West Seattle, Washington
12 Monday
The latest West Seattle business temporarily shut down by a pipe break is 2 Fingers Social. The bar’s proprietors first posted on social media that they were closed by “flooding,” then updated with the discovery of a “broken pipe 20 feet down” that they expect will keep them “closed for a while.” They elaborated, “It’s a huge project. They have to dig a 10 x 10 by 20ft deep hole in the sidewalk/street to fix it; also the flood damage fixes on the inside need to be completed.” They’ve raised some money via donations so far but say they’re getting bids for the “huge project.” Their building at 9211 Delridge Way SW – as we noted when 2FS opened in 2017 – had previously been home to businesses including a payday-loan operation and a medical-marijuana dispensary. (Thanks to Ian for the tip on 2FS’s woes.)
PawsVIP recently moved into 9064 Delridge Way SW and is a new WSB sponsor, which means they get to tell you about what they do:
What We Do:
PawsVIP is a locally owned dog day care and boarding facility. We’ve been running our first location near SeaTac since 2019, and West Seattle (9064 Delridge Way SW) is our second home.
Our Services:
At our West Seattle location, we offer day care, overnight boarding, and exit baths for pups heading home after a day of play.
Our Tukwila location has all of that plus full grooming and airport layover services for families moving or traveling with their pets.
Both locations have a 24/7 vet on call.
What Makes PawsVIP Different:
We’re a locally owned business. We’re all pet lovers. We’ve been doing this since 2019. We’ve learned what works, what doesn’t, and how to build a team that genuinely cares. We’ve focused on building a place where people want to stay, because your dog deserves to see familiar faces, not strangers every week.
We provide top quality care for your pet. We remember their habits, preferences, and their playmates. We want them to have fun and be taken care of while you’re away.
We also do our best to provide top quality service for pet parents. We’re communicative and transparent. We work to provide seamless experiences and accommodate your schedule by operating 5am to 9pm, seven days a week.
We’re structured and safety-focused. Kenneled facility, play groups organized by size and temperament, trained staff, 24/7 vet access. We don’t cut corners.
We know transparency matters. We post photos and videos daily because pet parents shouldn’t have to wonder what’s happening with their dog. Check out our Instagram and you’ll see real dogs having real fun.
Our Team:
Everyone on our team is a pet owner. We go home to dogs, cats, you name it. This isn’t just a job for us.
All staff go through background checks before hiring. From there, we train on dog handling, dog behavior, and animal safety. We take the time to do it right because we know the care your dog gets comes down to who’s actually with them.
We’ve tried to build a place where people want to stick around, learn, and grow. When staff are happy and invested, the dogs feel it.
Meet the team: pawsvip.com/team
Soft Opening Offer:
$9.99 day care through January 15, 2026. Trust is earned, and we want people to come see the space and meet us before committing.
Contact PawsVIP:
Email: petcare@pawsvip.com
Phone: 425-230-0344
Book online: pawsvip.com/west-seattle
We thank PawsVIP for choosing to advertise their business by sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB. Interested in joining our sponsor team? Please email WSBadvertising@wsbsales.com for information – thank you!
(Photo courtesy StarChefs)
In addition to West Seattle’s sit-down pizza restaurants, the local commissary kitchens host takeout-only pizzerias, including Pizza Ritual, which has been making appearances since summer at KBM (5608 Delridge Way SW). Proprietor Matt Gorman emailed us to say that “starting this week, Pizza Ritual will be offering online pre-ordering/pick-up as well as walk-up ordering on Fridays and Saturdays from 5–8pm at the KBM Kitchen walk-up window.: He explains Pizza Ritual as having …
… a focus on Northwest grains, seasonal farm produce, and locally made cheeses & meats. The dough is central to the process — each batch is hand-mixed, naturally leavened using only flour, water, and salt, and left to ferment at ambient temperatures (never seeing refrigeration of any kind). This approach preserves elements of centuries-old Neapolitan pizza-making traditions while using ingredients rooted in Washington and Oregon. (My) maternal family traces back to Campania and Calabria, and Pizza Ritual is also a way of honoring that Italian heritage through craft and technique.
