day : 02/02/2023 10 results

DEVELOPMENT: Aegis Living plan for 5252 California SW sails through first Southwest Design Review look

| Development | West Seattle news

(Massing rendering of Option 3 for 5252 California SW, by Ankrom Moisan)

In their second online meeting of the night – after months with no meetings at all – the Southwest Design Review Board gave the Aegis Living plan for 5252 California SW approval to move into the next phase of the review process.

The first phase of Design Review is about “massing” – buildings’ size and shape – and this project is a lot larger than what’s around the site right now, so that was a major factor in the discussion. The meeting was led by SWDRB chair Patrick Cobb (Fauntleroy), with board members Alan Grainger (Fauntleroy), Johanna Lirman (North Admiral), and Gavin Schaefer (Camp Long area)=. From the city Department of Construction and Inspections, the project’s assigned planner Theresa Neylon was there. Here’s how the meeting went:

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DEVELOPMENT: Southwest Design Review Board tells 7617 35th SW architect to try again

February 2, 2023 7:04 pm

| 35 COMMENTS

| Development | West Seattle news

(Rendering from design packet by LDG Architects)

The first of tonight’s two Southwest Design Review Board meetings ended with an order for 7617 35th SW to make some changes and return for a second round of Early Design Guidance.

This first phase of Design Review is all about buildings’ size and shape, aka “massing,” and that’s what the big concern was here, along with placement of its entries. Board chair Patrick Cobb (Fauntleroy) led the meeting, with board members Alan Grainger (Fauntleroy), Johanna Lirman (North Admiral), and Gavin Schaefer (Camp Long area) in attendance. From the city Department of Construction and Inspections, David Sachs was filling in for the project’s assigned planner Joseph Hurley. Here’s how the meeting went, along the required four-section format:

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Brown water in Seaview

February 2, 2023 5:06 pm

| 3 COMMENTS

| Utilities | West Seattle news

Just texted to us – at least two neighbors in Seaview are seeing “brown water and air in pipes.” If this is happening to you too, be sure to notify Seattle Public Utilities at 206-386-1800. Advice for dealing with discolored water – including, don’t do laundry till it clears up! – is here.

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‘Fix the bricks’: Are you on the list? City edges closer to ordering quake-safety retrofits for unreinforced-masonry buildings

February 2, 2023 4:19 pm

| 5 COMMENTS

| Safety | West Seattle news

(WSB file photo of one of the smaller West Seattle buildings on the list, at Highland Park Playground)

For years, the issue of ordering earthquake-safety retrofits for unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings has been simmering in Seattle. Our archives show a local presentation about it at a community meeting almost 10 years ago. At that time, it was estimated that Seattle had at least 1,000 URM buildings, including more than 50 in West Seattle. Now the topic is bubbling back up. For one, the city has just updated its list of what’s now an estimated 1,100 URM buildings – you can see the list here. (A quick search finds 44 addresses on the list containing SW, signifying they’re in West Seattle. Also, here’s a less-up-to-date map.) The list accompanies this city-website update saying the city intends to finalize an ordinance next year to mandate the retrofits. Before that ordinance is drafted and finalized, the city has created four “working groups” to tackle different aspects of the process, and is inviting participation. Here’s what they’ll work on:

*Development of a minimum retrofit standard to increase the life safety of unreinforced masonry buildings. The Technical Briefing Working Group has been established to provide input and ask questions prior to finalization of the standard currently in development by SDCI. The draft technical standard will be available spring 2023.

*Development of funding resources to increase capacity of URM building owners to invest in resilience. The Funding Working Group has been established to identify grants, credits, and financing available to support earthquake retrofits.

*Development of resources to support URM building owner and tenant needs during the retrofit process. The Owner and Tenant Needs Working Group has been established to mitigate tenant displacement, to support and guide building owners, and meet the needs of underserved stakeholders.

*Development of clear and accessible communications on the need for earthquake retrofits and compliance requirements of the ordinance. The Communications Working Group has been established to develop a comprehensive communication strategy.

