West Seattle, Washington
22 Saturday
(WSB photo, Memorial Day 2016)
Decorating the West Seattle Junction for Independence Day is dependent on volunteers … can you spare a little time to help place and/or remove the flags? Neighborhood volunteer Tom Bucy is leading the effort on Monday but needs helpers – for an hour in the morning and/or an hour in the afternoon. You’ll meet on the northeastern corner of California/Alaska (by Cupcake Royale) – 9 am, to bring flags up from the basement storage under CR and install them; 5 pm, to take them down and return them to storage. If you can help, please call Tom at 206-351-1048 to let him know.
Fireworks danger was the main topic of the Harborview Medical Center media briefing we attended after finding out it would include an update about this morning’s deadly incident by the bridge. So here are the fireworks-related toplines, from hospital, SPD, and SFD officials. Assistant Chief Charles Cordova, newly promoted and appointed Seattle Fire Marshal, spoke for SFD. Some numbers:
*Statewide, 481 fireworks-related injuries and/or fires reported last year, 11 percent more than 2014
*At Harborview, 54 people were treated for fireworks injuries last year, ranging from “finger amputations to fractures to burns to faces and hands,” says SFD, with 11 so far this year
*If there’s a fireworks-related fire or injury on the 4th, *do* call 911. For other fireworks violations, you’re asked to call 206-625-5011
SPD’s advisory is here; SFD’s advisory is here. And as we mentioned earlier this week, it’s not just about safety … it’s about the mess, the damage, and the noise, especially its effect on pets.
P.S. Nationally, fireworks were blamed for at least 11 deaths last year.
9:35 AM: Continuing the coverage we began just after 8 am in our morning traffic watch:
Two workers were rushed to Harborview Medical Center after a truck driver hit the lift they were in, working by the west end of the West Seattle Bridge.
One worker, described as a 40-year-old man, has life-threatening injuries, and that’s why the Seattle Police Traffic Collision Investigation Squad was called out.
This happened alongside the bridge, on the exit from surface Spokane Street headed up to Admiral Way, and that area is blocked off right now. This is where the Fauntleroy Expressway seismic-cushion work has been under way but we haven’t yet verified with SDOT that the crew was associated with that project. We will update this report with any further information about the investigation, the victims, and the road closure, which we’re hearing may expand to block off more of the Spokane/Manning/Admiral intersection.
10:08 AM: The turn from Avalon to cut under the bridge toward Admiral is also blocked off.
11:14 AM: We are just back from the briefing at Harborview, but as commenters point out, SPD Blotter was updated in the meantime. They confirmed to us at Harborview (where SFD had a fireworks-safety briefing pre-scheduled, and we then found out SPD and SDOT would be answering questions about this incident, so we headed there) that the crew was working on the Fauntleroy Expressway project, and that the truck we had photographed on Admiral Way (above) was the one involved. SDOT spokesperson Rick Sheridan told us at the briefing that it’s too soon to say if this will delay the completion of the bridge work, which has been under way since May. More to come, including video of the briefing.
12:10 PM: Harborview spokesperson Susan Gregg confirms what a commenter had reported earlier – that the man who fell the furthest has died.
1:18 PM: We’re just back from checking on what’s still closed off. TCIS was clearing the Avalon/Harbor intersection while we were there, but the scene itself, westbound lower Spokane to Admiral, was still closed. We’ll check back at midafternoon.
2:52 PM: Per both scanner and Twitter, the scene has fully cleared.
UPDATE: Incident on SW Spokane St at SW Admiral Way has cleared. All lanes open.
— seattledot (@seattledot) July 1, 2016
Four highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar for the rest of today/tonight:
FIND IT ON FRIDAYS: Starting today, the High Point (35th/Raymond) and South Park (8604 8th S.) branches of the Seattle Public Library are now open again on Fridays, 11 am-6 pm, and SPL is celebrating with “Find It On Fridays” – explained here.
