West Seattle, Washington
11 Thursday
(Rendering of new Alki Elementary entrance on north side of school)
As we reported July 1, a deputy city hearing examiner has ruled against area residents’ appeal of the Alki Elementary rebuild‘s zoning exception for parking. That means the city’s decision to approve a zoning exception for the 15-space redesign – 33 spaces less than what zoning requires – is affirmed. The appellants’ only potential avenue to challenge that would be via taking it to court within three weeks of the decision. So will they? We inquired immediately after the ruling, and have finally heard back from Steve Cuddy, an Alki resident and lawyer who led the appeal by Friends for a Safe Alki Community. Cuddy tells WSB, “I do not personally plan to appeal the Alki Elementary case further. It is possible that others in our ‘Friends’ group may decide to appeal to Court, but so far no one has, and I would be surprised if anyone does.” If no challenge emerges, that clears the way for the city to finalize the permits for the project to build a larger new Alki Elementary on the same site (3010 59th SW) where the original school was demolished a year ago. (The old school’s capacity was 371; the new school is designed for 500, plus two preschool classrooms estimated to potentially hold 40.)
The appeal was argued in a three-day hearing that we covered in the Hearing Examiner’s chambers downtown in May and June; we recapped the backstory here, with links to hearing coverage. The wheels were set in motion for this appeal when the same deputy examiner, Susan Drummond, ruled in favor of a different group’s appeal of the original plan, which had no offstreet parking (while dismissing that group’s appeals of several other zoning exceptions).
Cuddy’s response to our request for comment arrived in a long letter explaining the most recent challenge; you can read it in its entirety here. He cites what he considers “positive results” of the appeal, despite the outcome: “The members of our group who filed the first successful appeal gained 15 off-street parking spots, which will be available to more safely accommodate ADA and special needs students than the dangerous on-street parking for them that was originally proposed by the School District. -The second appeal forced the School District to finally admit that Alki Elementary’s past traffic and parking problems were serious, and that its previous traffic management arrangements at the school were inadequate and dangerous. As a consequence of that admission, for the second appeal, the District created a draft traffic management plan in advance of school construction. I do not believe this has ever happened before. The District’s draft traffic management plan has significant problems … but it is at least an advance start on what will be a difficult task.” He says “continued community involvement” will be vital as the project proceeds. If permits are granted soon, the school could open in fall 2026, by which time Alki will have spent three years in temporary quarters at the former Schmitz Park Elementary.
Three West Seattle Crime Watch notes:
ASSAULT INVESTIGATION: Several readers have asked about video seen on TV news showing a woman attacked on Saturday at California/Charlestown. As we’ve explained to those who emailed us to ask, the victim texted us at midnight Sunday night saying she had been assaulted on California Avenue SW a day and a half earlier and that her car rolled away and hit other cars. We responded immediately, with a followup question to try to find out more. She did not reply, and has not replied to a followup inquiry. So we don’t have what TV has shown, and without location information could not find a correlatory police report. We did finally get an incident number with the help of a local officer at a community meeting, and this is the information SPD Public Affairs subsequently provided:
On July 6, Seattle police responded to the area of California Avenue Southwest and Southwest Charlestown Street for a report of a road rage incident that turned into an assault. The incident was first reported to dispatchers at about 4:36 p.m. Seattle police were dispatched by the Seattle CARE Department at about 7:26 p.m. (A full timeline is here). The victims, a 22-year-old woman driving a car, and a 26-year-old woman riding in the passenger seat, told police they were turning on to Southwest Charlestown Street from California Avenue Southwest when they inadvertently cut off another driver.
It was reported the suspects in the cutoff vehicle, 2 women, got into an argument with the victims. Then, one of them stepped out of their vehicle to confront the victims. The 22-year-old victim was dragged from the car and then assaulted by both suspects.
