West Seattle, Washington
03 Friday
(Bumpy section of Delridge near Kenyon)
For the “I won’t believe it till I see it” contingent – the city is officially calling for bids on its plan to resurface Delridge Way SW south of Orchard. (See here and here.) As had been noted in our original reports, it’s a three-part proposal – they’re guaranteeing the resurfacing from Orchard to Henderson, no matter what; then if there’s money, they’ll go from Henderson to Roxbury on Delridge and that same stretch on 16th. The estimated “base bid” for the guaranteed part is $5.9 million to $6.5 million; for the extra work on Delridge, $1 million to $1.2 million more; for the extra work on 16th, $900,000 to $1.1 million more. Bids are due to be opened October 2nd. This plan was first mentioned during Mayor McGinn‘s May town hall in West Seattle; then in June, the city revealed at a Delridge Neighborhoods District Council meeting that it intends to “rechannelize” that section too (see the plan here).
Quick update on the Firefly Café and Creperie, soon to take wing on the northeast corner of California and Genesee at the north edge of The Junction, as reported here in June: Proprietor Charell Estby says she is penciling in October 26th-October 28th as the grand-opening weekend. This week, she’s been busy with inspections; the plum-colored paint job you see in our photo went up a month ago. (She told Facebook fans it’s “caramel” inside.)
(Through the windshield, as WSDOT drove media onto the new bridge)
Nine months ahead of schedule and under budget, the elevated section of northbound Highway 99/Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement near the stadiums will be open by Monday (as announced last week). This morning, WSDOT executives led a quick news-media tour of the about-to-open section, and WSB was there.
(WSDOT executive Matt Preedy talking with notebook-holding Mike Lindblom of The Seattle Times [WSB partner])
They also have gone public with this time-lapse video of what’s transpired since that section of the AWV started coming down less than a year ago:
More photos ahead – plus a WSDOT graphic of how you’ll get through the area:
(WSB photo from June 30th, scooters outside Skylark)
Even if your scooter isn’t “vintage” enough to show in the West Seattle Junction Car Show this Sunday (8 am-4 pm, with cars and motorcycles too; register here), you’re invited to join a scooter rally afterward. The West is co-sponsoring. The official announcement:
After the car show, The West is sponsoring a scooter rally which will meander through West Seattle stopping at landmarks, going along Alki Beach and other cool spots. It’s going to be hosted by two WS business owners, Lora Swift of Hotwire Coffee and Jessie Russo of Skylark Café and Club. The rally will start at Hotwire Coffee and end at Skylark Café. You can register (FREE!) for the rally now until 4 pm on Sunday, either via email with your name or at Hotwire.
Here’s a map:
Then 5-7 pm, live music and food/drink specials at Skylark ($5 cover), followed by, at 8 pm, the “Quadrophenia” screening at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), free.
(Painting by Ann Duffy, featured at Click! Design That Fits during WS Art Walk tonight)
Much going on tonight – with the monthly West Seattle Art Walk at the top of the list. From the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar (thank you to everyone who shares announcements!):
TRAFFIC ALERTS: If you’re downtown, remember the Microsoft meeting today (noted here on Wednesday); tonight, from our day-by-day/night-by-night list, two overnight road closures, same as last night: Southbound 99/Alaskan Way Viaduct 9 pm-5 am, and eastbound Spokane Street Viaduct 10 pm-5 am – so if you get on the eastbound high bridge during the closure, you’ll have to exit to northbound 99.
SCHOLARSHIP FUND BENEFIT: 5 pm at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor) – details here.
ALKI ELEMENTARY BACK-TO-SCHOOL BARBECUE AND PTA MEETING: The school’s families are invited to a barbecue at 5:30 pm, followed by the first PTA meeting of the year at 7 pm. Details via Facebook.
OPEN HOUSE AT ALKI COMMUNITY CENTER: Come find out about classes, facilities, and everything you might not already know about Alki CC, 5:30-7 pm (more info here), 5817 SW Stevens.
LAST COMMUNITY KAYAK TOUR OF THE DUWAMISH THIS SEASON: Join the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition and Alki Kayak Tours for a kayak tour of the Duwamish, 6 pm, leaving from T-107 Park in West Seattle. Details via Facebook.