VISCON CELLARS WINE RELEASE: Viscon Cellars (WSB sponsor) is releasing three new wines today and tomorrow. From Ben Viscon: “We are releasing a 2015 Viognier called “Perseverance.” Artwork on this label is from Jesse Link. Also a 2015 Rosé of Syrah, and our new 2012 Red Wine Blend.” The tasting room is open 5-9 pm tonight and 2-7 pm Saturday. (5910 California SW)
CORNER BAR: Highland Park Improvement Club‘s monthly Corner Bar is tonight, starting at 6 pm. Live music by Squirrel Butter. More info in our calendar listing. (12th SW/SW Holden)
KOTO JAZZ: Chris Kenji and Koto Jazz, live at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) tonight, 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
LOTS MORE … on our complete calendar.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
6:57 AM: Good morning and happy Friday. No incidents in or from West Seattle, so far. Here’s what you need to know as the holiday weekend arrives:
NEXT BRIDGE CLOSURE, TUESDAY NIGHT: The Fauntleroy Expressway seismic-safety work is done for the week, and because of Monday’s holiday, the next overnight closure of the west end of the West Seattle Bridge isn’t scheduled until Tuesday night-Wednesday morning.
HOLIDAY TRANSIT CHANGES: They’re in our one-page West Seattle 4th of July guide.
MONDAY PARADE: Later this morning, we’re publishing an update on Monday’s 4th of July Kids’ Parade in North Admiral. If you’re not participating or watching, main thing to remember in terms of traffic is that the parade crosses California SW at Atlantic while en route to the endpoint at Hamilton Viewpoint Park, and police stop traffic at that point. Metro Route 128 will be rerouted, too.
CITYWIDE ALERTS: Here’s the SDOT roundup for the holiday weekend, including the M’s schedule at Safeco.
8:01 AM: We’re hearing a dispatch for an emergency response on or near the West Seattle Bridge – the medical response is being sent to the Nucor vicinity, possibly a construction worker falling from a lift; we haven’t yet heard what they’ve found, but if you’re seeing a response in the area, that’s what’s going on.
8:09 AM: According to the scanner, a construction worker fell at least 30 feet from a lift and is being rushed to the hospital – there is reported to be a second victim on the ramp to Admiral from lower Spokane St. We’re still not clear on how this happened nor how it is affecting traffic but are headed to the scene to try to find out.
8:13 AM: Per scanner, a truck hit the lift, causing the fall. The victim is reported to be 40 years old and has multiple injuries. We will likely break this out to a separate report shortly but for now it appears westbound lower Spokane to Admiral is where the traffic effects are. Police are investigating.
8:49 AM: SFD has clarified that the two people who were hurt and taken to the hospital are both workers. One has life-threatening injuries. The other is seriously hurt, per SFD. The major incident-investigation squad TCIS has responded so the ramp to Admiral – again, this is the ramp from surface Spokane, not from the bridge itself – will likely be closed for hours.
9:35 AM: We’re continuing our coverage of the lift/truck incident in this just-published story.
Most years, West Seattle Art Walk – second Thursday of the month – just happens to fall on the eve of West Seattle Summer Fest. This year, Summer Fest is about as early as it ever gets, July 8-9-10, so Art Walk has moved to the first Thursday, July 7th. And you’ll see special features in The Junction in honor of “Locals Night” – including an encore for the West Seattle Mural Tour, in case you missed it during June’s Art Walk.
Clay Eals from the Southwest Seattle Historical Society will lead it again. Time(s) TBA – watch for updates here. Art Walk runs 6-9 pm – here’s the venue map/list for July (as well as August and September). And on Summer Fest Eve, it usually includes a few surprises – if you have something planned that night, let us know so we can get it into the calendar!
Thanks for the tips – the City Light map now verifies a small power outage in a residential area northeast of The Junction, near 39th and Genesee. It lists “bird/animal” as the cause, and resident Keri verifies that, saying, “It’s unusual for our power to be out — we almost always survive the storms and other outages. Turns out a crow took out the transformer. It’s going to take a few hours to get it back on.”
(ADDED 12:12 AM – meeting video, in three clips, at story’s end)
(WSB photos)
6:37 PM: We’re at the Joint Training Facility in southeastern West Seattle as the city meeting “to decide what will be done with the Myers Way Properties … not a hearing, but simply to get ideas from the public” gets under way. Forrest Gillette is moderating. We’ll be updating as it goes.
First from a lineup of five city reps is Hillary Hamilton from the Department of Finance and Administrative Services, which is in charge of managing real estate and what happens to it if the city doesn’t need it, as is the situation with this 33+-acre site. She says this is happening “about halfway through” the process of deciding the property’s fate; but she also points out it’s not a formal public hearing – that will happen when this gets to the City Council, likely in September – so there won’t be time for comments from everyone, but there are “comment sheets” in the room.
6:44 PM: Second speaker is Seattle firefighter Colin McElroy – part of the site is proposed to be used as an expansion of the Joint Training Facility, which is where the meeting is happening, and his role is to explain “what happens here.”