Since its start, Pizza Ritual has been rooted in community and accessibility. Pizza’s history as an everyday food for the working class is central to (my) philosophy: despite the high-quality sourcing, the goal is to keep pricing approachable and the menu welcoming to everyone in the neighborhood. (I have) collaborated with local chefs and producers including Janet Becerra of Pancita, Mutsuko Soma of Kamonegi/Hannyatou, Aash Farms, and has held regular pop-ups at beloved community spots such as Molly’s Bottle Shop, Bait Shop, Hildegard Ferments & Botanicals, & Darby Winery. At the end of the day, it’s just pizza — meant to be fun, shared, and part of the neighborhood it feeds.
He’ll be taking online orders at pizzaritual.com.
Last June, after months of controversy over City Councilmember Rob Saka‘s espousal of removing a centerline curb on Delridge Way, he and Mayor Bruce Harrell announced the curb would stay and three other projects would be done instead. The biggest of those projects is about to start:
SDOT says work could start as soon as this Friday (December 5) on the 22nd/Delridge turnaround. From the flyer it’s sent to nearby residents:
New Turnaround at Delridge Way SW and 22nd Ave SW
As soon as Friday, December 5, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) will start construction at Delridge Way SW and 22nd Ave SW in the Delridge neighborhood at the request of City Councilmember Rob Saka pursuant to a budget investment passed by the Full Council. We will reconfigure the triangle at Delridge Way SW and 22nd Ave SW by building a 24-foot wide turnaround on the north side of the triangle connecting the two streets (see map). This will improve circulation for people driving in this part of the Delridge neighborhood. Please note this project will remove the existing informal parking in this triangle and add landscaping within the triangle area south of the street segment.
The other two projects involve signage; together, all three cost $500,000, according to SDOT, a quarter of what the original plan was budgeted for.
A reader asked what’s going on with that Delridge greenspace, east of the Southwest Precinct and the businesses north of the precinct [vicinity map]. We recalled development plans nearby, years ago, but that’s not what this is for. The land is SDOT property, so we took the question to that department. Turns out it’s for an environmental project that got a little publicity more than two years ago; we tried to get details at the time but our inquiries hit a dead end, and eventually fell off our list (aside from a mention at a meeting last year). In response to our new inquiry, SDOT spokesperson Mariam Ali replied:
the vegetation work you’re seeing is part of the Delridge Native Forest Garden project. SDOT and our partners are restoring these parcels to improve habitat, support tree canopy growth, and create more welcoming community green spaces in the neighborhood.
We recently completed planting and established a path to support ongoing stewardship and future volunteer events. Our first volunteer planting event with the Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association took place on November 22.
More information about the City’s broader forest restoration and tree-planting investments can be found here:
Delridge Native Forest Garden Project – Transportation | seattle.gov
The project website has this map:
The timeline for work here, also as noted on the project page, runs until 2028. The funding is $900,000 of a $13 million federal grant, according to this 2023 news release (when we, as mentioned above, tried to get more details). We asked SDOT about the tribes involved in the program; they say it involves the Muckleshoot Tribe because they’re federally recognized.
Thanks for the tip and photos! A reader reports that the intersection of 26th SW and SW Genesee is now an all-way stop, after SDOT installed signs on Genesee today:
This comes five-plus years after a community controversy over a different plan to calm traffic at that intersection: In 2020, SDOT announced a sudden plan for “diverters” at this intersection and 26th/Brandon; after neighborhood pushback, they shelved the idea in March 2021, and that’s the last time the word “diverters” appears in our archives. 26th SW is a greenway through the area.
(Sound Transit map of West Seattle extension as currently planned)
Just one major West Seattle meeting planned in the three days before the four-day holiday weekend: Tomorrow is the rescheduled date for the “visioning forum” planned to look at where the West Seattle light-rail project is now and what might happen next, as Sound Transit revisits its long-range plans in the face of swollen potential price tags. County and city elected officials, Sound Transit executives, and transit advocates are among the pre-announced panelists and presenters; most of the public communication for this has come from the office of our area’s County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda, who told us that there will be time for attendee Q/A and comments. The event is set to start at 5:30 pm Monday (November 24), at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW)
(Photo courtesy SPU/WM: Tool Library’s Sean Isom and WM’s Anna Seweryniak)
Every Wednesday, as featured in our Event Calendar and daily highlight lists, the West Seattle Tool Library hosts a Fix-It event, to which you can bring a tool and get help fixing it so you don’t have to toss it. That’s why Seattle Public Utilities and Waste Management just gave the Tool Library a $1,000 “ReThink Waste” grant, one of five small grants just announced for Seattle organizations that have projects/programs “to reduce waste or create new pathways for sustainability.” That’s not all the Tool Library offers; it’s been open for 15 years, as a community resource, on the northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW). And if you want to check out the next Fix-It event, that starts tonight at 5:30 pm!