The 26-year-old victim passenger said she tried to stop the car from rolling away, but she was attacked by one of the female suspects and pulled out of the car. The rolling victim car hit another car. The occupants of the third vehicle weren’t hurt. The unknown suspects left the scene. The 22-year-old victim was transported to Harborview Medical Center for injuries sustained during the assault. The 26-year-old victim had minor injuries.
The incident is classified by SPD as an Assault 4 and has been assigned to a detective in the Major Crimes Task Force for follow-up. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the SPD Violent Crimes Tip Line at (206) 233-5000.
There is no descriptive information in the SPD account; full reports are only provided with a PDR (which we’re filing), they told us.
BUSINESS BURGLARIZED: Todd at Swedish Automotive (35th SW & SW Kenyon; WSB sponsor) sent this report this morning:
This morning at 5 am – in full daylight – two people in a black Kia Forte drove in, turned around and parked next to the shop.
They exited and tried to get into the nearest door using a large Crescent Wrench-type of tool but only succeeded in destroying a (pretty expensive) security door handle before giving up and quickly driving off.
I’m attaching two photos that I captured from the videos. The visible person has pretty distinctive hair color and clothing, but the other one stays off-camera pretty much. The license plate isn’t readable, but since it’s a Kia, I’m assuming it’s stolen, so maybe somebody local is missing it? Maybe someone recognizes this individual with the dyed hair? It’s a longshot, I know, but the more we make these criminals out there in the public eye, the better chance we have of making them think twice.
Here’s links to 3 of the videos:
Two people attempting to get in
The incident’s been reported; we’ll add the number when available.
ABANDONED CAR: Matt is notifying police about this, but in the meantime, perhaps you recognize this car:
There’s an almost certainly dumped/stolen vehicle in the 9800 block of 34th Ave SW. Interior completely stripped (seats gone, hard top gone), tube still hanging out of the gas tank. From my security camera I could just make out 3 vehicles arriving at 1:30 am and 2 of the vehicles leaving around 1:45am. At least 4 people involved. They left the lights on and the passenger side door open; the battery is now dead.
VIN: ———-7067
Plate: BTV1865
Make: Red 1995 Honda Civic del Sol
Big night to be out and about in West Seattle – here are two major reasons:
WEST SEATTLE ART WALK: 5 pm “until late,” all over West Seattle, it’s the first West Seattle Art Walk of summer! From North Admiral to Morgan Junction, here’s the list of businesses welcoming you to stop and see art and/or enjoy food/drink specials.
For details on who’s where, see the venue-by-venue previews on the Art Walk website! Tonight you’ll also find three Art of Music mini-concerts:
They’re all playing 6 pm-7:45 pm. Find info about the musicians – and samples of their work – here.
SUMMER FEST EVE: In The Junction, streets will be closed for festival setup on what’s become known as West Seattle Summer Fest Eve, the night before summer’s biggest party. Along with the aforementioned Art of Music performance, Easy Street Records has a 7 pm in-store concert with The Dip, and a Summer Fest Eve favorite – Jennifer Cepeda‘s DancePowered dancers will practice this year’s flash-mob-style festival performance – approximately 7 pm at Walk-All-Ways. Come down to The Junction tonight and see what else you find!
Meantime, here’s what else is happening for the rest of your Thursday, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
FREE SUMMER MEALS FOR KIDS: Multiple locations and varying times in West Seattle – here’s the list.
SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE GARDEN CENTER: Still prime time for summer gardening – so if you need plants, the center is open Thursdays-Saturdays 10 am-3 pm, north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus. Annuals, perennials, sun, shade, natives, edibles, ground covers … wide variety!
SPRAYPARK: Highland Park Spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale) is open every day, 11 am-8 pm, free.
COLMAN POOL: The season continues for this outdoor heated-salt-water pool on the shore at Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW), noon-7 pm – session times are on the Colman Pool webpage.
LINCOLN PARK WADING POOL: Also at Lincoln Park, the 7-day-a-week wading pool is open today noon-7 pm, in the central upper part of the park near the north play area.