He says his main job is at Station 14 in SODO but he “moonlights” here teaching structural-collapse training: “Our goal is to train firefighters all around the region that will help us prepare to help you guys if there’s an actual emergency – that emergency most likely being an earthquake.”
(2010 WSB photo by Christopher Boffoli, during training at JTF)
He says JTF needs more room to expand training areas, to move “noisier and dirtier operations” toward the south side of the site (further from their neighbors, a large retirement-residences complex (Arrowhead Gardens) to the north), to add parking, and to store some of their larger “props” inbetween their use, rather than having them sit in place and take up space.
Next speaker represents the broker/developer perspective, Al Robertson from NAI Puget Sound Properties.
Some promising news about local crime trends, as this month’s West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network meeting got under way Tuesday.
SEATTLE POLICE UPDATE: Here’s what Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis told the group: Yes, the weather’s warm, but please be careful about leaving your windows and doors open – “there are still individuals out there who like to exploit that. … It invites criminal activity, it really does.”
That said, the burglary rate is running lower than usual right now, he said. Car prowls, though, are still running relatively high, which led to this reminder in a tone that merits all-caps: “DON’T LEAVE VALUABLES INSIDE YOUR CAR.”
(WSB photo from last week)
A few updates on the Fauntleroy Expressway seismic-safety-cushion-re-replacement project, which has been closing the west end of the West Seattle Bridge five nights a week for most of the past month and a half: Project spokesperson Paul Elliott says the eastbound Spokane St. onramp closure announced for 7 pm tonight apparently is NOT happening after all – the work was done last night, he learned. So unless something else changes at the last minute, tonight will be a “regular” 9 pm-5 am closure of the west end of the bridge, both ways.
Good news is – they are almost done re-replacing the cushions. A few more tasks remain before the bridge closures are done with, according to Elliott, but they’re close. And because of the holiday, tonight is the last closure until next Tuesday night (July 5th). We should get a project status update post-holiday.
Four West Seattle development notes this afternoon:
(Rendering courtesy Living Care Lifestyles)
QUAIL PARK: The 60+-bed memory-care center that’s long been in the works for 4515 41st SW in The Junction is about to begin construction, according to David Haack with parent company Living Care Lifestyles. If you have questions about the project, a community meet-and-greet is planned at Senior Center of West Seattle 2:30-4 pm on Wednesday, July 13th. Two weeks after that, they’re planning a groundbreaking ceremony on July 27th, time TBA. It’s been almost four years since we first found early word of the plan, which went through Design Review in 2014-2015.
Three projects covered here previously have formal notices in today’s city-circulated Land Use Information Bulletin:
DESIGN REVIEW DOUBLEHEADER FOR 9021 17TH SW & 2749 CALIFORNIA SW: We’ve already published word of both of these reviews set for a July 21st Southwest Design Review Board doubleheader – the four-story, 32-apartment building at 9021 17th SW at 6:30 pm (as reported here two weeks ago; formal notice here; and the four-story, 112-apartments-and-retail building at 2749 California SW (as reported here Monday, formal notice here) at 8 pm. If you can’t make it to the meetings, you can comment on the projects by following the instructions in the notices.
APPLICATION FOR 2116 ALKI SW: We mentioned this site back in January, when it was proposed for six condos and nine parking spaces. In today’s Land Use Information Bulletin, this notice announces its owners have applied to build a 3-story, 6-apartment, 11-offstreet-parking-space project. You have until July 29th to comment; here’s how.
(Click to see full-size PDF)
If you’re interested in the future of the Myers Way Parcels in southeast West Seattle, the city’s final reminder about tonight’s community meeting at the Joint Training Facility includes word of a 5:30 pm guided tour BEFORE the 6:30 pm meeting. From district coordinator Kerry Wade:
This is a friendly reminder that there will be a meeting this evening regarding the future of the Myers Way Property. Come learn more about the history of this land, what has been proposed by the city and the community, what are some of the barriers, and learn from a panel of experts what is at stake. There will be exhibits on display and opportunities for you to make comments as well.
For those of you who are interested in a brief tour of the property, please feel free to come early (around 5:30 p.m.).
Here are the meeting vitals. We hope to see you all there!
Myers Way Property Community Meeting
Hosted By City of Seattle Department of Finance and Administrative ServicesJoint Training Facility Meeting Room
9401 Myers Way SouthThurs. June 30, 2016 @ 6:30 p.m. (Doors open at 6:00; Come early for a 5:30 guided tour)
Light refreshments will be provided
Interpreters will be on hand for Somali, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Spanish.