If you’re interested in participating in any of those groups, the city update also has info on who to contact,

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Seattle Public Library expanding ‘Homework Help’

February 2, 2023 2:45 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle libraries | West Seattle news

More Seattle Public Library “Homework Help” is being added at one branch in West Seattle, and the service is expanding to a new location nearby. From the announcement, here are the local highlights:

Homework Help, The Seattle Public Library’s free after school tutoring service (spl.org/HomeworkHelp), will add two locations and increase hours in February.

Starting the week of Feb. 6, the South Park Branch will offer two afternoons of Homework Help a week, and the Columbia, High Point and Rainier Beach branches will increase their weekly Homework Help hours …

At Homework Help, students in kindergarten through grade 12 can get help with their homework, as well as read and play learning enrichment games with trained volunteer tutors.

The new schedule is below; changes start the week of Feb. 6:

High Point Branch: 3411 SW Raymond St., 206-684-7454

o *Mondays, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. (additional day)
o Tuesdays, from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
o Wednesdays, from 4 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.

South Park Branch: 8604 Eighth Ave. S., 206-615-1688

o Tuesdays, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
o Wednesday, 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Homework Help will not be offered when Seattle Public Schools is not in session, including midwinter break (Feb. 21 through 24) and spring break (April 10 through 14). Homework Help will also not be offered on Wednesday, March 22, when all Library locations are closed for All-Staff Day. Homework Help’s last day for the 2022-2023 school year will be Thursday, June 22.

SPL also continues to offer free one-on-one online tutoring at all grade levels and in three languages – find out more about that here.

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FOLLOWUP: What’s next for The Original Bakery’s Fauntleroy space

February 2, 2023 12:48 pm

| 26 COMMENTS

| Fauntleroy | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Since the Alonzo family announced Tuesday that they will close The Original Bakery in Fauntleroy later this month after almost half a century of owning and operating it, legions of fans have voiced their sorrow. Some also wondered what will happen with the space at 9253 45th SW, which the Alonzos’ announcement said would be taken over by the owner of CHOW Foods, which operates Endolyne Joe’s next door. We reached Peter Levy by email – here’s what he told us:

Yes, we are moving into the Original Bakery space. Given the history of the space, what we do know at this point is that we will continue to serve morning pastries & espresso.

We are still working on determining conceptually what our plans are for the balance of the day & night operating hours. Depending on the permitting process and time required for construction, we are anticipating opening sometime in the late summer/early fall of this year.

We also asked if the pastries he mentioned would be baked on site, retaining the space’s use as a bakery: “We are in the very formative state in the process and I have no further information to provide at this time.” But, in response to another followup question, he did say the space “will have a different name” rather than being operated as part of Endolyne Joe’s, which has been at 9261 45th SW for almost 20 years.

P.S. Watch for a story here soon looking at the history of The Original Bakery, which plans to close after Sunday, February 26th.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Shot-up sign

February 2, 2023 11:34 am

| 15 COMMENTS

| Crime | Highland Park | West Seattle news

Seattle Police say they confirmed gunfire off the Highland Park Way hill after 911 calls Wednesday evening. They responded after reports came in just after 5:30 pm. Officers arriving in the 7000 block of Highland Park Way SW [vicinity map] found, according to the SPD summary, that “the sign to the trailhead had been struck by at least 20 rounds (and a) tree was also struck.” No injuries were reported. As for who did it, the summary says, “The male suspect left in an older-model sedan that was either white, tan, or charcoal gray.”

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Design Review x 2, theater, comedy, more for your West Seattle Thursday

February 2, 2023 10:24 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Brant at Constellation Park, photographed by Cindy Roberts)

If you haven’t already checked our calendar, here’s what’s ahead for the rest of today/tonight:

UNDERSTANDING MEDICARE: Informational presentation at Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon), 11 am.

WEST SEATTLE UKULELE PLAYERS: All levels welcome, weekly 1 pm gathering. Email westseattleukuleleplayers@gmail.com to see where they’re playing today.

THURSDAY FOOD-TRUCK POP-UP: 4-8 pm at Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW), the Mexicuban food truck will be visiting.

HIGHLAND PARK RUN CLUB: Also at HP Corner Store, meet up at 6:30 pm Thursdays for a ~3-mile run.

WRITING WORKSHOP FOR KIDS: Ages 8-12 can learn to “Write Your Story” in this workshop – free but registration required – first session 4:30 pm today at High Point Community Center (6920 34th SW).

