Vacant city-owned lot in Westwood: Thoughts about its future?


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Neighboring property owners apparently got notice of this a few weeks ago, but it just crossed our desk: The vacant site shown above at 34th/Barton (map), just east of the Exxon station, has been deemed “excess to the needs of Seattle Public Utilities,” and the city’s looking for public input before recommending to the City Council what should be done with it: Sell, lease, or hand over to another city department. The comment period closes this Friday; here’s a city document with more details about the site (which is more than 12,000 square feet, zoned single-family 5000), and if you have comments about what should be done with it, contact Richard Gholaghong at 206-684-0621 or richard.gholaghong@seattle.gov. By the way, this is just one property on a long list of city properties under review, and other sites on the list are in West Seattle; see the complete list here – it includes this site along Admiral just north of The Bridge, most notable for a huge redwood tree – its status is “pending council review of public-involvement plan.”

23 Replies to "Vacant city-owned lot in Westwood: Thoughts about its future?"

  • Breanna Duvall February 24, 2009 (4:28 pm)

    It may be nice to have a little swing set there or a community garden maybe. :)

  • MargL February 24, 2009 (4:56 pm)

    Maybe Tony’s could buy it to grow some ultra-locally grown produce.

  • JumboJim February 24, 2009 (5:12 pm)

    Maybe the city should NOT think about selling it at the bottom of the market…. Just a thought.

    I’m thinking a home fruit and veggiedemo garden would be very cool and timely. Many, many people are being drawn to this by hard times, but so many of us have been out of touch with the land for so long (generations even) that we don’t know how to go about growing our own and how *incredible* (and tasty) it is.

  • tito February 24, 2009 (5:13 pm)

    How about a motocross track?

  • mike February 24, 2009 (5:28 pm)

    +1 for motocross track!!! They could require use of electric motorcycles so it wouldn’t be loud.

    I was thinking skateboard park though.

    It seems like a big shame to be selling off open space, in a city getting denser.

  • rbj February 24, 2009 (5:46 pm)

    Condos.

  • Irukandji February 24, 2009 (6:03 pm)

    Legalize marijuana and make it our first community herb garden.

  • concerned February 24, 2009 (6:16 pm)

    We need protect public open spaces — for parks, pea patches, bus stop rest areas with a nice shelter from the rain/cold. I agree with JumboJim’s statement above!
    .
    The city really seems to be selling itself to the highest bidders (corporate developers, etc). In this market, the highest bid would be too low and we shouldn’t be selling off such public spaces anyway.
    .
    With the population getting more and more dense here, will the city just let this property turn into yet another part of the impermeable, vegetation-void, loud and unpleasant concrete jungle???

  • concerned February 24, 2009 (6:17 pm)

    oops — we need “TO” protect (correction)

  • tito February 24, 2009 (6:37 pm)

    How about a shrine to Mayor Half-Dime?

  • p February 24, 2009 (7:09 pm)

    How about a nice community park or garden?

  • Jane Foster February 24, 2009 (7:19 pm)

    PLEASE DO NOT SELL THIS SPOT! It is on my alley and I have enjoyed it being city property. I would love to see something of a park built in the spot. Anything from a bench or picnic table to a tennis court are ideas I have on this lot.

  • Let the sunshine in February 24, 2009 (8:19 pm)

    Is that the old City Light substation? How about a solar generation facility there?

    There’s another old substation up by 35th and Avalon, behind the 7-11 that would be a great solar generation facility also.

    Seattle is one of America’s solar cities. There’s grant money available. Let’s make this happen.

  • morganlf February 24, 2009 (10:14 pm)

    It’s right by my house…no condos!

  • lina February 24, 2009 (10:23 pm)

    PEA PATCH! with a community info kiosk (portland has some really cool examples), gathering spot…

  • Dave February 24, 2009 (10:44 pm)

    We replied the day we got the note, and encourage others to do the same. Condos or retail units would only add to the idiots who fly down 34th/35th on a nightly basis.

  • swthistle February 25, 2009 (12:36 am)

    skate park

  • westwood February 25, 2009 (1:03 am)

    I think this would be an excellent site for a skate park. Seattle is far behind even many small towns in the state in providing access for skaters. But that takes money which may be tough in the short run.

    But for now it seems the city could make this a Pea Patch for very little money since it wouldn’t require much infrastructure. They definitely shouldn’t sell at a time like this.

    Just a few thoughts from a neighbor.

  • E February 25, 2009 (9:20 am)

    Another vote for a pea patch. Nice to look at and useful too.

  • Neighbor February 25, 2009 (9:55 am)

    Food, food, food!!!

  • d February 25, 2009 (11:08 am)

    Pea patch with demo garden would sure be useful to new gardeners! Maybe with a small, non-glass greenhouse for winter gardening? Or a fruit-tree mini-grove?

  • Buddsmom February 25, 2009 (11:30 am)

    PEA PATCH! PEA PATCH! PEA PATCH!

  • B\'sMomma February 25, 2009 (2:25 pm)

    I like the idea of having a garden demo area! I started planting veggies last year…… snap peas were awesome….. everything else……. welllllll, I’ll try again this year! :o)

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