DELRIDGE WADING POOL: Also open today, next to Delridge Community Center, noon-5:30 pm. (4501 Delridge Way SW)
HIAWATHA WADING POOL: This pool is also open today, next to Hiawatha Community Center, noon-5:30 pm. (2700 California SW)
WEST SEATTLE UKULELE PLAYERS: All levels welcome to this weekly 1 pm gathering. Email westseattleukuleleplayerswsup@gmail.com for info on where they’re playing today.
NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY: Tasting room/wine bar now open Thursdays-Saturdays 1 pm-6 pm, north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus. Food too – stop by to sip and nosh!
STRONG BODIES, STRONG BONES: 2:30 pm yoga class at what’s now the Center for Active Living (4217 SW Oregon).
HPCS FOOD-TRUCK VISIT: Every Thursday, 4-8 pm, Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW) gets a food-truck visit. Tonight it’s Bella M’Briana.
VISCON CELLARS: The West Seattle winery’s tasting room/wine bar is open 5-9 pm (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor) for wine by the glass or bottle.
WORDS, WRITERS, SOUTHWEST STORIES: 6 pm online, the Southwest Seattle Historical Society features Shin Yu Pai. Our calendar listing has the link for registering to view this online presentation.
WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: Meet at 6 pm at 47th/Fauntleroy to walk in Lincoln Park – details in our calendar listing.
WESTIES RUN CLUB: Meet at Good Society (California/Lander) at 6 pm for a 3-mile run.
HIGHLAND PARK RUN CLUB: 6:30 pm, meet at Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW) for a 3-mile run through the neighborhood. (Walking option, too!)
BLUES NIGHT: 6:30-9 pm at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way), every Thursday you can listen to the blues.
TRIVIA: 7 pm at Burger Planet (9614 14th SW).
Planning an event that should be on our calendar and in our daily preview lists? Please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
(WSB photo from 2023 Admiral Funktion)
The Admiral Neighborhood Association wants to be sure potential vendors – both businesses and nonprofits – know that the deadline is coming up for registering for space at this year’s Admiral Funktion Block Party. It’s happening on California SW north of Admiral Way on Saturday, August 24, 11 am-10 pm. ANA says limited spaces are left, so go here to save your spot before July 25!
6:03 AM: Good morning! It’s Thursday, July 11.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
The heat wave is over, though Wednesday’s 88-degree high was still 11 degrees above normal. The forecast: Still sunny, high in the low 80s. Today’s sunrise was at 5:23 am, while sunset will be at 9:05 pm.
ROAD WORK
*The Admiral Way Bridge seismic project has begun; here are more specifics. Fairmount Avenue is now closed under the bridge for the duration of the project, likely into early 2025.
*SDOT’s Delridge pedestrian-bridge earthquake-safety project also continues, with narrowing at Delridge/Oregon.
*Beach Drive: Gas-pipeline work continues at spots along the southern stretch.
SUMMER FEST AHEAD
For West Seattle Summer Fest, road closures and parking restrictions start as early as this morning, according to the West Seattle Junction Association – California Avenue SW closes between Edmunds and Oregon and for much of the block north, and Alaska closes between 42nd and 44th. This page has bus reroute notices from Metro. Come stroll in the streets tonight for West Seattle Summer Fest Eve plus the July Art Walk!
TRANSIT NOTES
Metro today – Summer Fest reroutes as mentioned above, otherwise a egular schedule; check for advisories here.
Water Taxi today – Regular schedule. Check the real-time map if you need to see where the boat is.
Washington State Ferries today – The usual 2 boats on the Triangle Route, and the unscheduled third boat may still be out per WSF.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Low bridge: Here’s the main view:
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Orchard), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera:
High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):
1st Avenue South Bridge:
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges feed on X (ex-Twitter) shows whether the city’s movable bridges are open for vessel traffic.
If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call our hotline (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!
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