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Bulletin: Major milestone for Fauntleroy Schoolhouse purchase plan
October 8, 2008 9:13 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle history | West Seattle news

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Just last week, we checked in with Kevin Wooley of the Fauntleroy Community Service Agency for this update on the longrunning talks to buy the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse and some or all of its land from Seattle Public Schools, which put it up for sale as surplus property. Tonight, he just forwarded this announcement sent out by Kim Sheridan of Fauntleroy Children’s Center, which is based at the schoolhouse:

We are very pleased to announce that the Fauntleroy Community Service Agency has reached agreement with the Seattle School District on a term sheet for the purchase of the Fauntleroy School Building. The details of the term sheet were presented to the School Board Wednesday morning.

The purchase price for the school building and an additional 32,500 square feet in the existing paved parking lot and playground area is $1.825 million. We expect to secure the funding for the acquisition from a combination of City and State funds. The deal will close no later than August 31, 2009.

We have also agreed to continue discussions on an option to purchase the remaining playground space, as well an exploration of concepts for joint efforts for redevelopment of the back lot.

There are many steps still to come, but we wanted to take a moment and share this exciting news with you. Thank you for all your support.

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Fauntleroy Schoolhouse: Event tonight; purchase-talks update
October 3, 2008 10:53 am
|    Comments Off on Fauntleroy Schoolhouse: Event tonight; purchase-talks update
 |   Fun stuff to do | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

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Two items this morning related to the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse: First – from the WSB Events page – a free Family Fun Night tonight, sponsored by civicdancers.org, a nonprofit part of Seattlecivicdance.com, one of the schoolhouse’s key tenants. Kim Dinsmoor says it’s free, 6-9 pm, on the north side of the schoolhouse’s lower floor: “There is a silent auction of items donated by more than 30 families and West Seattle merchants. You can buy tickets for food, drinks, face painting, cake walk with up to 100 cakes, and more. All profit from this goes to Seattle Civic Concert Dancers, a non profit group. This is a chance for West Seattleites to see one of the reasons why the old Fauntleroy school is so important to our community.” Speaking of which, we just checked on the status of the plan to purchase the schoolhouse, which Seattle Public Schools has designated “surplus” property, and there are a few new developments – read on:Read More

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Worried about saving history before it’s … history? Learn how
September 27, 2008 6:29 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Not WS but we're mentioning it anyway | West Seattle history

With so much development in West Seattle, many people have asked what can be done to keep historic buildings from being lost. One step: Get educated and find out what’s possible (what’s not). Historic Seattle offers a chance to do just that, just a few weeks from now, and preservation advocate Christine Palmer sent this announcement specifically for you, calling the event a “training opportunity for neighborhood residents to protect what’s left of West Seattle’s heritage” (and other neighborhoods whose residents may choose to participate):

HISTORIC SEATTLE PROVIDES A WORKSHOP FOR COMMUNITY RESIDENTS TO BECOME THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION EXPERTS

Struggling to understand Seattle’s historic preservation ordinance?
Disturbed by insensitive new construction in your neighborhood?
Seeking procedures for dealing with local historic properties?
Who is on the landmarks board anyway?

PROTECTING HISTORIC SITES

Good Shepherd Center
4649 Sunnyside Avenue N., Room 202 (map)
Saturday, October 18, 2008, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Reservations required
$30 admission includes lunch

Historic Seattle will provide the answers to these questions and more at a full-day workshop featuring presentations by local historic preservation experts. Advance reservations are required! Workshop fees are $25 for Historic Seattle members and $30 for the general public. Please register online at:
www.historicseattle.org/events/eventdetail.aspx?id=303

Workshop participants will enjoy a lunch delivered to the Good Shepherd Center and receive an extensive packet of useful information about local, state, and national preservation issues and opportunities. The agenda will cover the following topics:

WHAT ARE HISTORIC PROPERTIES? Presenters will provide an overview of Seattle’s diverse and unique historic resources including the distinctions between “eligible” and “designated” sites.

NEIGHBORHOOD SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION. Want to know more about rallying local residents for preservation issues? What should you do if the owner opposes the landmark designation? What are the alternatives to designated historic buildings and neighborhoods? Would a conservation district provide enough protection?

SUCCESS STORIES FROM NEIGHBORS WHO LANDMARKED PROPERTIES IN SOUTH PARK, FREMONT, AND CAPITOL HILL

COUNTY, NATIONAL AND STATE PRESERVATION PROGRAMS. Seattle and King County preservation legislation is different, but how? What are the advantages of listing on the Washington Heritage Register or the National Register of Historic Places?

FINANCIAL INCENTIVES. Help is out there, but you need to find out if your historic building qualifies.