WSB coverage of the site and related issues is archived here.
Thanks to Mike for the tip that Hiawatha Community Center‘s new outdoor exercise equipment has been installed, by the east lawn. It’s not quite done – still fenced off – so we stopped by Hiawatha (a very busy place this summer – 20 day camps!) today to ask when it will be open to the public. Answer: The grand opening is exactly one month from today, currently planned for 11 am-1 pm Saturday, July 30th (you’ll see posters soon), and the celebration will include something for everyone, including a construction event (“like sandcastle-building, but with cardboard boxes,” we’re told). The Hiawatha installation is one of two announced for West Seattle last year, with the help of nonprofit partners – we’ll be checking on the status of the other one, at Delridge CC.
From the in-case-you-missed-it file: Tomorrow we launch the first-ever edition of our new bonus weekly e-mail, WSB EXTRA. It’s *NOT* going to be a recap or digest or list of story links (as explained in the announcement earlier this week) … it’s truly meant to be something extra, beyond what you find here day in, day out, night in, night out … quick but interesting tidbits we get/find but don’t get to turn into stories … some big-picture features like “comment of the week” … a little bit of “behind the scenes” … among other things. Sign up here; if you get it and you hate it, unsubscribing will be fast and simple. Thanks to everyone who’s signed up already; we’ll be interested to hear what you think.
(Great blue heron photographed at Constellation Park by Susan Romanenghi)
Four highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar for the rest of today/tonight:
DELRIDGE GROCERY CO-OP FARM STAND: 4-7 pm just north of the Delridge P-Patch, you can shop for fresh-picked vegetables and fruit, sold by and for Delridge Grocery. (Delridge Way/Puget Boulevard)
TINKERLAB DROP-IN: 4-6 pm at High Point Library: “Drop in and work on a fun STEM-based craft or challenge and tinker around with construction and builder kits.” All ages – kids, teens, adults. (35th SW/SW Raymond)
COMMUNITY MEETING ABOUT MYERS WAY PARCELS: 6:30 pm at the Joint Training Facility, come tell city reps what you think should be done with the southeast West Seattle land known as the Myers Way Parcels. Full details in our Wednesday preview; official meeting notice, here. (9401 Myers Way S.)
CRIME/SAFETY FOCUS GROUP FOR FAUNTLEROY: 7-8 pm at Southwest Precinct meeting room, come talk about crime, safety, and police in Fauntleroy with researcher Jennifer Burbridge. The Fauntleroy microcommunity-policing plan (see it here) will be a topic, too. (2300 SW Webster)
Looking for West Seattle 4th of July info? See our guide here!
A celebration of the life of Marshall M. Eaton is planned in West Seattle on July 16th. Here’s the remembrance his family is sharing with the community:
Marshall McHugh Eaton
December 12, 1941–June 8, 2016Lifelong West Seattle resident; died at the VA hospital on June 8 from the effects of acute myeloid leukemia.
Marshall was born at Swedish hospital to Florence and Robert Eaton. He attended Gatewood, Madison, and West Seattle High, and graduated from South Seattle College. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Carol Ann; sons Kevin Doyle (Yvonne) of Cheyenne, WY, and Mark Eaton; daughters, Ann-Marie Oliver (Danny) and Marguerite Eaton; three grandsons, one granddaughter, and one great-granddaughter. He is also survived by his brother Bill Eaton and sister Roberta Miller, loving nieces and nephews, longtime friends Elmo Lewis and Dennis Johnson, and many other dear friends.
He was a loving and devoted family man, and will forever be remembered for his sense of humor, love of cars, and ability to fix just about anything. The family wishes to thank the VA hospital, doctors, nurses, and staff for their care, kindness, and support shown to Marshall since his diagnosis. There will be a Celebration of Life for Marshall, July 16 at 2:00, at St John the Baptist Episcopal Church Parish Hall, 3050 California Ave. SW, in West Seattle.
In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Foundation, or any veterans’ charity.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
Two reader reports:
STOLEN BIKE: Rachelle‘s Schwinn Hornet was stolen sometime overnight Tuesday night/Wednesday morning: “It was stolen from my place at 54th and Alki. It’s a black and white beach cruiser style bike, with a black and white seat.”
