West Seattle, Washington
27 Sunday
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Feaven Berhe knows everything won’t be perfect when she soft-opens her North Delridge coffee shop Hagosa’s House this Friday.
But she is excited to start getting the community feedback that will propel her toward that ideal.
“Learning as we go,” she smiles, as we chat in the space formerly known as Pearls, in the 4800 Delridge Way SW building owned for more than a decade and a half by her dad Solomon Tesfu (in the photo above with Feaven) and mom Genet Berhane. To transform it into Hagosa’s House, they’ve brightened the interior in a big way.
As we first reported last week, family is at the heart of Hagosa’s House, which Feaven named for her grandmother.
Her parents are Eritrean immigrants, and their influence will pervade the new café too. Unique features will include Eritrean-style coffee ceremonies, which include roasting the beans just before the coffee is prepared. It’s another way to bring people together, Feaven says, and a way to enjoy the coffee aroma even before it’s brewed. This art on the café’s north wall depicts a coffee ceremony:
Speaking of roasting, Boon Boona will be the coffee source for Hagosa’s House. Feaven says her intentionality guides as much of what she’s offering as possible – with local providers like Harried and Hungry in Georgetown for the sandwiches and salads they’ll offer, and Macrina for the pastries. Again, this is where she plans to start simple and “see what people like.”
And Feaven is excited to be launching this new phase of her life in West Seattle, where she grew up – she even went to elementary school at Sanislo, just up the hill. Her previous career focus was as a “data person” – now she gets to turn the focus on her own enterprise.
Future plans include offering beer and wine – a liquor license will be sought in a few months – and events, maybe poetry and music. “We’re hoping to be here for the community,” Feaven emphasizes. “I love people” – and she’s ready to open a place where they’ll gather to enjoy each other’s company – and “good coffee.”
Hagosa’s House will be open 7 am to 7 pm daily – to start with – at least until and unless the community’s response and feedback suggest otherwise. “Is perfection achievable?” Feaven muses. “We’ll get as close as we can!”
The fourth Wednesday of most months brings a gathering for HPAC, the community coalition for Highland Park, South Delridge, and Riverview – but not this month. HPAC leadership has announced they’re canceling the February meeting, but keep your calendar set for a meeting on March 26. No meeting doesn’t mean no activity, though; on the HPAC website, you can see the issues the group’s paying attention to right now.
P.S. If you missed last month’s meeting – which featured local beaver expert Pamela Adams revealing everything you didn’t know about beavers – here’s our coverage.
WSB photos by Dave Gershgorn
While many were out watching orcas this afternoon, another animal-viewing opportunity drew a crowd – The Reptile Lady‘s appearance at Ounces Beer Garden & Taproom in North Delridge.
April Jackson is The Reptile Lady, a calling in which she followed her dad, Scott Peterson aka The Reptile Man.
She brought a mini-zoo of reptiles to Ounces this afternoon, and her audience was enthralled:
From scales to shells, it was a chance to get up close and personal with the visitors, including Spongebob Scalepants, a Sulcata Tortoise:
Rocky the Cuban Rock Iguana was a crowd fave:
So was Mr. Pickles the Burmese Python:
This wasn’t the first exotic-animal visit to Ounces … they hosted a camel five years ago!
(Photos courtesy Jill Moore)
That’s a photo from Mom’s Micro Garden, a microgreens farm co-owned by Jill Moore of Cascadia Produce, who plans a “flash sale” of microgreens tomorrow at the Cascadia Fresh Market space she’s just finishing clearing out of. Jill explains:
I bought into Mom’s Micro Garden with another woman farmer. Microgreens are simply plants harvested at an early stage, just after they sprout their first true leaves. At that developmental stage, the plant has tons of rapidly dividing cells, an army of antioxidant guards, and is bursting with all the vitamins and minerals the full-size plant will ever have. We grow them vertically in a greenhouse on a food safety-certified farm in Sumner, WA. Our Mom’s Micros customers include Canlis, Climate Pledge Arena, and even the Seattle Public School District. Now, I’m working to make them more accessible to the public by partnering with other businesses for pre-order and pickup locations. This quick pilot at my market this weekend is a test of that model.