DESIGN REVIEW X 2: Two Southwest Design Review Board online meetings to look at major West Seattle redevelopment proposals – 5 pm, 7617 35th SW mixed-use building; 7 pm, 5252 California SW senior-living building. Meeting links for attending/commenting are in our calendar listing.

TAE KWON DO: The West Seattle Tae Kwon Do Club‘s first February class is tonight at 6:30 pm at High Point Community Center (6920 34th SW) – our calendar listing has details.

SILENT BOOK CLUB: This monthly West Seattle “happy hour for introverts” is gathering at six venues tonight at 7 pm! Our preview has the locations.

NORTH HIGHLINE UAC: Live/work/study in White Center or elsewhere in unincorporated North Highline? 7 pm online, the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meets for the first time this year, with a public-safety focus.

BASKETBALL: The Chief Sealth IHS boys host West Seattle HS, 7:30 pm. (2600 SW Thistle)

‘AN ENDLESS SHIFT’: New play at ArtsWest (4711 California SW; WSB sponsor) continues tonight, 7:30 pm: “Created from verbatim accounts of the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic by the Seattle nurses who were there, AN ENDLESS SHIFT is a tribute to the everyday heroes who were confronted with what would become the longest shift of their lives.” Get your ticket(s) here.

COMEDY NIGHT: “Jokes at The Junction,” 8 pm at Great American Diner & Bar (4752 California SW) – ticket link is in our calendar listing.

Have something to add to our calendar? Email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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ELECTION 2023: Teresa Mosqueda wants to move from Seattle City Council to King County Council

February 2, 2023 6:34 am

| 74 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

After five years as one of the Seattle City Council‘s two at-large members, North Delridge resident Teresa Mosqueda says she feels a “pull” toward a different role in local government – that of King County Councilmember.

Mosqueda announced this morning that she is campaigning for the seat that District 8 County Councilmember Joe McDermott is leaving after more than a decade. The newly remapped district stretches from downtown Seattle to Burien, also including West Seattle, White Center, and Vashon and Maury Islands, among other neighborhoods (see the map here).

Mosqueda talked with WSB just before her announcement. She says she will continue with her City Council job – which isn’t up for a vote again until 2025 – while campaigning for County Council. (If she wins the new job, the remaining city councilmembers would have to appoint someone to fill the rest of her term.) Though the County Council represents three times as many people as the City Council, it toils in less of a spotlight, generally with far less pressure and scrutiny. Mosqueda wouldn’t mind: “Everyone asks, aren’t you going to be bored? I say, no!”

She says what’s “pulling” her toward the County Council are two issues in particular – health and housing. County government has “more purview over public health and behavioral health.” On the latter, she’s supportive of the behavioral-health levy the County Council just voted to send to voters in April. And she sees even more areas of the county in need of workforce housing, especially Vashon and Burien. She wants to work with the state legislators who have housing in the spotlight this session. The county also runs the major transit system – Metro – and “working families need round-the-clock transit – we need to reimagine that.”

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TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Welcome to Thursday

February 2, 2023 6:00 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6 AM: Good morning! It’s Thursday, February 2nd.

WEATHER

Mostly cloudy, high around 50.

TODAY’S TRANSIT STATUS

–Metro is on its regular schedule, but still canceling some trips/suspending some routes, so keep watching notification channels such as @kcmetroalerts for trip cancellations and route suspensions. (We have an inquiry out to Metro asking how the bus repairs are going.)

-Regular schedule for the West Seattle Water Taxi.

–Washington State Ferries‘ Triangle Route continues on a two-boat schedule – check here for alerts/updates.

TUNNEL CLOSURE

Maintenance closure for the Highway 99 tunnel, both directions, 10 pm Friday-6 am Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT CAMERAS

Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Oregon), cameras are also up at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Orchard, and Delridge/Henderson.

High Bridge – the camera at the top:

High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):

Low Bridge – looking east to west:

1st Ave. S. Bridge – the south route:

Highway 99: – the northbound side at Lander.

MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: See all working traffic cams citywide here, most with video options; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are also on this WSB page … Are movable city bridges opening for vessels? Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed.

If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call us (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if needed) – 206-293-6302.

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