West Seattle, Washington
14 Saturday
Ten years ago, we reported on an application filed to turn a space on the south side of Westwood Village into a location for Panda Express, the fast-Chinese-food chain. That proposal eventually stalled, and the space became a physical-therapy clinic. Today, checking the Westwood Village map – which is where the center’s new-ish owners have first publicly disclosed future tenants – we discovered Panda Express is back in the picture.
That’s a screengrab showing a new addition to the map today – Panda Express is penciled in for the spot next to QFC that Pet Pros occupied before moving to Jefferson Square. It’s in the row that already holds many of WWV’s other food/beverage businesses – Sub Stop, Toshi’s Teriyaki, Happy Lemon, Starbucks. We have an inquiry out to Panda Express to see if they’ll comment. Their nearest restaurant is in Burien; the two existing Seattle locations are both in the north part of the city.
10:06 PM: SFD has sent several crews to Westwood Village for what’s reported as an “exterior fire” at the Target loading dock They’re checking to see if it’s having any effects inside the store.
10:31 PM: This did not turn out to be major and two of the four units were dismissed quickly, with only one still on the scene, We’ll follow up with SFD.
ADDED: Here’s what SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo told us: “Crews responded to a rubbish fire outside of a retail strip mall. A bystander was able to knock down the fire with an extinguisher, then our firefighters fully extinguished it. The fire did not extend to any nearby buildings, and no injuries were reported.”
(WSB photo)
Thanks for the tips. Another big-box closure at Westwood Village – signs up today announce that the shopping center’s Staples store is closing November 17th. We have a message out to the company to ask why. A check of national news doesn’t show any large-scale wave of Staples closures, though the privately held office-supply chain is closing one in Massachusetts this week. Other major retailers that have closed at WWV include Bed Bath & Beyond (in the space currently temporarily occupied by Spirit Halloween) and Barnes & Noble (replaced by Ross Dress For Less), though the center’s new-ish ownership has filled other smaller spaces, and has a Daiso store on the way (as we first reported in July).
West Seattle Wellness has a new location and new owner as of today, founder Joe Bielling has announced. The practice, which has been located in Westwood Village (over NK Nails), is now in The Junction, at 4744 41st Ave SW (the City Watch building). And ownership has been transferred to West Seattle Wellness’s acupuncturist, Dr Xiangyu Xu. Everything else stays the same – business name, website, online calendar access, phone number, contact info for practitioners (they include acupuncture, pelvic health, counseling, and massage therapy). Bielling says he’s long been managing the business remotely while splitting his time between Seattle and Austin; now, he is focusing on a new personal career trajectory, post-psychedelic integration therapy.
Students at “small but mighty” Sanislo Elementary on Puget Ridge could use your help if you haven’t yet locked down on dinner plans for tonight. Until 10 pm, a portion of proceeds at the Westwood Village MOD Pizza will benefit the Sanislo PTA. Their announcement says, “Families can eat in and mention Sanislo, or order online using the coupon code MODGIVES25, and MOD Pizza will donate to the Sanislo Elementary PTA 25% of the proceeds.”
First one appears to be a definite candidate for the dumped-likely-stolen file:
Abandoned burgundy KIA found on 27th and Kenyon. Obvious signs of being stolen (broken windows, ignition, etc.) and signals of drug use. This has been reported to police and assume it will be towed soon. Also footage from camera shows multiple people and cars involved during the dump.
The second one is a little more of a mystery. The reader report came in Saturday; we looked about an hour ago, and the truck is still there, so we’re publishing this:
Appears to be abandoned at 41st and Ida. Half in parking strip. Side work door attempted to be pried open.
It’s also parked facing the wrong way. The person who emailed said they’ve reported to police. Also of note – that’s the same Gatewood intersection where a stolen Hyundai was dumped earlier this week.
(WSB photos)
It’s all about love. For a second year, a family who lost a loved one too soon is celebrating his memory with a community event, and you’re invited.
Just getting going in the gym at Southwest Teen Life Center (2801 SW Thistle) is the second “Long Live King Cee Day.” The namesake is Antoine D. Matthews Jr.; tomorrow would be his 34th birthday, if he hadn’t lost his life to gun violence almost two years ago. His family is working to serve and inspire youth, with the affirmation “MOBB (My Obstacles Became Blessings).”
“King Cee” is remembered by family and friends for his big heart; he was also known nearby for his sports days at Chief Sealth, just across the street from where this event will continue until 7 pm, with youth activities, performances, food, and more. The gym is on the south side, lower level, of SWTLC.
From a reader who wanted to be anonymous:
I think it’s important for the public to be aware of this (for lack of a better word)… insanity occurring in places that are generally considered safe.
Police Call Reference Number 23-246390.
There was a guy at the park who was either high out of his mind, or very mentally impaired. Around noon he emerged from the playground area bathroom completely naked, exposing himself to lots of kids that were present. An agitated woman who I do not know told me her son just went in the bathroom where this naked guy was just weirdly hanging out and he was pretty shaken up.