Micros can be spicy, savory, or sweet, adding fresh crunch and flavor to any food. My favorite is the cantaloupe green —an almost Willy Wonka-like experience where a single leaf releases a wash of cantaloupe juice. Kids love them, and they pack a whole salad’s worth of vitamins and minerals. Pea vines are also sweet and tasty, providing vitamins, protein, and calcium in just a few tender, pleasant-to-eat tendrils.
Microgreens have about a two-week shelf life, which is why they aren’t well-marketed in grocery stores — large businesses can’t turn them fast enough within the fresh window. It takes small, local agriculture to bring people access to this essential nutrition that can be eaten with anything. Micros literally meet you where you are, you can eat them by themselves or on anything. I put some on my McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish yesterday to make it a better-rounded lunch!
The flash sale is set for noon-2 pm Sunday (February 23) at 5444 Delridge Way SW.
(Sound Transit rendering of Delridge station site)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Erin Rubin, who owns Mode Music Studios (WSB sponsor) and its nonprofit sibling Mode Music & Performing Arts, is used to making music.
This month, she’s also spent a fair amount of time giving testimony.
As we’ve reported previously, Rubin’s business and nonprofit are in a building that’s in the path of Sound Transit‘s Delridge station. But she’s had two challenges getting in the way of moving Mode somewhere out of that path, so that she and her staff can continue teaching hundreds of local kids:
For one, the building – where she’s been a tenant for a decade – was left out of Sound Transit’s early-acquisition plans, meaning relocation help couldn’t be offered to the tenants, unlike some buildings nearby. ST is looking at changing that; Rubin spoke to the ST Board’s System Expansion Committee last week as it considered an “early acquisition” resolution to buy the building that holds Mode and The Skylark, as well as the building down the block that holds Ounces. (Read the resolution here.)
But even if that happens, another hurdle is the amount of relocation help that can be offered. The Legislature is considering a bill raising the limit, HB 1733. Rubin testified to a Legislature committee last week and shared her statement with us afterward:
We currently serve over 400 students providing private music lessons. In addition, we work with Seattle Public Schools and partnering organizations to provide pay-what-you-can music arts education enrichment and music lesson scholarships to eliminate financial barriers in our local community.
We are waiting to be displaced by the light rail for the West Seattle Link Extension and have been told up until now that our cap for rebuild and rent increase will be $50,000. With the estimates we’ve received so far, we’re looking at somewhere between 350 and $400,000 to re-create the space that we currently are occupying on Delridge in West Seattle.
It’s extremely important for us that a cap increase to $200,000 be voted through not only for us but for other small businesses in other link extensions and neighborhoods in Washington State that will be facing displacement for public transit. It is our reality that this number won’t meet all of our financial needs but gets us closer to what we require to build a space that can house our services.
The heart of our neighborhood communities lies in small business. It’s where our kids congregate after school. It’s where we buy birthday presents and dine on the weekends. In support of local art and education, we have a responsibility to make sure our businesses are able to financially see this next step through for our buildouts and rent increases so we don’t have to close our doors and that businesses down the line are also compensated for their moves in favor of public transit.
On Monday (February 24) at 10:30 am, HB 1733 will have a public hearing in the State House Transportation Committee. Rubin plans to go to Olympia to testify again in support of the bill. Later in the week, the “early acquisition” proposal goes to the full ST Board for its 1:30 pm Thursday (February 27) meeting; here’s the agenda, which also explains how to comment, either in person or remotely. The proposed purchase requires a two-thirds “supermajority” approval vote to pass. Rubin will be there; she says it’s vital to “keep showing up” – not just for her own business and its neighbors, but also to help ensure a precedent for the others in West Seattle that will need to move.
Meantime, the show must go on; until the timetable and relocation compensation are settled, Rubin can’t seek a new space in earnest, so she and the many local artists she employs as teachers at her two Modes are carrying on in the current studios, not just with lessons, classes, and school programs, but also planning for summer camps.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
A transformation from tool shop to “enchanted forest” (and more) is almost complete at 9444 Delridge Way SW.