11:58 AM: Some have lost power and a car crash is likely to blame – a driver is reported to have hit a utility pole by the Southwest Precinct at Delridge and Webster.
12:01 PM: More than 4,400 customers are out per the Seattle City Light outage map.
12:12 PM: Some traffic signals are in the outage zone, so remember that when those go dark, it’s an all-ways stop. Meantime, a commenter says Chief Sealth IHS and Denny MS are aut of power because of this. … Police say they’re blocking SW Webster between Delridge and the precinct gate; at one point they described the car as having ended up “almost vertical” against the pole (we’re on our way to look).
(Added: Photo uploaded in comments below by ‘WS Resident’)
12:21 PM: A texter says West Seattle Elementary is out too.
12:56 PM: Just got back and the map – and texters – say the outage is over. City Light and a tow truck had already arrived at the crash site on the northwest corner of Delridge/Webster when we went by.
(Photo courtesy Puget Soundkeeper)
By Hayden Yu Andersen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Nearly 60 volunteers gathered Saturday at Dragonfly Pavilion for a salmon-season Longfellow Creek cleanup event hosted by Puget Soundkeeper and Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association. The event was a way for community members to become stewards of their environment, said Tanya Balaji, a Stewardship and Education Manager with Puget Soundkeeper.
Balaji, who has a background in oceanography and biology, has been working with Puget Soundkeeper for just over a year, and says it’s been a great experience. Volunteers were signing up through Friday night, even during the downpour, and according to Balaji, there were surprisingly few cancellations.
(WSB photos from here down)
The cleanup had two goals. First, to help clean up the waterway and surrounding area ahead of winter. “Restoration work helps nurture a better habitat,” Balaji said. It is also a chance to highlight the yearly Salmon Survey, involving a rotating group of volunteers who check on Longfellow Creek every day of spawning season, counting live and dead salmon. (We’re expecting the total seasonal count to be made public on Monday.)
During the event, volunteers were encouraged to stop by and chat with the survey teams, to learn more about vital conservation efforts. In addition to keeping track of the population, the survey teams are on the lookout for Urban Runoff Mortality Syndrome (URMS), a sometimes devastating condition caused by chemical runoff from car tires. URMS is specifically dangerous to coho salmon, and Puget Soundkeeper’s teams are monitoring it as a key step toward protecting waterways.
A team of four survey members, including Puget Soundkeeper volunteer Tallie, found two salmon, a male and a female, just before noon Saturday. After wading into the creek and retrieving the fish, survey members perform a quick necropsy on the salmon.
Tallie said they’re searching for three key features. First, whether or not the tail is still present. Because survey teams work on different days, they mark salmon they’ve already recorded by severing the end of the tail. If the salmon still has a tail, they check for an adipose fin, a small fin located on the back of the fish. Salmon grown in hatcheries have this fin removed, which allows the team to determine which salmon are wild, and which trace to hatcheries.
Finally, and in a show that drew a crowd of volunteers, they check each salmon to see if it’s spawned. Here’s Tallie, holding up a small female salmon to cheering from the crowd, as she revealed that it did manage to spawn.
“I didn’t think I would like it at first,” said Tallie, who’s been volunteering for two years, “but it’s kinda cool to see.” Overall, she says the season has been good, though Saturday was an outlier, with no living salmon spotted by noon.
Beyond keeping the environment clean, events at Longfellow Creek also help keep younger people active in their communities, said Mark Dorsey, who attended Saturday with a group of students from Unleash the Brilliance. Founded in 2008 by Mark’s brother Terrell, Unleash the Brilliance is a nonprofit that aims to help youth stay engaged with their education, especially youth facing challenges that may result in reckless behavior, said Dorsey.
He says it’s been incredibly rewarding to see younger people get involved in stewarding their environment. “Before, you’d see kids just standing around on their phones,” Dorsey said, “But now they’re competing to see who can pick up the most trash, or plant the most trees. They’re all competing to see who can do better.”