Several people called the police. We did not engage him as we weren’t sure if he was violent.
For the next hour, no police showed up. A couple of Park Services people showed up and tried to contain the guy to the bathroom area, but they were pretty helpless. Anyways, this guy continued to go in and out of the bathroom and walk by the play area, where people were trying to shield their kids.
After an hour of no police response, a few people eventually had enough of this guy, decided he wasn’t physically violent, and chased him away. He walked over to Westwood Village, still naked.
Two hours after the police were called and we left the scene, I got this text:
“The officers searched the area for your incident but were unable to locate the incident or person(s). We appreciate your help in keeping our community safe.”
It’s frustrating that a drugged-out naked guy can hang out at a playground for 2 hours before law enforcement shows up.
We were away from the scanner much of today while at the Admiral festival, so we didn’t hear the related radio traffic, and the Broadcastify audio archives are missing significant chunks of time prior to 4:15 pm today. The Twitter/X call logs did time-stamp this call – usually the time when it was received, not necessarily when it was dispatched – at 12:04 pm, and show a separate “lewd/flashing/exposing” call at Westwood Village, 23-246448, at 1:01 pm.
As noted here a few weeks ago, the seasonal store Spirit Halloween has returned to the ex-Bed Bath and Beyond space at Westwood Village. Going through the center this morning, we noticed this morning that it appeared open, so we went in to verify. Here are the posted hours:
This is an earlier start than last year, when the store didn’t open until September.
2:06 PM: We first noticed that visible water flow late in the day yesterday, bubbling from a drain at Westwood Village – more like what you’d see during a storm, but of course, the weather remains dry. It’s resulted in the taping off of part of the south-side east/west drive, just east of Target/Game Stop/Ross. We went back at midday today and it’s still taped off, with the water flow continuing, so we’ve contacted Seattle Public Utilities to find out if they’re aware of the problem and if repairs are planned. Meantime, you’ll have to detour around it if you’re driving to/at WWV.
4 PM: SPU spokesperson Ingrid Goodwin tells WSB, “SPU crews were dispatched this afternoon to check out the running water. They determined that the leak is not coming from the City’s pipe, but rather is the result of a leak on private property.” So that means it’s up to the center to fix.
In case you heard the sirens and/or saw the notation on the SFD Real-Time 911 log – the “scenes of violence” response in the 9400 block of 27th SW was a false alarm – a person in crisis claimed someone had been shot, but no one had been. The call is now closing.
(WSB photo, last month)
Last month – one year after we first told you that the burger chain Five Guys was taking over the ex-Payless spot on the south side of Westwood Village – the company told us it hoped to open “end of July.” With just days left in the month, we checked back today – and a company spokesperson tells us they do have a “projected opening date” for the Westwood location: This Saturday, July 29th. Hours will be 11 am-10 pm, seven days a week.
As reported here, that reader-provided photo shows the scene Monday morning at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex as what was left of a burned, presumably stolen Kia Soul was towed away. The fire was reported around 4 am; nearby residents say the lot has been a chronic trouble spot for stunt driving and worse. It’s a Seattle Public Schools facility, so we asked the district whether the gate to that part of the lot was supposed to be locked. Short answer, yes, per a district spokesperson, whose full reply to our inquiry was:
Locking the Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex gates is part of the nightly routine of the nighttime attendant at the complex. Seattle Public Schools facilities and grounds team reviews the safety and security procedures with the staff on a regular basis. The grounds team responds in a timely manner when gate locks are not functional to repair or replace the hardware.
The community can use our Safe Schools Hotline 206-252-0510 to report threats or dangerous activity on any SPS property. This phone number is managed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
After getting that response Tuesday afternoon, we went by NCSWAC at 1:30 am today to see if the gate was secured; it was.
If you’re looking for a COVID vaccination/booster, the Southwest Library (9010 35th SW) is partnering with Othello Station for three free clinics in the next week. All are 2 pm-5:30 pm; the dates are Tuesday, July 18th; Saturday, July 22nd; and Tuesday, July 25th. No health insurance or appointment required. If you have questions, you can call the branch at 206-684-7455 or go to the Public Health – Seattle & King County website.
While traveling on SW Thistle between 35th and Delridge this week, we noticed three sets of markings that appeared to outline future speed humps. So we asked SDOT whether this was a continuation of the Westwood-area work that so far has included a new four-way stop at 25th/Trenton. Spokesperson Ethan Bergerson says this is specifically tied to safety for Chief Sealth International High School and Denny International Middle School, and that the markings we saw on SW Thistle won’t be the only ones added – they’re planning four on Thistle as well as others on 26th, 27th, and Kenyon, as shown on this map:
That’s from Denny_ChiefSealth_TrafficCalming_Postcard (002) (2) that Bergerson says SDOT sent to residents nearby. As it notes, the ones for SW Thistle are actually speed cushions – the difference is explained as “Speed cushions are like speed humps but have breaks that allow emergency vehicles to pass through them without slowing down.” No installation timeline yet.