That’s where Brandon Eller and Krista Eller – aka Mr. B and Mrs. B – will open Mr. B’s Mead Center one week from today, on Friday, February 28, an expansion of Mr. B’s Meadery in Fremont.
At Mr. B’s Mead Center, they are the new owners of the former Center Tool Rental site, re-envisioning it as not only an all-ages “safe community space” but also the production center for their mead; they’ve just moved production from SODO.
Not familiar with mead? Short description: “Honey wine.” But that doesn’t mean it’s “cloyingly sweet,” Krista says, cautioning prospective new customers against assumptions. Look at all the different descriptions on their “soft open” menu:
They’ve been selling most of their mead out of their other venue in Fremont, now in its fourth year, with a few wholesale customers. But unlike some brewpubs, the production facilities aren’t the visual centerpiece of this space.
Their woodsy, quirky decor is. Krista’s been doing much of the woodwork.
Some of it is repurposed, like this tree table you might recall from the shuttered Lodge in the West Seattle Junction.
The “enchanted forest” even features live trees. How did this all sprout in a former tool shop? Brandon explains that he grew up “in the south end,” and he and Krista live in this area. “I just kind of stumbled onto this place,” whose owner Doug was looking to sell and retire. He’s seen the transformation, they add, attending a friends-and-family test run a few nights ago.
He looked around, wide-eyed, they explain, and you likely will too. Even the restroom space has memorable decor – a hallmark of their other location, they explain:
And this won’t just be a place to drink (regular pours, by the way, are 5-6 ounces, and they’ll have a carbonated mead on tap too, with a honey soda also among the offerings). They’re planning events – a limited amount of live music, maybe Brandon’s own band Elephant Crows (“classic rock”). Live art too – Brandon mentions a “liquid light show.”
Wondering about food? Mostly just “snacks – things we can buy” to serve. Charcuterie, for example.
As with most new venues, the plan will keep evolving as they watch how the community responds (the decor won’t be static, either, they promise); starting hours will be 4-11 pm Thursdays and Fridays, 1-11 pm Saturdays, 1-8 pm Sundays. Next Friday’s grand-opening celebration will kick off with a 3:30 pm ribboncutting.
P.S. Scroll down the Mr. B’s Mead Center webpage for a huge helping of history about the site and far more details about their plans.
That sign announces what’s next for the former Pearls at Delridge/Edmunds – Hagosa’s House. We got a reader tip about this pre-sign and have been trying to reach the proprietor, without luck so far, so here’s what its website says about the plan:
Hagosa’s House is a family-owned neighborhood cafe offering coffee and small bites, designed to feel like home. Named after my grandmother, Hagosa, the cafe honors her legacy and celebrates Eritrean heritage. As a Black- and woman-owned business, we are rooted in the community, starting small, growing every day, and dedicated to creating a warm, welcoming space for all.
The website suggests Hagosa’s House will open by month’s end. We still hope to reach the proprietor
BACKSTORY: Last time we mentioned the site’s past identity as Pearls was in May of last year, when a handwritten sign on the door said Pearls was closed for remodeling.
(Added: Reader photo)
7:48 PM: Just happened onto this – police are blocking southbound Delridge at Thistle. Texter says it’s a crash, involving a Metro bus. The SFD dispatch was very short-lived, so apparently no serious injuries. Avoid the area for a while.
8:25 PM: Reopened. Checking with SFD re: injuries, if any.
As the day goes on, we’ll be looking ahead to some of what’s up this weekend (besides The Big Game). Just got this from Jill Moore, who had said she’d do pop-ups in the space where her trial run of Cascadia Fresh Market recently ended:
(May 2024 Cascadia Fresh Market photo substituted for original graphic)
I am hosting a Produce Pop up at Cascadia Fresh Market (5444 Delridge Way SW) on Sunday, Feb 9, from 12 pm – 7 pm.
I am bringing in a bunch of fresh food; a mix of national farm surplus, local farm bounty, and regular wholesale favorites. Avocados, potatoes, fruits, onions, leafy greens, brassicas, etc. I’d like to ask you to go light on fresh food shopping at the big retailers and instead stock up at the market this weekend! Support fresh food access!
(Jill is co-proprietor of Cascadia Produce, so she has a pretty good produce pipeline.)