WEST SEATTLE ART WALK: Dozens of venues around the peninsula, from Alki to Admiral to The Junction (and beyond), 6-9 pm tonight – meet artists, admire their work, and in many cases, enjoy a bite or sip compliments of the hosting venues. Here’s the walking map/list; here’s the official website with previews. (And a few specific previews shared with us follow …)
ART WALK AT CLICK! DESIGN THAT FITS: Ann Duffy will be on hand at WSB sponsor Click! in The Junction with paintings, including the one at the top of this report. Here’s the info from Click!’s own website.
WINE TASTING AT C & P COFFEE:
It’s our monthly neighborhood party! Bring a friend, bring an appetizer and listen to Brazilian music with Choro Tocando. $5.00 tasting fee or wines by the glass or bottle. (21 and older please.)
C & P, a WSB sponsor, is at 5612 California SW.
MORGAN JUNCTION COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TO BECOME PARKLAND? Join the community conversation tonight; meet at 6 pm at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), 6451 California SW. Details are in our previous report.
ASK AN EXPERT AT WEST SEATTLE TOOL LIBRARY: Second Thursday is also a chance to visit the West Seattle Tool Library at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW), 6-8 pm, and talk with experts about home-improvement/construction/sustainability projects – this month’s lineup is here.
ART WALK AT ALKI ARTS: Pop art by Daniel Rey and live guitar music by Jeff Krause, 6-9 pm, 2820 Alki Avenue SW. Here’s the Facebook event page.
DESIGN REVIEW MEETING: 3078 SW Avalon Way, proposed for 114 apartments, is on the agenda tonight 6:30 pm, Senior Center of West Seattle (California/Oregon, upstairs). The format includes a chance for public comment. Here’s our preview from last night, including links with more information on the project and on a neighborhood group’s concerns.
SHERIFF CANDIDATES’ FORUM (AND PUBLIC SAFETY UPDATES): No West Seattle forums in this race scheduled that we know of, so to hear from the two candidates for King County Sheriff, be at tonight’s quarterly Public Safety Forum presented by the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council. It’s at 7 pm in the meeting room in the NH Fire District headquarters, 1243 SW 112th.
The city has just sent the official notice for the first Design Review meeting for the 4755 Fauntleroy Way SW development proposal – which will span three properties on SW Alaska west of Fauntleroy, as well as stretching to SW Edmunds along the west side of Fauntleroy. As reported here last Friday (along with new information on the proposed 350-plus-apartments, 55,000-sf-retail project itself), it’ll be at 6:30 pm September 27th (two weeks from tonight), Senior Center of West Seattle.
P.S. In case you saw it and wondered – newly added text on the DPD page for the project includes some erroneous details, according to our followup conversation with the project team after we noticed it. The current apartment count remains at “more than 350 units,” and the retail remains “around 55,000 square feet” (with the caveat “possibly more, possibly less”), with parking projection remaining around 530. The packet for the Design Review meeting should be out at least a week in advance – by next Thursday – and the numbers will be refined by then.
The West Seattle Community Orchestras‘ season is about to start – and along with some changes and additions, they are once again ready to welcome you to join their ranks! Here’s the official announcement:
WSCO welcomes Rachel Nevis as she takes over the conducting duties for the Debut Orchestra. This group will expand to include woodwinds and brass, providing a full orchestra experience for those musicians new to playing.
Leading the Intermediate Orchestra is WSCO’s founding conductor Toni Reineke, Ph.D. The Intermediate Orchestra provides musical opportunities for midrange musicians, whether students moving up in their skills, or adults who are coming back to music after time away; mentoring is a key aspect of this group along with additional learning opportunities from SYSO coaches.
Kim Roy, who led the group in a rousing rendition of Aaron Copland’s “Hoedown,” will be conducting the Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Roy is a well-known Seattle musician who also conducts the Seattle Rock Orchestra. She will lead the Symphony Orchestras in tackling the most challenging works of our three groups, providing members with a chance to stretch themselves and provide audiences with great performances right here in West Seattle. The schedule for the Symphony Orchestra has been expanded this season to include three ten-week sessions.
A brand new addition to WSCO this fall is an Adult Beginning Winds and Percussion Class, taught by Toni Reineke. And due to the popularity of the Adult Beginning Strings Class last spring, a new Adult Beginning Strings Class is offered this fall, taught by Kriszti Bunica, candidate for Masters in Teaching. Both classes will meet at 7:00 to 8:00 PM on Tuesday evenings, at Chief Sealth International High School. Class sizes will be limited. Information and registration information is available on the website.
Registration is now open; rehearsals begin September 25, at Chief Sealth (2600 SW Thistle). For more information please visit our website, www.wscorchestras.org.
