11 Replies to "Happening later this week: Next meeting on Junction project "

• Jack Loblaw May 27, 2008 (10:23 am)

  Normally I do not like to see buildings torn down and replaced. The reason that I feel this way is due to some of the stellar ( not ) buildings which have been built in West Seattle over the years that look like boxes with no soul. I checked out the developer presentation for this project and was amazed at how nice this will look. This will be a great addition to our neighborhood if it ends up being approved. This just goes to show that developers can do things right if they want to. Let’s all keep our fingers crossed that it is built as shown.

• B May 27, 2008 (10:57 am)

  I agree that this will be an improvement. However, it’s our responsibility as residents to keep the developers in check. Let’s not forget that they are at this to make a profit for themselves and that sometimes what is in their best interest may not be what’s best for the community as a whole. This building is going to be HUGE compared to what is there now and if it’s not revised dramatically from the current plans it will cast a large shadow over the junction and look very out of place. Parking/Traffic is also a huge deal and I’m not totally convince the “alley” project is going to work as well as they say it is. Anyone who lives near the junction should try to make it down for the review. As the saying goes, “speak now or forever hold your peace”.

• Frank May 27, 2008 (11:11 am)

  Well, if this goes as planned, with the 208 “residential units,” that brings the total of “residential units” in the eight square block region (35th, Dakota, California, Edmonds) to 1218 (by my calculations) with NO improvements to road capacity, general public parking or transit routes.
  With the desire of some to permanently close off California between Edmonds and Oregon, or beyond, to vehicle traffic “The Junction” will be virtually impossible for those out of the immediate area to enjoy because of the difficulty to get there and find parking. I hope that those who desire these changes to the area are willing to see a unique area turned into a miniature “Bell Town.”
  I used to enjoy going to “The Junction” during the Street Fair and to just walk around, but I can see the writing on the wall about visits there. They will become non existent because of the traffic, parking and difficulty of going there. I would rather head to Westwood Village, Burien or Southcenter to shop or walk around.
  If the people in the area want it, I hope they don’t regret their decision/s on the uncontrolled growth the has been permitted in the area without consideration of general public parking, road capacity, transit and general livability of “The Junction.”

• B May 27, 2008 (1:57 pm)

  I’m curious if you define lack of parking as lack of parking in general or free parking? We go up regularly on the weekends and always see spots open in the pay lots. The street parking on California is busy, but you only have to walk a block or two. I think the comparison to Westwood or Southcenter is a little extreme. Getting in and out of the parking lot at Target can be a life threatening experience on a Saturday morning.

• toomanyratsinacageakaWS May 27, 2008 (2:31 pm)

  I’m with ya Frank. Comments at Design Review meetings and letters to the Mayor and Planning and Development staff fall on deaf ears. I’ve given up and will just have to move one day when it gets to be too much. I’ll sell my house and make bank hopefully but money isn’t everything, at least to me it’s not. Maybe it is to developers, construction folks, etc? Gotta afford gas for those trucks I guess. Anyone that thinks this is so great must not live nearby a construction site.

• Frank May 27, 2008 (3:37 pm)

  B,
  If this project goes as planned it will eliminate 43 free parking spots. With the 39 all ready eliminated because of the building behind Petsmart, 82 free parking spots gone. Now, if Calif is closed in the Junction, as some want to do, that will eliminate 100 free parking spots between Edmonds and Oregon. Add in the 88 free parking spots to be removed by the Whole Foods project and the junction is going to lose up to 270 free parking spots minimum.
  Now add in the 1218 Residential Units planned by all of these projects and the writing is on the wall for the future of parking in the Junction.
  As far as Westwood parking lot, I do agree somewhat with your assessment, but if you know the lot you can get in and out safely with very little hassle any time of the day.
  Like I said, the days of hopping up to the junction to enjoy a leisurely stroll up and down the streets and into and out of the shops is rapidly coming to an end.
  It will become an area that will cater to the residents of the 1218 apartments and turn into “Belltown West”

• West Seattle Golfer May 27, 2008 (3:57 pm)

  On the evening of April 10, many neighbors, myself included, and interested West Seattle residents and business owners showed up at the Design Review meeting to voice their concerns and/or comments. Considering the Design Review Committee sent them back to the drawing boards to rework their proposal tells me that they do listen and act. So, here’s our next opportunity and it is most important that the community show up for this meeting on Thursday to raise the questions described above and many others. Myself, I think the proposed two buildings are the worst example of disrespect for the West Seattle Junction yet. Really, dressing up an alley with potted plants as their contribution to street scape and enjoyable shopping is an insult. They want us to forget that the building faces a street on three sides that needs their special attention, not the alley that will remain open to cars. The Junction needs that alley and much more. We need a setback on the height on California and on Alaska as well to make the buildings look like it belongs there and will enhance the corner. They have a unique opportunity to have windows on three sides, not our typical bowling alley layout others must work with in the Junction. Tell the architect, Weber – Thompson that we expect them to treasure the opportunity to design that corner and guide their client to do something special, not this is what you can have from Conner Development. Show up, speak up or at least write it down for the City to know how you feel and want.

• B May 27, 2008 (4:45 pm)

  Frank,
  This is the first I have heard about closing California to traffic between those blocks. Is that being proposed from the developer?
  -B

• Frank May 27, 2008 (9:23 pm)

  B,

  No it was expressed in this thread last week.
  https://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=7800#comments.
  Frank

• Denny May 27, 2008 (11:08 pm)

  Frank,
  I believe your math on “free” parking spaces to be based on an inaccurate premise. All of the lots you mentioned are privately owned retail lots for use by patrons of specific businesses while using those businesses.
  Just because people chose to ignore the signs (especially when Petco had the lot) doesn’t make them free community parking. There will be parking in the Whole Foods Development and in whatever Connor builds for patrons’ use.
  And it’s true, some of us may need to walk, bike, park a block away or learn to pay $2 for parking.
  Costs more to drive there with gas these days.

• m May 28, 2008 (9:43 am)

  There is no demand for this type of housing in WS right now- that is what annoys me so much about these massive projects that are being built around here. There are for rent and for sale signs all over the place and developers are building more homes. All while destroying the feel of the neighborhood, increasing density with no improvements to infrastructure (if the units are to full capacity), and taking away lots of parking.

Sorry, comment time is over.