of three or more sellers. Official WSCGSD hours on May 14th will be 9 am-3 pm, but sellers can start earlier and/or end later – we advise including your extra hours in your up-to-20-words listing (sale description) in the guide. Ready to get your sale registered? Go here!
(Black-capped Chickadee, photographed by Finn Litton)
Here’s what’s happening around the peninsula on April’s first Tuesday:
JEWELRY SALE: The entire store at Wyatt’s Jewelers (WSB sponsor) is 30 percent off! Open today at Westwood Village (2600 SW Barton), 10 am-6 pm.
FREE QIGONG AT LINCOLN PARK: 10:30 am at the baseball/soccer fields; info here. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)
NORTHWEST SEAPORT ALLIANCE: The port commissioners of Seattle and Tacoma meet at Sea-Tac Airport (streamed online) at 11 am – find the agenda, which includes a Sound Transit light-rail briefing, and viewing/attending info here.
CITY COUNCIL: Their weekly meeting is at 2 pm, online. The agenda explains how to comment; Seattle Channel is where to watch.
SPORTS: Two high-school soccer games this afternoon – 4 pm at Walt Hundley Playfield (34th/Myrtle), West Seattle HS vs. Eastside Catholic; 4:30 pm at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle), Chief Sealth IHS vs. Seattle Prep. … (added) WSHS Lacrosse plays Ballard, 5:30 om at North SeaTac Playfield. (map) Andrew tells they’re on a two-match winning streak and “could use all the support they can get against a tough opponent.”
DEMONSTRATION FOR RACIAL JUSTICE: 4:30-6 pm at 16th/Holden, Scott leads this long-running weekly demonstration for racial justice. Signs available if you don’t have your own.
FAMILY GAME NIGHT: Meeples Games (3727 California SW) welcomes families 6-8 pm to this weekly hosted game-playing night.
WEST SEATTLE BIKE CONNECTIONS: 6:30 meeting online includes an update on the East Marginal Way project and a discussion of what else WSBC is working on, and how to get involved. Connection/participation info is in our calendar listing.
TRIVIA X 3: Theww of the venues where you can play tonight – 7 pm at Ounces (3809 Delridge Way SW), 7 pm at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW), 7:30 and 8:30 pm at The Lodge (4209 SW Alaska).
BELLE OF THE BALLS BINGO: Play bingo with Cookie Couture at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), 8 pm. Free, all ages!
There’s more on our calendar – and if you have something to add for the future, email us the info at westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
7:54 AM: SFD and SPD are responding to a report of a two-vehicle crash at Highland Park Way/Holden, with at least one person hurt.
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Earlier:
6:02 AM: Good morning. It’s Tuesday, April 5th.
WEATHER
Breezy, partly sunny forecast, high in the 50s.
ROAD-WORK NOTES
*South Park Bridge maintenance work today, 8 am-4 pm, with lane closures expected.
*Highway 99 tunnel has its monthly maintenance closure this Friday night.
BUSES, WATER TAXI, FERRIES TODAY
Metro is on its regular weekday schedule. Watch @kcmetrobus for word of reroutes/cancellations.
Water Taxi‘s on its regular schedule. Shuttle service is now back to serving all runs.
Ferries: WSF is still using the two-boat schedule for Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth. Check here for alerts/updates.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
743rd morning without the West Seattle Bridge.
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.)
NOTE: SDOT HAS YET TO SOLVE ITS TRAFFIC-CAM TROUBLE, SO WE ONLY HAVE THIS WSDOT CAM:
1st Avenue South Bridge:
CAMERA P.S. – YOU CAN ACCESS LIVE VIDEO FROM CITY CAMERA WINDOWS ON SDOT MAP HERE
Are movable bridges opening for vessels? Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed; 1st Ave. S. Bridge openings are also tweeted by @wsdot_traffic.
Trouble on the roads/paths/water? Text or call us (when you can do so safely) – 206-293-6302.
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