STOLEN SHOES? Cass just e-mailed to say, “We found a bag of shoes dumped in our front yard near 35th SW & SW Roxbury this morning. I wanted to let you know in case they were stolen and someone is looking to get them back … We’ll keep the shoes for a couple days.”
If you have info on either of the above, please comment below (or e-mail us).
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
7:18 AM: Good morning. WSDOT says traffic is lighter than usual around the region, so it seems the holiday has started early for some. No major problems so far. Remember that tonight’s closure of the west end of the West Seattle Bridge will be preceded by a closure of the Spokane St. ramp to the eastbound bridge at 7 pm, and SDOT says the bridge closure itself won’t start until that’s done.
SODO TONIGHT: Mariners’ home stand continues with a 7:10 pm game vs. Baltimore.
4TH OF JULY INFO: Transit plans for the holiday are part of our annual Independence Day guide, which you can see here.
5:08 PM: SDOT now says the ramp closure is NOT happening tonight – the bridge closure should be on a “normal” schedule. That update and more, here.
Now that it’s Wednesday night, can’t help looking ahead to the holiday – just five days until Independence Day (next Monday, July 4th). Our special page with holiday info and events is up now, too – if you haven’t already seen it linked from our spotlight boxes or navigation bar, here it is. But tonight, the sunset put on an early show! Thanks to JayDee for the photo above – and the King County Sheriff’s Office Guardian One crew for the one below:
Tonight's sunset with the Fauntleroy ferry from over White Center. @wsferries @whitecenternow @westseattleblog pic.twitter.com/gdrnK8UFyi
— KCSOAirsupport (@KCSOAirsupport) June 30, 2016
(That was their view as they were leaving the WC/North Burien/Shorewood area after this search.)
Thanks for the e-mails and texts about this – in case you were checking here, just wanted to let you know that we’re covering the search via White Center Now.
(Click to see full-size PDF)
Right about this time tomorrow – on what is likely to be another beautiful summer night – the city’s Joint Training Facility in southeastern West Seattle will be open to the public, a rare thing, for what might be the only community meeting about the fate of the land to its south, the Myers Way Parcels (lately labeled on some city documents as the Myers Way Properties).
Community advocates asked for this meeting, to provide a chance to hear as many voices as possible, and it’s likely the last meeting of its kind before the properties’ future lands in the hands of the City Council. As reported here in recent years, its fate has long been undetermined – the city had to buy all of it in order to get the land for the JTF, then declared the rest surplus, but a deal to sell it for commercial development fell through. Now, as reported here June 15th, preliminary recommendations suggest keeping some of it to expand the JTF, selling part of it for commercial development, and selling the rest of it to a concern that would preserve that section as greenspace.
The city has already determined that it’s not suitable to be developed for housing, because of a lack of infrastructure as well as some toxic contamination, but the mayor decreed last year that $5 million of the prospective sale proceeds would help pay for the city’s efforts to help people experiencing homelessness. Meantime, at least two community groups (here and here) have recently asked the city to delay a decision for reasons including the potential annexation of North Highline next door (NH residents are not expected to be asked to vote on that before November 2017). What do you think should be done? Whatever your answer, showing up to speak up has the most impact – the meeting is set for 6:30-8 pm; here again is the official notice, which includes information on how to comment if you can’t be there.
P.S. Among the many documents linked from the city website is this 109-page summary of some of the comments received as of earlier this month.
ADDED THURSDAY: A final city reminder about this meeting includes an addition we didn’t have word of previously – a 5:30 pm guided tour of part of the Myers Way Parcels, pre-meeting. All welcome.
(Screengrab from SDOT video feed)
6:07 PM: SDOT reports two eastbound lanes are blocked on the high bridge by a crash. Seattle Fire is responding too.
6:25 PM: This is actually just west of the 4th Avenue exit, according to the live feed on the SDOT Travelers’ Information page. The SFD response “closed” fairly quickly, so apparently no major injuries.
6:50 PM: SDOT tweet and video feed both confirm the crash scene is cleared. (Thanks again to the tipsters who checked in to make sure we’d heard.)
Until 7 pm, you can stop by the High Point Market Garden Farm Stand at 32nd SW and SW Juneau and be among the first to shop there this year!
The HPMG is a mini-farm right next to the stand, tended by local residents, and what they’re selling was picked right there. As previewed here on Tuesday, you also can buy produce grown a little farther away via the mobile farm stand ROAR, which is visiting during Farm Stand hours again this year.
If you can’t make it there today, stop by any Wednesday through the end of September, 4-7 pm.
| 4 COMMENTS