After last week’s announcement that Cascadia Fresh Market had closed in the ground-floor commercial space of Cottage Grove Commons (5444 Delridge Way SW), we asked the building’s owner/manager, DESC, about whether they planned to open the space for lease. The market had been a pilot project in the space that otherwise would have been vacant after the Delridge Grocery Cooperative closed its store; DGC was an iteration of the nonprofit for which the space was intended from the start. Today, DESC spokesperson Jessica Schreindl had a reply for us: “Today I got word that ‘the commercial space will be available soon if anyone in the community has interest’.” We’ll watch for the listing; in the meantime, you can contact DESC at info@desc.org.
(WSB photo by Aspen Anderson)
On Sunday, we noted that The Home Depot in Delridge planned a 20th-anniversary celebration today, but didn’t have details of what you’d find if you stopped by. So we went over this morning and discovered you’re invited to enjoy free hot dogs and cupcakes. The party’s on until 2 pm at 7345 Delridge Way SW.
From the WSB inbox today:
My name is Lena C. with the West Seattle Home Depot; we wanted to invite our West Seattle Community to our birthday party tomorrow, January 27th from 10 am to 2 pm. We would like to thank our 20-year partnership with our surrounding communities, as without you all we still wouldn’t be here. So please, join us – 7345 Delridge Way SW. By the way, I opened this location as a longtime resident of West Seattle and look forward to almost retiring from this location. Come share your memories with us. Hope to see you there.
We’re waiting for word back on activities planned tomorrow.
P.S. If you’re a relative newcomer – the site previously held a Kmart.
(SDOT camera image)
While SDOT deals with the continuing unplanned closure of the low bridge, it has also announced a planned bridge closure – the newly seismically strengthened Delridge/Oregon pedestrian bridge will be closed Monday through Wednesday (January 27-29). Here’s the announcement we received:
The Delridge Pedestrian Bridge will be closed from 8:00 a.m. on Monday, January 27, to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 29.
As part of the finishing touches on the seismic retrofit, crews will be re-applying sealant to the carbon fiber at the top of the bridge surface to reduce future maintenance and increase safety for everyone. During this time, detours will be put in place for people walking, biking, and rolling, directing them to cross Delridge Way SW at SW Oregon St.
The bridge reopened a month ago; at that time, SDOT warned some short-term closures – like this – would be needed to completely finish the work.
(File photo courtesy Cascadia Fresh Market)
Eight months after opening in the former Delridge Grocery Co-op space on the ground floor of Cottage Grove Commons in North Delridge, Cascadia Fresh Market has closed. Proprietor Jill Moore from Cascadia Produce had always framed it as a trial run. We had asked her recently for an update – and here’s what she sent us today:
Cascadia Fresh Market on Delridge has closed. Established as a pilot in May 2024 to test whether a low-cost market could thrive in a food desert, we now have our answer… and it’s a resounding “kind of.”
The Fresh Market succeeded in many ways. It covered its bills and the cost of food plus a little extra. But in nine months, I couldn’t quite move it to true business profitability. While this was disappointing, it was also incredibly enlightening. Launching a market involves much more than just managing the cost of food. A market is about community engagement, and that was by far the most gratifying part of running one in my own neighborhood.
However, even with a predictable schedule and food available right in their community, people have established habits. Changing those takes time — more time than a single year. The low-cost market model is essential, but I’ve come to believe it’s best suited to food security nonprofits, which are equipped to operate with the support of volunteers, grants, and other resources.
At Cascadia Produce, our larger business, we specialize in providing low-cost food in pallet quantities, primarily to food security organizations. At the Fresh Market, the model was reversed — we sold small amounts of a lot of different things. This required us to rethink sourcing and learn the logistics of smaller, right-sized deliveries, all while minimizing fresh food waste on slower market days.
We became passionate about moving case quantities of food more efficiently, which led us to utilize tools like the Too Good To Go app and partner with local hunger relief organizations for regular gleaning. I’m proud of how little went to compost during our time at the market. Fresh fruit and vegetables really can be lower cost than processed food when we layer distribution methods at a scale of economy.