For more information, to donate, or to volunteer with Puget Soundkeeper, check their website here. For more information about Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association, go here.
The photo and report from Delridge Way SW and SW Alaska were sent by Shane:
Wanted to write as I didn’t see it mentioned on the road work today … it looks like the city (finally) put in an official crosswalk by the Delridge Playfield. It’s just paint and a couple signs but it’s still much clearer to cars that this is an official crosswalk now and hopefully is a step toward real pedestrian safety improvements along this road!
(The median was already there, but without crosswalk markings.) Customary reminder – this corner and others were/are crosswalks even without paint.
Haven’t finalized your Halloween costume yet? Make – or decorate – one at a Youngstown Cultural Arts Center workshop tomorrow (Wednesday, October 29)! Claire from DNDA sent word of the fun – and sustainable! – event:
This Wednesday, October 29th from 5 pm – 7 pm, DNDA’s ArtPlus team will be hosting a free community workshop called “Space-2-Craft” at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. We will be providing demos on making costumes from upcycled materials (such as cardboard, paper, etc.), as well as providing a space for creatives of all skill-levels to access the materials and collaboration they need to fix or finish their own costumes. We have an Eventbrite page to sign up through, with more information, here.
We’re excited to bring people together around sustainable creativity — turning recycled materials into bold, community-made costumes while showcasing the ongoing opportunities at Youngstown and DNDA.
Haven’t been to Youngstown? It’s at 4408 Delridge Way SW.
More salmon sightings in Longfellow Creek! Thanks to Manuel Valdes for the photos above and below:
Steve Pumphrey reports sightings too – “6 or 7 good-sized fish” – and sent this photo of a Great Blue Heron pondering some fishing on the creek:
The footbridge south of West Seattle Health Club (28th SW and SWYancy) is a popular viewing spot.
P.S. At Fauntleroy Creek, salmon-watch volunteers are still awaiting the first arrivals, hampered somewhat by downed trees that city crews need to clear.
(WSB photos)
Two days after the Mariners‘ postseason ended one win short of a World Series trip, their mascot was in West Seattle tonight spreading consolation cheer. The Mariner Moose visited Ounces, whose proprietor Laurel Trujillo explained, “I figured everyone needs that extra high-five and hug right now.” That’s Laurel, above, with son Asher, 7.
Much of the crowd there tonight for The Moose’s ~45-minute visit was from Asher’s school, Fairmount Park Elementary, whose PTA is getting part of the proceeds from tonight’s beverage/food sales.
By the way, the “pumpkin patch photo booth” in which Laurel, Asher, and The Moose are shown, above, is open for drop-in pics (sorry, no Moose) through month’s end. Ounces is in North Delridge at 3809 Delridge Way SW.
P.S. Mariners’ opening day next year: March 26, 2026.
The fourth Wednesday of the month – tomorrow – usually would be HPAC meeting night, but the community coalition for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge is skipping this month:
We hope everyone has been making the most of this beautiful autumn season. HPAC’s October gathering won’t be taking place as originally scheduled. However, we’re hoping to reconvene in November or December for a special session where we’ll dive into the revised design for the Highland Park Way SW hill project with SDOT.
SDOT announced last March that it was proceeding with the project to replace a downhill driving lane with biking/walking/rolling infrastructure
(WSB photos by Anne Higuera)
A day of big fun at Louisa Boren STEM K-8 in Delridge is just wrapping up. We stopped by for photos after Paula from the Boren STEM PTA told us about it – the older students organize and run it for the younger students to visit:
She explained, “Fall Fest is a fun celebration of fall and community complete with games and food! It is also an opportunity for our oldest students to give back to their community and inspire our younger students.”
It’s also educational: They told us, for example, that the organizers ran the activities like businesses and were keeping data on participation to analyze, to see what might be worth bringing back at next year’s Fall Fest!
The fair was open for five hours during the school day.
P.S. As mentioned in our morning traffic roundup, no classes tomorrow at STEM and other Seattle Public Schools.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
In these chaotic times, nonprofits are relied on more than ever. DNDA (Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association) serves the community in three realms – art, nature, neighborhood – and gathered supporters to celebrate at the Destination Delridge benefit on Friday night.