Thanks to Brenda Donner for sharing the news that Fauntleroy’s legendary Capt. (ret.) Morey Skaret, 99 years young, was among the honorees at last night’s Seattle Police Relief and Retired Seattle Police Officers Association banquet. Capt. Skaret also served in the Seattle Police Department, and Brenda says, “The banquet honored SPD officers who have retired since last year’s banquet. Then they honored those previously retired who were in attendance; thus Morey’s honor … He was the ‘lowest serial number’ of all retired Seattle Police Officers in attendance; his SPD serial number was 406!”
One of the brothers killed in a motorcycle crash earlier this week had West Seattle ties, as a former WS resident and parent of a student at Alki Elementary. Services are planned this weekend for 39-year-old Gerald Lutz, who along with brother Eldon Lutz died after their motorcycle crashed in Kirkland Saturday night. His online obituary published by Bonney-Watson on Capitol Hill includes details on Mr. Lutz’s viewing/Rosary on Friday night and celebration of life on Saturday.
By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog
As always, the WSBeat summaries are from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers, incidents of note that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, but that might at least answer the question “what WERE all those police doing on my block (whenever)?”:
*Around 7 p.m. on the 6th, two cars raced down the 4600 block of Beach Drive SW. (One longtime resident said he’d never seen such speed on that stretch, estimating that the cars traveled at 100 mph in the 25 mph zone.) Shortly after, one of the cars crashed into a parked vehicle at 45th and Brace Point Drive. The driver of the second racer left the scene but was noticed parking several blocks away and walking back to the incident. That driver — an 18-year-old Alki resident — hurled violent sexual suggestions at the victim who came out to inspect her damaged vehicle and to several older people in the area who were trying to help. He was released from the scene but faces investigation of harassment, reckless driving (racing), and violation of a protection order to stay away from West Seattle High School. (The other speeding driver said the suspect had been following her from the school. It wasn’t clear what charges she, herself, might face.)
*On the afternoon of the 5th, a shoplifter pulled a knife on two security guards who were trying to detain him at an Admiral grocery. The shoplifter dropped the loot and walked north, through the parking lot. Neither guard was injured.
Ahead, more information on the Delridge shots-fired incident covered here on Monday, another one reported elsewhere, plus another car-prowler-interrupted case, and more:Read More
Smoke from wildfires to the east is drifting west (as noted by our friends at KING 5), and that’s likely what intensified the color of tonight’s sunset. Thanks to WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams for this view of it!
(One possible view of 3078 Avalon Way building, from design-review packet)
Tomorrow night (6:30 pm Thursday at the Senior Center of West Seattle), the Southwest Design Review Board gets its first look at 3078 SW Avalon Way, which has grown in proposed size since we first mentioned it here. It’s now proposed for seven stories, 114 units, and 77 parking spaces. Here’s the packet for tomorrow night’s meeting, including neighborhood characteristics and proposed shape/size (massing) schemes. Neighbors have some concerns about the plan. Here’s the top of a flyer they are circulating and shared with us:
From the flyer (which you can see here in its entirety):
Obviously, this will hugely impact our quality of lives and the character of our neighborhood.
• Parking — the developer is proposing only 77 spaces for a 114 units. Where will the overflow park?
• Huge increase in pedestrian and pet traffic — there is no park within easy walking distance; we will certainly see a lot more dogs (and dog poop) in our neighborhood.
• Alley safety and congestion — the development plans to use the alley as a parking entrance.
• Loss of privacy (the apartment residents will be looking right into the houses and backyards of almost all of us who live on 32nd Ave SW).
• Public safety concerns — does more people mean more crime?
• Vehicle traffic on Avalon — already very congested and dangerous.
Note that, as you will hear at tomorrow night’s meeting, some of those aren’t Design Review topics, they are topics for the project’s environmental review, and can be brought up by e-mail or phone to the assigned city planner. But if you are interested in the project, do come tomorrow night – there is always a public-comment period.
KeyArena meeting traffic has backed up northbound I-5 and West Seattle outbound commuters before, so we’re sharing this SDOT alert:
Tomorrow, Thursday, September 13, a crowd of 15,000 is expected to attend the Microsoft Annual Company Meeting at the Key Arena. The meeting is scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Attendees will begin arriving at the Seattle Center in 200 buses and some 4,000 private vehicles as early as 8:30 a.m. Motorists should expect heavy congestion in the morning between the I-5 Mercer off-ramp and the Seattle Center and on streets surrounding the Center. The beginning of the afternoon commute could well be impacted in the same area as attendees will be leaving the meeting at approximately 3:30 p.m. Drivers should plan ahead for possible delays.