I’m also proud of how welcoming the Fresh Market was — its bright, simple charm seemed to immediately relax people from all walks. It was so fun to discuss food systems and the curious ways food and people fall through the cracks. I met so many good dogs. If the space had included easier parking and more visible signage, this letter might have been very different.
So much went well. If you ever have the chance to run a project where you can engage in long, meaningful conversations with neighbors, take it. I loved the talks, tending the vegetables, and sourcing exciting new foods.
I firmly believe a nonprofit could build on the Fresh Market model and succeed with the support of volunteers and grant-funded employees. With food security funding set to decrease in Washington by June 2025, I’m happy to open-source the Fresh Market playbook. Cascadia Produce would gladly step back into the role of supplier for any organization willing to iterate on the model. Anyone who would like to discuss this should contact me at jill@cascadiaveg.com.
I owe a huge thank-you to our partners like the West Seattle Food Bank and the DESC building, which owns the Fresh Market space. Local elementary school PTAs, West Seattle Junction FC, various local community organizations, and my wonderful neighbors all offered incredible support.
As for what’s next: I’ve begun conversations about new ways to bring food to North Delridge. It’s too early to share specifics, but there are exciting possibilities. Cascadia Produce works alongside true innovators in food access, and we’re not pausing. We have a huge warehouse of food and we will find a way to connect it to our own neighborhood in some fashion. One thing I can share: this spring, Carrot Man’s Carrot Stand (our free-food stand) will return to 25th Ave SW!
In the meantime, I’ll be hosting a Produce-Only Pop-Up at the Fresh Market space on February 9th, from 12–7 PM, with the possibility of another later in the month. We still accept SNAP/EBT and Fresh Bucks along with cash and card payments. Follow Cascadia Produce or Cascadia Fresh Market for updates. We love you, Delridge.
We’ll follow up with DESC regarding long-term plans for the space. It was included in the Cottage Grove Commons project at community behest more than a decade ago.
11:51 AM: A texter reports, “There is a fuel truck stuck on the median just outside the Shree’s gas station on Delridge south of Brandon, It’s backing up southbound traffic.” Avoid the area for a while.
11:59 AM: You can see the truck in the backdrop of our screengrab from the nearest SDOT camera. Police have just been dispatched.
12:02 PM: Officers arrived to find the truck has gotten itself unstuck and departed.
This week isn’t as busy as last week for community-coalition meetings, but so far there’s one on the calendar: HPAC – the community coalition for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge – meets in person on Wednesday, 6:30 pm at Delridge Library (5423 Delridge Way SW). Here’s the announcement:
While Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge sit along a ridge, we have huge environmental impacts on the watersheds to our east and west. This month our meeting will hear reports from both sides, Longfellow Creek along Delridge and the Duwamish Waterway.
We are super excited to have guest Pamela Adams from BeaverInsights coming to discuss her research and observations of the beaver families living in Longfellow Creek.
It’s easy to pass over or near this urban creek daily without noticing it’s presence, but up and down the creekbed, from Nucor Steel to the Roxhill Bog, several families of beavers, plus other wild critters, have taken up residence and are busily going about their lives. Find out more about them and learn about the benefits they bring to water quality and salmon habitat.
On the Duwamish Waterway side, we will be hearing about progress in the plans for the new West Duwamish Wet Water Treatment Facility, soon to be built near the base of the Highland Park Way hill. King County Wastewater staff will update us on the design and upcoming construction milestones.
As usual, we will have a chance to speak with representatives from the Seattle Police Department about any public safety concerns. The Southwest Precinct building sits directly atop Longfellow Creek, as it runs through an underground culvert below the Home Depot parking lot.
Our meetings are free and open to the public, please join us!
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Rob Saka has his first 2027 challenger for the City Council’s District 1 seat.
The challenger even has yard signs.
His name’s not on them, though. They’re imploring Councilmember Saka to “Save Curby.”
(Photo from @kidsforcurby on Instagram)
The art on the signs is from editorial cartoonist Brett Hamil. But the idea of putting them on signs and planting them along Delridge was 17-year-old high-school junior Russell McQuarrie‘s.