3:58 PM: Thanks to Christy for the tip and photo. The High Point and Southwest libraries closed at 2 pm and will be closed all weekend because of what the door sign describes as “a pest issue requiring chemical treatment.” Book drops are closed too. We have an inquiry out to Seattle Public Library headquarters in hopes of finding out more. Back in May, another reader tip led to this report about a similar situation stemming from a bedbug problem at the HP branch.
5:04 PM: As a reader comments below, Delridge is now closed too, and that’s reflected in the reply we just received from SPL spokesperson Laura Gentry:
We have temporarily closed the Delridge, High Point and Southwest branches due to bedbug sightings by staff at these three locations in the last 24 hours.
We are taking aggressive steps to remediate the issue; and unfortunately, that means keeping the branches closed throughout the weekend. These branches are scheduled to receive treatment early Monday morning, so we are keeping them and their book drops closed until that has occurred and they are cleared for re-entry (about two hours following application).
We are very sorry for the inconvenience this causes our patrons in the Southwest Region of the city, but it is important we act quickly to limit the impacts of this issue by immediately closing these locations, applying treatment, and discarding impacted materials.
We thank our eagle-eyed staff who quickly alert us to anything that might negatively impact patrons, staff, or Library spaces!
They’re not sure yet what time the branches will reopen Monday – likely by early afternoon – we’ll update when we have word.
ADDED SUNDAY: SPL says all three will reopen Monday at noon.
The executive director of Village Green Senior Living (WSB sponsor) in West Seattle is celebrating a milestone. Here’s the announcement we received:
Cheers to 30 years! Eva Thomas has been working for Village Green West Seattle, formerly known as Daystar, for 30 years officially as of June 10th; she is pictured here with director of operations Kim Salas and owner Diane Powell. Eva shared her story with her team and mentioned she wouldn’t want to work anywhere else. Eva started as a housekeeper and eventually became the Maintenance Director. She has worked almost each position in the community. In 2021 she became the Executive Director, and our team wouldn’t want any other fearless leader. So again, cheers to 30 years!
(WSB photo, earlier this month)
A full year has now passed since we first told you that the burger chain Five Guys was taking over the ex-Payless spot on the south side of Westwood Village. Today, we have official info for the first time. We pinged the company again (past inquiries had gone unanswered) after WSB reader Rick noticed the website had finally been updated with a page for this location and the declaration that it would open in July. A company spokesperson confirms that, telling WSB, “We are hoping for an end-of-July opening. Hiring is underway. This store will have dine-in, delivery, and large-order program options.” Hours will be 11 am-10 pm, seven days a week.
Thanks for all the tips! Multiple emails alerted us to the new all-way stop configuration for 25th/Trenton, with marked crosswalks, on the northeast edge of Westwood Village. We asked SDOT about it; their reply: “This is a new all-way stop. The goal is to improve safety for everyone but especially pedestrians. There are a relatively large number of pedestrians crossing, including high school and middle school students. The new stop signs will also help transit make the left turn from Trenton to 25th.” It’s been five years since pathway improvements were built just north of the intersection.
For those wondering about the police presence in Westwood – they were looking for a suspect described as wanted in connection with cases including a stolen car and stolen gun. He has been described by dispatch and officers as a Black man in his mid-30s, medium build, no shirt, black shorts, a black hat, white and blue shoes. Officers blocked off the trails north of the shopping center for a while but they’re reopening them now. If you’ve seen anyone matching that description, call 911.
That video is from John L. Scott Real Estate – Westwood (WSB sponsor), recapping their successful shredding event and food drive last Saturday at Westwood Village. They also sent the numbers and words of gratitude:
We would like to thank the West Seattle community for their support of the 5th annual Shred Event. On behalf of John L. Scott Westwood, Evergreen Home Loans (Luke Zender), and White Center Food Bank, we thank you for the generous donations! We shredded over 5,000 pounds of paper and our community donated $2,000 and 1,250 pounds of food to the White Center Food Bank. We look forward to serving our community next year.
If you didn’t get to the Westwood event, you can still support WCFB – which also serves southernmost West Seattle – by going here.
Just drive, ride, or walk up to get free shredding, courtesy of John L. Scott Real Estate Westwood (WSB sponsor), right now in the northwest parking lot at Westwood Village (west of the former Bed Bath and Beyond space). Until 5 pm, they’re offering shredding while collecting nonperishable food (and money) for the White Center Food Bank, so bring a donation if you can!
What was Daystar Retirement Village at 2615 SW Barton is now Village Green Senior Living (WSB sponsor). We photographed executive director Eva Thomas and CEO Monte Powell at a reception this week celebrating the change:
The company’s Federal Way complex also is named Village Green: “We feel that branding both campuses under one name promotes continuity within our organization and our philosophy, which is simple – we believe that all people deserve to be treated with kindness and respect, especially when needs change and a helping hand is needed.” The company notes that the Powell family, rooted in regional home construction, founded the company after they “began to take notice of the lack of services, community, and opportunity available for seniors.” Village Green in West Seattle offers independent living, assisted living, and short-term care. Signage changes are planned soon – permits are pending.
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