While Destination Delridge, held at DNDA’s Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, included some classic fundraiser elements – dinner, dessert dash, “raise the paddle” contributions – the program included a unique feature: A panel discussion, with District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka, entrepreneur Feaven Berhe of Delridge café Hagosa’s House, and real-estate investor Jaebediah Gardner of GardnerGrowth. We were there to record it:
They talked about resilience, community support, and how to build generational wealth – Berhe had direct experience, opening her café – named after her grandmother – in a building her parents bought 15 years ago; Saka talked about working on city policies like the anti-displacement initiative; Gardner talked about project providing more than 200 units of housing, both affordable and market rate. Saka – a Delridge resident – noted, “We need more than just Delridge to show up for Delridge – we need the rest of West Seattle to show up.”
DNDA board president Shannon Woodard, who moderated the discussion, noted that’s the embodiment of the event title – “let’s make Delridge a destination!” All talked about the power of partnerships and collaboration; Gardner urged bravery – “Don’t think about what’s going to hold you back, that’s not resilience; on the other side of fear, that’s where something great is going to happen.”
Attendees also heard from DNDA executive director Mesha Florentino, who talked about the mission of DNDA, now in its second quarter-century:
Throughout the event, attendees also heard others speak about the work DNDA is doing, from creating and maintaining affordable housing (did you know Youngstown has lofts where artists live as well as work?) to restoring West Seattle greenspaces with the help of hundreds of volunteers every year, and more.
Art was part of the night’s giving, too. Emcee/auctioneer Tiernan Madorno introduced artist Jonarra Swanson, who created a painting during the event, auctioned for $1,500:
That’s not the only painting that was auctioned – there was a surprise offering from a young attendee named Camila, who attends Youngstown art classes; her painting went for $250. Camila happens to be the about-to-turn-6 daughter of King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda, who was in attendance and presented DNDA with a county check for almost $5,000 (with Camila’s help):
The night concluded with a dance party. (added) The event raised more than $64,000, for a campaign with a $100,000 goal. You can support DNDA’s work any time by going here.
9:25 AM: A midsize Seattle Fire response is arriving in the 6500 block of Delridge Way SW, where a gas leak is reported. SPD has been summoned to help block traffic in the area.
9:30 AM: SFD says it’s a 2″ gas line, “venting straight up,” on the north side of the stairs at Holly. They’re evacuating nearby homes until they get it stabilized.
10:17 AM: The gas leak has been secured and SFD is demobilizing.
10:33 AM: Delridge has fully reopened.
(Seattle Public Utilities photo)
If you’re looking for somewhere to get outside in the early fall sunshine, Longfellow Creek’s Salmon Bone Bridge is an option again. Seattle Public Utilities‘ Brad Wong just sent word – with the photo above – that the bridge has reopened. That’s a month earlier than the potential late October reopening mentioned when the foot bridge was closed this summer for more renovation work. The bridge is over the creek between 26th and 28th SW, north of SW Nevada [map].
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
From trails through the greenbelt to connections across the blacktop, HPAC‘s first fall meeting covered a lot of ground. The community coalition for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge gathered at Delridge Library this past Wednesday night.
POLICE UPDATES: These updates usually start community-coalition meetings, with rotating representatives from the department, this time Community Service Officers. The year-to-date stats they brought for all of the Southwest Precinct were the same ones we’ve reported in coverage of other recent West Seattle community meetings; for Highland Park specifically, shootings, burglaries, motor-vehicle thefts, and thefts in general are down, robberies, aggravated assaults, rapes, and arsons are up, and there’ve been no homicides so far this year (same as at this point last year).
There was some discussion of the new SPD directive to report parking violations by phone rather than via the Find It Fix It app. The point seems to be that SPD wants these reports to come in in real time, rather than in a system where they might not be seen for a day or two. That led to a discussion of encampment concerns and potential new parking restrictions, including a growing encampment at the bottom of Highland Park Way hill. Perhaps the greenbelt gate could be closed at night? was the question. (Nobody from Seattle Parks was there, so that’ll have to be brought up in another way.) There were also concerns about fires in the area; one response from last Monday was mentioned, in the 6700 block of West Marginal Way (categorized as “rubbish fire” but no other info available).