(WSB photo)
“Curby” is from a Hamill cartoon published in the South Seattle Emerald back in November, referring to the concrete mid-street hardened median near Delridge/Holly, at the center of a “Delridge Safety Project” for which Saka successfully pushed to add $2 million to the new city budget. Because of a RapidRide stop in the area, it prevents left turns, including into the Refugee and Immigrant Family Center Preschool, at which Saka is a past parent.
And that’s just one of many City Council/city government actions of which McQuarrie disapproves. He lives in South Delridge, explains that his family “has always been politically active,” and says his fury was first ignited by sweeps of encampments near his home. “Homelessness is a failure of the state, and these sweeps are punishing people for the state’s failures.”
But no yard signs about that so far. He has chosen instead to spotlight the battle over “Curby.” Even more than the plan itself, McQuarrie says it’s the timing – $2 million in spending when the city has been dealing with a big budget deficit, as well as big challenges like homelessness. So despite being a self-described “broke high-school student,” he decided to print up about 20 signs, putting half of them out for starters. “Everyone I’ve talked to thinks [the proposed barrier removal] is absurd. … It’s interesting to educate people through art.” A teacher who knew Hamil helped him make contact, McQuarrie says, adding that Hamil gave his permission (and incidentally is now selling “Save Curby” T-shirts online). Some of the signs have disappeared since he put them up in the week before our conversation last Sunday, he says, which is why he initially contacted WSB. (We went looking for them after our conversation and spotted signs near the Delridge Library, near Louisa Boren STEM K-8, and near Delridge/Andover).
What would McQuarrie rather see the $2 million go toward? Social housing, light rail, environmental-justice grants, to name a few. Meantime, he’s already busy with a variety of other activism and advocacy – he says he worked on recently elected citywide Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck‘s campaign, and environmental education with the Duwamish River Community Coalition.
Has he brought his “Curby” concerns directly to Councilmember Saka?
He says he has tried multiple times – including four phone calls that “went to voicemail” – and hasn’t reached him or received a reply yet. He says he tried to talk with Saka while at City Hall recently for Councilmember Rinck’s swearing in, but that he was told to schedule a meeting, and hasn’t been able to do that yet. He has brought it up with Councilmember Rinck, who he says agreed it was “absurd,” while also noting that the budget decisions were made before she joined the council.
Meantime, he plans to print more signs, and is looking toward that 2027 council run, while noting “I could go straight into law school” instead. If you have a question for him, he says he’d be happy to hear from you at kidsforcurby@gmail.com.
As for “Curby” itself? We asked SDOT on Tuesday about the timeline and next steps for planning and constructing the “safety project” expected to involve its removal, since it’s written into this year’s budget. Once we get the answer, we’ll update. (We asked Saka himself about the project in this recent interview.)
Back in 2022, King County voters approved a levy for bringing the Conservation Futures program back to its original rate. This week, County Executive Dow Constantine announced some of the land purchases that will lead to, and they include a bit of land in South Delridge. First, from the countywide announcement:
King County Executive Dow Constantine announced $107 million in land conservation awards – approved by the King County Council – that will protect more than 3,000 acres of open space to advance climate resilience, farmland access, environmental justice, recreation access, and habitat restoration.
A few of the 53 projects include helping the City of Auburn build its first downtown park and public space, permanently protecting the lowland forests of Camp Sealth on Vashon Island, creating more greenspace near affordable housing in Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood, and helping a community-based organization create an urban farm near Sound Transit’s Rainier Beach Station.
The funding package continues the accelerated pace of land conservation in recent years, which is the result of several actions: Voters’ approval in 2022 of Executive Constantine’s initiative to restore the local Conservation Futures Program to its historic funding rate, bonding against future revenues to protect natural areas before they are no longer affordable, and cutting in half the amount of matching funds cities and other partners are required to provide.
The South Delridge purchase is described in the announcement as:
Seattle’s Westwood-Highland Park Urban Village acquisition: Combining new open space with future acquisition of repurposed properties owned by the Seattle Department of Transportation to secure a full acre in a rapidly developing neighborhood and provide more park access near White Center.