(TOPLINES: Current version of BEX IV levy proposal calls for new Schmitz Park @ Genesee Hill campus 2015, new Arbor Heights on current site 2019, add to and reopen Fairmount Park, NO reopening of EC Hughes, NO decision yet on K-5 STEM’s permanent location)
4:07 PM: As reported here yesterday afternoon, the newest list of projects proposed for the Seattle Public Schools BEX IV levy is out – and it includes some changes from previous West Seattle proposals. The School Board is getting more information right now at a work session at district HQ, and we’re there. We’ll update this story “live” as West Seattle-relevant information is discussed – so if you’re interested, open this story’s page (click the headline) and hit “refresh” every so often. The board and staff members’ microphones aren’t working but we’re listening as hard – and sitting as close – as we can!
READ ON FOR OUR AS-IT-HAPPENED COVERAGE:Read More
Another section of Beach Drive is in for paving work – according to this SDOT announcement received this afternoon:
SDOT paving crews plan to grind and pave the roadway on Beach Drive SW from Atlas Place SW to SW Juneau Street on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 18 and 19 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day, if weather permits. All sidewalks and crossings will remain open. A single travel lane will be shared by both directions of traffic, with traffic flaggers assisting drivers through the area.
Earlier this year SDOT crews repaved an area of Beach Drive to the south of the current area. The section of Beach Drive between the two repaved areas will be repaved once work is completed to stabilize the slope.
The current work on Beach Drive SW is part of the annual paving program funded by the Bridging the Gap transportation initiative approved by Seattle voters in 2006.
If you haven’t heard yet about the big Alki Beach cleanup that is part of International Coastal Cleanup Day this Saturday … go sign up! Sponsors including Puget Soundkeeper Alliance would like to know how many people to plan for. You can sign up outside Duke’s on Alki starting at 10 am Saturday – the cleanup runs till noon, followed by an afterparty till 2 – but they say early online signups are even better. Read all about it here.
(Family photo of Greggette Guy during a hike, 2004)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Today marks exactly six months since Greggette Guy was found dead off the 3700 block of Beach Drive – the second, and most recent, West Seattle murder victim of 2012.
Police have yet to find her killer(s).
Her family, however, has found a way to honor her memory, via her lifelong involvement with Girl Scouts – from childhood through parenthood:
That’s some of the new information we have obtained for this update on the case, half a year later, after speaking with Mrs. Guy’s husband as well as with police.
As Marination ma kai gets closer to opening at Seacrest, we have a few new details today, as well as renderings provided by Marination’s co-owners, with whom we’ve been speaking since reporting first word back in December that they would be the new restaurant operators at the boathouse and pier. Decor not included, but you can get an idea of the layout:
They’ve sent regional media a formal announcement of its impending opening – no exact date yet, though co-owner Kamala Saxton told WSB recently that they were hoping for late September – so you might see some new scattered mentions today. The announcement includes a confirmation that their hours will be 6 am-10 pm seven days a week, and this updated summary of the menu:
In addition to made-from-scratch Hawaiian-Korean lunch and dinner favorites like kalbi beef, spicy pork, kalua pork, and sexy tofu, Marination ma kai will serve island breakfast staples including loco moco, manapua and Portuguese sausage musubi. The expanded menu will feature items only available at ma kai such as fish n’ chips, pork katsu sandwich, and Hawaiian shave ice for dessert.
Even bigger news – the beer:
Since nothing washes down spicy and sweet Hawaiian-Korean delicacies quite like an ice-cold cocktail or beer, Marination ma kai will offer a full bar and a selection of beers served up by Washington State’s first female Cicerone, Robyn Schumacher. Among the taps will be a “Marination”-branded brew, developed in collaboration with Big Al Brewing. It will be a malt-forward brown ale brewed to complement ma kai’s unique cuisine.
Meet Robyn the Cicerone on Marination’s Tumblr. They’re reiterating that they’ll also offer the space for private events and catering – here’s the e-mail address to use for that: eat@marinationmobile.com. And even though they’ll have a bricks-and-mortar location here, Marination expects to keep bringing its truck to 35th and Graham in High Point on Saturdays, as they’ve been doing for three years.