RIDGE 2 RIVER: Speaking of the greenbelt, this organization currently has a survey open to help determine where trails should go in the West Duwamish Greenbelt, the city’s longest contiguous stretch of forest, mostly running through eastern West Seattle. Paul spoke; he explained that his group has a “broader definition of the WDG than the city does.” Yes, the WDG already has some trails; Paul noted that sibling organization West Duwamish Greenbelt Trails has mapped current trails but they’re mostly unplanned, uncoordinated, given that it “over time developed this network of trails which is fun to explore but it’s an adhoc process and not … the best system that could be there in terms of serving the community’s needs, environmental impact, etc. … If we were thinking about the greenbelt holistically,” something different would be created. They’re in the midst of a two-year process to determine that.
Where do people want to go? How do they want to get there? How can they avoid geologically unstable areas? In addition to community input, they’re also launching an expert analysis of the greenbelt. And they’re mapping destinations like həʔapus Village Park and Shoreline Habitat, Westcrest Park, Riverview Playfield, although “we don’t know if people would really use trails to get to those places.” Could there be a spine trail that would get you to almost anywhere in the greenbelt? Current phase, bottom line, information gathering, “and then out of that we’re going to develop some alternatives for different levels of greenbelt improvements” and they’ll have some community meetings for input, then a city process, and probably around early 2027 they’ll have a “preferred alterntive.”
They really want people to take the survey – only 200 have so far – it’s a long survey but Paul said they’re “fun questions.” If you can, go walk in the greenbelt and then take the survey! WDGT has monthly hikes if you want to go with a group – they have two more, in October 18 (from Pathfinder K-8) and November 15 (from the north end of the South Seattle College campus), before winter. The survey will be open until they get enough responses, so probably at least a couple more months. They’re doing in-person outreach too, including tabling at last Saturday’s West Seattle Ecology Fair.
RECONNECT SOUTH PARK: Maria and Jorge were there from the organization exploring the idea of reconnecting the community torn apart by Highway 99; she gave the backstory. They’re currently looking at the “reroute and reclaim” option. She noted she’s never been able to look at the highway the same way since learning it covers what was once a fertile valley where abundant food was grown. People who live by it now live 11 years less on average than others – not just because of the highway, but that’s a large contributor. She explained the state provided funding for them to do a community study and technical analysis. “The highway created 22 dead-end streets in South Park,” Maria said. And of course there’d be a question of where the truck traffic goes. The project has been under way for three years. Before turning it over to Jorge, Maria stressed, “We’re not anywhere near design – this round is about identifying an option and taking a look at whether it’s possible. This is about what we’re leaving for our kids. We all have to look ahead and not just think about us right now.”
Of the possibilities suggested so far, Jorge said the Reroute and Reclaim option would eliminate the freeway. “That could create 2700 new jobs, would reduce South Park traffic by 64 percent.” Second and third options are similar – the highway would turn into a boulevard, like Delridge. 25 percent less traffic or 47 percent less traffic. All the reclaimed land would be available for new housing and parks. The last option is “bridges and trails,” with the highway staying the same but adding community connections “on both sides.” Maria pointed out that the big clover-leaf intersection would be removed.
To some, this may all sound like an impossible dream or foolish venture, but: “We can be bold,” Maria exhorted. Supporters are certain it would increase safety, business, communication. She said they’ve gotten youth involved with this too, including the Duwamish Valley Youth Corps. If you’re interested in finding out more or even pitching in to help, volunteers@reconnectsouthpark.org is the email address.
NEXT MEETING: HPAC is planning to meet at the Southwest Library next month; October 22, since the fourth Wednesday is their usual meeting night. Watch hpaction.org for updates.
Friday night (October 3), you are invited to support DNDA – a nonprofit working on a variety of fronts in eastern West Seattle – by attending Destination Delridge at DNDA’s headquarters in Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW). Here’s the newest update from DNDA:
Seattle City Councilmember Rob Saka will join a moderated community panel as part of Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association’s flagship fundraiser Destination Delridge.
Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association (DNDA) is hosting Destination Delridge on Friday, October 3 at the Thelma Dewitty Theater at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, which will feature the panel discussion, speakers, and other activities. The event will run from 6p to 9p at Youngstown.
Saka is one of three participants in a panel discussion, which will be moderated by Shannon Woodard, president of DNDA’s Board of Directors. Woodard is a seasoned community leader, guiding conversations that center equity, collaboration, and actionable solutions.