So we asked for specifics. County spokesperson Doug Williams replied:
Specifically, the land we’re talking about is to the southeast of the Delridge Way / Southwest Barton Street intersection: maps.app.goo.gl/8S2FkL1hpshqJa6V6
The grant funding will be used to reimburse Seattle for their recent purchase of the vacant square of land you see just to the southeast of the treed triangular land. The idea is to combine the treed triangular land with that vacant land and a street closure (that little chunk of 18th Avenue Southwest on the eastern border of the treed triangular portion) to create a nearly one-acre piece of public open space.
Community advocates had long worked for a park in that area, though their effort has gone dormant. We’re checking on next steps for the site’s future.
(Reader photo from atop the newly strengthened Delridge pedestrian overpass)
1:05 PM: Two weeks ago, SDOT confirmed to WSB that its other bridge-seismic-strengthening project in West Seattle, the Delridge/Oregon pedestrian bridge, was entering its final phase. Today, we’re hearing from multiple readers that the bridge has reopened and the work zone on the street is clearing. We’re checking with SDOT for the official status and will update when we hear back; the status report earlier this month had said they expected to “temporarily” reopen the strengthened bridge in “early 2025” with some short-term closures necessary later for finishing touches.
2:24 PM: SDOT confirms the bridge has officially reopened.
(WSB photos)
1:08 PM: Youngstown Cultural Arts Center is bustling with vendors and shoppers midway through the first-ever Delridge Winter Market!
The hallways and rooms are full of people to meet and creations to browse and buy. Fresh hot food outside too:
This is a don’t-miss event, 4408 Delridge Way SW until 3 pm. More photos when we are back at HQ.
2:38 PM: Among the dozens of vendors – Judith is selling clay creations in the hallway near the entry door (that’s Daniel with her):
Nearby is Ammara:
So many different types of merchandise – including floral creations from Kamayan Farm in Carnation and other growers:
Apparel, body care, coffee, tea, jewelry, many gift possibilities! African Community Housing and Development, which presents the Delridge Farmers Market spring through fall, is hosting this too, and sponsored WSB to be sure more people heard about it. In addition to the vendors, a variety of free resources – from acupuncture to haircuts to cooking demos – awaited visitors, too
Yet another one-of-a-kind holiday event to preview – the first-ever Delridge Winter Market is happening tomorrow, 11 am to 3 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW). It’s presented by the same nonprofit organization that sponsors the summer/fall Delridge Farmers’ Market, African Community Housing and Development. You’ll find fresh, local food, baked goods, artisan crafts, and much more, offered by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color-owned businesses – most of the market’s more than 40 vendors are listed here. Along with what’s offered for sale, you’ll also enjoy live music, and the market will offer what ACHD promises will be “a huge range of free resources including free massage, acupuncture, kids’ haircuts, and cooking demos.” And for those in need, as is the case with Delridge Farmers’ Market, the Delridge Winter Market will offer free bags of produce, first-come, first-served. (Thanks to ACHD for sponsoring WSB to get the word out further about the market.)
The West Seattle Giving Spirit envelops and inspires people all around the peninsula, as local nonprofits fill an array of community needs. Three times a week through year’s end, WSB is bringing you this special holiday-season opportunity to learn more about, and support, some of those amazing nonprofits, in partnership with the Learning Communities Foundation. Today – see how DNDA‘s mission goes beyond its name:
Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association (DNDA) is a community-based organization dedicated to empowering residents of the Delridge neighborhood in West Seattle.
DNDA is more than just a neighborhood organization. We’re a growing community hub offering a wide range of services and opportunities for all families to participate in. From community rental spaces at our vibrant Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, to our commitment to restorative justice, nature restoration, free art programs, and affordable housing development, there’s something for everyone.
One of our core programs is the Summer Youth Program. which offers a variety of activities and experiences for young people ages 7 to 19. For over 5 years, this program has empowered young minds through engaging activities like field trips, sports tournaments, and environmental workshops. This program enriches lives, develops important skills, and fosters lasting relationships. Many participants, having grown up in this program, have now taken on leadership roles, shaping a brighter future for our community. In 2024, we served over 750 young people and plan to expand to serve even more families in the coming years.