That photo is from Aly, taken in July in the 24th SW/Cloverdale vicinity, where she reported this week she is still seeing them. Then this morning, Becky reported that coyotes were “hanging around” Hamilton Viewpoint Park early today. Those two were simple sightings – but this next note also came in from Highland Park a short time ago, causing us to speed up the coyote roundup we were working on, since this is reported in an area popular with dog owners:
I live on 3rd Ave SW behind Westcrest Park and off-leash park and I had my 4 dogs attacked last night by the coyotes that are in the area. There have been 2 of them spotted on my street in recent weeks. I have one of my dogs in critical condition now and 3 I am nursing at home. Please, everyone, watch out for them; they are even out during the late afternoon in daylight. We need to find a way to get the city or state to set up a trap to move them into the mountains.
We have a followup question out. Ahead, three other recent coyote reports:Read More
8:23 AM: If you drive, bicycle, or use transit on 4th Avenue South south of the West Seattle Bridge (Spokane Street Viaduct), plan an alternate route – a crash at 4th/Industrial (near Costco) is reported to be blocking both directions of 4th in the area, including the bridge over the railroad tracks. Buses are being diverted. The image above is from the SDOT camera at 4th and Michigan, south of the crash scene and north of the 1st Avenue South Bridge.
9:36 AM UPDATE: Seattle Fire says their crews spent 15 minutes cutting the driver out of the wreckage. He is 55 years old and in critical condition with head trauma, according to SFD.
11:11 AM UPDATE: SDOT has tweeted that the scene is clear.
Three West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports to share this morning – starting with an interrupted car prowl. Karleen wanted to warn you and to also publicly thank someone who tried to help:
(Last night) around dusk I took my dogs for a walk near Salty’s/Alki, only to return to some strange guy sitting in the passenger side of my car, rifling through my belongings. My car was next to GT Towing (right near the West Seattle Bridge). I shouted at him ‘what are you doing in my car??’ then yelled for John the tow truck business owner – who I’ve come to know since I park near his business several times a week when I walk my dogs. Not a lot I could do with 3 little dogs with me, and the guy got out of my car and ran down toward Alki. John heard me and chased him, caught up to him but he pulled a knife so John let him go. Meanwhile I called 911, and they came and I filled out a police report. My car has a busted window and glass everywhere, but not much taken and no one hurt. The guy got away though, and it was scary that he had a knife. I am really grateful to John for helping me!
Two other reports, both involving theft, ahead: (ALSO, ADDED 9:58 AM – A report from another West Seattleite whose car has been hit by prowlers/vandals twice in the past five days.)Read More
(Photo by Machel Spence)
A sampling from the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar for today/tonight:
TONIGHT’S TRAFFIC ALERTS: From the day-by-day list, two closures overnight tonight – southbound 99/Alaskan Way Viaduct 9 pm-5 am, and eastbound Spokane Street Viaduct 10 pm-5 am – so if you get on the eastbound high bridge during the closure, you’ll have to exit to northbound 99.
BABY PEPPERS SESSION STARTS: Have a baby who’s 5-12 months old? A new session of Baby Peppers starts this morning, 10:30 am, at Bright Horizons (4530 38th SW). Details on the calendar listing page.
HERITAGE PUMPKIN PIE PROJECT: Another chance today, 2-8 pm at the West Seattle Eagles‘ headquarters in The Junction, to pre-order a 5″ or 10″ pumpkin pie from Diane Niemi for Thanksgiving pie season, as a fundraiser to help Alzheimer’s/dementia research – explained here.
HIGH POINT MARKET GARDEN FARM STAND: Fresh-vegetable sales continue weekly at the stand alongside the organic mini-farm at 32nd and Juneau, 4-7 pm. More info here.
MORE ENDORSEMENTS? The 34th District Democrats have already made endorsements in many major races for the November ballot – but there are others to consider when they meet tonight at 7 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy (9131 California SW). The agenda’s on their website.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT SOCCER: The West Seattle Sunday Soccer group’s weekly Wednesday night pickup game happens at 7 pm at Delridge Playfield – check the WSSS Facebook page for late-breaking updates.
More on the calendar!
If you bought a ticket for this year’s West Seattle Garden Tour, then that big ceremonial check is in part from you! Tuesday night at the Duwamish Longhouse, the WSGT celebrated this year’s eight beneficiaries – by presenting them with a grand total of $24,705, following what not only was a well-attended tour but was its most successful yet at drawing revenue from sponsors (including WSB again this year). Individual photos ahead, along with details on how the $ will be spent!
| 8 COMMENTS