Also on the panel will be Jaebadiah Gardner, founder and CEO of Gardner Global, a real estate development firm focused on equity-driven projects that empower communities of color, and Faven Berhe, owner of Hagosa’s House, a Delridge-area cafe and community hub dedicated to cultural connection.
This year, DNDA will bring together supporters, neighbors, artists, and advocates for an evening of connection, storytelling, and impact. Nucor Steel Seattle is the 2025 Presenting Sponsor for this event. DNDA and Nucor have a longstanding relationship rooted in shared values of environmental stewardship and community engagement. From hands-on restoration projects to sustained financial support, Nucor’s commitment to the Delridge neighborhood continues to make a real and lasting difference.
DNDA is a non‐profit organization devoted to social, racial and environmental justice. We are dedicated to preserving and increasing affordable housing for a range of incomes, enhancing the natural environment, and providing such vital resources as arts and cultural opportunities, education and youth programs for our neighbors. Our programs for affordable housing and wetland restoration have become models for other communities.
You can get tickets by going here.
Before we get to today’s highlight list, it’s time to start rolling out the weekend previews. We’re fairly sure “Nerdlesque Rises” is the liveliest entertainment experience on this weekend’s lineup. From pirates to … politics? … it’s a one-of-a-kind show set to take over the main theater at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center this Saturday. Here’s the preview with some bonus info from producer/performer Scarlett O’Hairdye, who is a West Seattleite too:
Nerdlesque Rises!
A nearly nude nerd revue!That’s right! Just like Godzilla rising from the deep, Unnatural Redhead Productions rises from a five-year slumber to bring its particular brand of nerdlesque back to Seattle! Join us this September at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center in West Seattle for an evening of nearly nude nerds celebrating their favorite fandoms and yours. ’80s cartoons! Gay pirates! Star Trek! A fully ADA-accessible theater! FREE PARKING! This show has it all!
You’ll get to see fandom faves live on stage from a diverse group of world-class burlesque performers, all in a beautiful theater with raked seating and great sightlines! Our cast will take you from the future of Star Trek to the swashbuckling seas of Our Flag Means Death, from the original ’80s She-Ra to cult classic Jean-Paul Gautier costumed The Fifth Element. It’s going to be fun! It’s going to be funny! It’s going to feature a live on-stage interview with mayoral candidate Katie Wilson! It’s going to be in your neighborhood!
Featuring burlesque performances by:
Scarlett O’Hairdye
Sin de la Rosa
Alexa Perplexa
Mx. Pucks A’Plenty
Ramona Rhapsody
Hosted by the incomparable Rebecca Mmm Davis!
Saturday, September 20th, 2025
$30 GA | $40 VIP | Season Tickets $100
18+
Doors 7 pm | Show 7:30 pmThe Thelma Dewitty Theater in the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW)0
Scarlett also told us, when we asked some bonus questions:
West Seattle used to host a monthly burlesque revue at the Skylark, and we have some occasional one-off shows here and there (as well as the Kenyon Hall Drag Cabaret), but there hasn’t been a regular burlesque show in this neighborhood in years. Unnatural Redhead Productions and the Stay Up Late Show are pumped to bring this art to the neighborhood, and I’m pumped to be a ten-minute drive from the venue so I can go to bed as soon as possible after the show! I’ve lived here for the last fourteen years! West Seattle is my home, and I love the art and music scene we’ve cultivated on our little peninsula.
My goal is to make the season a celebration of our neighborhood and local businesses. For NERDLESQUE RISES! we’ve teamed up with Ounces Taproom and the Revelry Room for pre and post-show drinks – the Thelma Dewitty Theatre doesn’t have a built in bar, which means we can produce an 18+ show instead of 21+, but if people want an adult beverage before they show they can show their ticket receipt at Ounces for 20% off their order, and after the show at the Revelry Room for a special custom cocktail.
Tickets for the Saturday night Nerdlesque show are available here.
We’ve been watching for the “mid-September” start of the road closure for resumption of a drainage project along Sylvan Way just west of Delridge Way [map], and just found crews setting out cones, barricades, and signs a short time ago. Seattle Public Utilities announced three weeks ago that the project would resume after three years on hold. Here’s the official construction notice for the work, expected to continue through the end of the year.
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