To ensure that our youth can participate in these valuable experiences, we are seeking $50,000 to support purchasing and maintaining a transportation van. This van will allow us to remove logistical barriers and transport our program participants safely to and from various locations, expanding our reach and impact.
Your generous donation, in any amount, will directly contribute to providing our young people with the transportation they need to access enriching experiences and opportunities. By supporting DNDA, you are investing back into our community and helping to Integrate Art, Nature, and Neighborhood to build and sustain a dynamic Delridge!
Help us make a difference!
LEARN MORE – SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMS
QUESTIONS? Phoenix Robbins, 206-935-2999, phoenix@dnda.org
Scroll through our archive of West Seattle Giving Spirit spotlights here (newest to oldest), and watch for the next one on Friday!
The West Seattle Giving Spirit sustains thousands of people in our neighborhoods, as local nonprofits help with an array of community needs Three times a week through year’s end, WSB is bringing you this special holiday-season opportunity to learn more about, and support, some of those amazing nonprofits, in partnership with the Learning Communities Foundation. Today – see how the West Seattle Tool Library can help you in the midst of its second decade:
At the not-for-profit West Seattle Tool Library, our mission is to provide pay-what-you can community access to a wide range of tools, training, and relevant advice. Over the last fourteen years, the West Seattle community has donated thousands of tools, from hammers, shovels, and bolt cutters, to power saws, lawn mowers, ladders, and more. We house and maintain the tools and loan them out to community members. We were one of the first tool libraries in the world; today there are more than 700 nationwide.
This year, over 1,500 members borrowed more than 6,200 tools, and our community workshop hosted hundreds of members for classes and projects.
We’re now offering in-person classes for folks to gain skills with workshop tools, woodworking skills, and home and yard maintenance. Thanks to a grant from Seattle Public Utilities to reduce items going to landfills, we also offer a free “Fix-it Night” every Wednesday to bring broken appliances, tools, and other items back to life. We’re almost entirely funded by donations from the community, such as our suggested donations for memberships and checkouts, employee matching funds, and sustaining annual donations.
Our members regularly share heartwarming stories about the empowerment, resilience, pride, and sense of community WSTL instills in them:
Member: “In our family, WSTL has been an invaluable resource. When we bought our house, it needed many repairs, but hiring professional contractors would have stretched our budget too thin. Instead, we turned to WSTL, where we were able to borrow all the tools we needed, from power drills to ladders. Furthermore, WSTL’s workshops and educational resources empowered us to tackle these repairs ourselves, helping us to save a significant amount of money while also gaining new skills.”
Member: “We borrowed a variety of tools needed to remodel our kitchen. A tile saw for the backsplash, to name one. When we finished, we had our house appraised and saved hundreds on homeowners-insurance premiums required due to a small down payment. Our equity increased a bunch, as we then used a home-equity line of credit from BECU to change out the windows and add air conditioning! It started with a tile saw and other tools from WSTL.”
Member: “When we bought our house, the expenses of buying and moving plus the necessary upgrades for safety ended up being more than we expected. We anticipated trying for a kiddo and knew that we needed to knock out any projects sooner rather than later, but we had no liquid assets to make the tool purchases in addition to the materials. WSTL equipped us to supply a crew of family and friends to paint the whole interior, knock down a wall, repair the floor and wall, and make exterior improvements as well. By the time the kiddo showed up, we’d completed every major project we could do on our own. This allowed us to host family holidays and bring the baby home to a safe environment. We could not be more grateful.”
Please stop by if you need tools for a project, or you’d just like some advice. Be a part of our DIY / Maker Community! We’re located at 4408 Delridge Way SW in the northeast corner of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, across the street from Delridge Community Center. Our hours are Tue/Wed/Thur 5 pm to 8 pm and Sat/Sun 11 am to 4 pm.
It’s easy to get involved:
·Join us for an in-person DIY class
·Membership, or gift an annual membership for someone on your holiday list
·Donate to help subsidize classes, restock consumables, and maintain and repair our inventory
·Volunteer and support others while deepening your own DIY knowledge and skills
Scroll through our archive of West Seattle Giving Spirit spotlights here (newest to oldest), and watch for the next one on Wednesday!
| 17 COMMENTS