Presenters will include:

Staff for the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board in the Seattle
Department of Neighborhoods
Local Consulting Historians and Architects
Former members of the City Landmarks Preservation Board
Staff from the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation
Staff for the King County Landmarks Commission
Staff from 4Culture
And more!

Deadline for registration at the workshop: Wednesday, October 15, 5:00 pm (online registration link)

By the way, if you’re wondering what West Seattle has on the list of official city landmarks – all 14 are shown here.

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Delridge history, now online and in the library, years in the making!
September 26, 2008 5:40 am
|    Comments Off on Delridge history, now online and in the library, years in the making!
 |   Delridge | West Seattle history | West Seattle news | West Seattle online

From project manager Randy Nelson:

The South Seattle Community College Library has just completed work on a federal Library Services and Technology Act grant originating from the Washington State Institute of Museum and Library Services and awarded by the Office of the Secretary of State, Washington State Library Division.

A major product of this project is this website: www.delridgehistory.org, managed by the South Seattle Community College Library. The Library has also become the depository for material connected with the project.

The project is the culmination of years of co-operation involving South Seattle Community College, Seattle Public Schools, the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, and the Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association. South Seattle Community College emeritus faculty Judy Bentley organized the project.

This project is part of an ongoing effort by South Seattle Community College to be involved with its neighborhood.

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9/11, seven years later
September 11, 2008 1:47 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Alki Statue of Liberty | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

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We found those three neighboring homes on 26th SW near Westwood Village, displaying flags on today’s anniversary. No official West Seattle commemorations that we know of (please advise if you’ve heard of one) – we will be visiting the Alki Statue of Liberty later to see what’s happening there, given its informal role as a remembrance location, dating all the way to the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. On this date last year, the recast statue made its debut in a ceremony that was both an unveiling and a tribute (WSB coverage, including video, here); a year earlier, on September 11, 2006, the old pedestal stood empty, as the original statue (now at the Log House Museum gift shop) had been taken away so the recasting process could begin.

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Corner Inn: First the auction, now the freebies
August 16, 2008 8:58 am
|    Comments Off on Corner Inn: First the auction, now the freebies
 |   West Seattle history | West Seattle news

Two and a half weeks ago, auctioneers sold off much of what was inside Morgan Junction’s Corner Inn (WSB video coverage here), which abruptly closed in early June. This morning, WSB’er “Rock Steele” spotted a few remaining (big) pieces offered free on CL — separate ads for the Corner Inn’s awning, bar, and stage. All three listings say the items must be removed within one week. Hmm.

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Corner Inn auction: Memories up for bid
July 29, 2008 12:10 pm
|    Comments Off on Corner Inn auction: Memories up for bid
 |   West Seattle history | West Seattle news | West Seattle video

Video thumbnail. Click to play.
Click To Play

Your editor here has driven past the Corner Inn (California/Fauntleroy) thousands of times, yet never been inside till this morning’s auction, almost two months after its sudden shutdown. Above, you see just one video clip of many we captured during the auction’s first 45 minutes – even without any personal memories in the place, we found ourselves oddly teary at the sadness of the scene – the icicle lights and Mylar stars still dangling from the ceiling, right next to the elevated portable podium where the namesake of James G. Murphy Auctioneers cheerily (as our video shows) plowed through the list of items, from a colander, to photos from the wall, up to the piano and organ – those by the way went for a shockingly low price; that clip ahead (and we’ll be adding more as we go through our video):Read More

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Fauntleroy Church centennial: Documentary debut; weekend fun
July 25, 2008 12:59 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle history | West Seattle news | West Seattle religion

Would have written about this last night – but we got word of the Alki fire just as we were leaving the event – the Fauntleroy documentary (mentioned here in February) was previewed last night and will officially premiere as part of this weekend’s Fauntleroy Church (WSB sponsor) centennial celebration (which starts tonight) – read on:Read More

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West Seattle Grand Parade countdown: Photos from the past
July 18, 2008 9:11 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle Grand Parade | West Seattle history

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Thanks to Gina Terrana for sending those undated photos of West Seattle Grand Parade scenes in years gone by, taken by her grandmother, Alice Webb. Unless you’re very new to West Seattle, it’s fairly easy to tell where they were taken (though the signage certainly has changed):

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Gina explains that her grandmother was active with Eastern Star, so most of the photos involved Masonic parade entries:

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Gina tells us a little bit more about her grandmother, who died in 1986:

Alice Webb was also the wife of Arthur J. Webb. and the mother of Arthur C. Webb; both owned construction companies that did quite a bit of building in West Seattle. A.C. was the builder behind Fauntlee Hills. A.J. built the brick duplex next to the P.C.C., that was his basic construction style. Both styles of construction look the same to me, but my mother was always able to tell, “my father built that. my brother built this.” Grandma Webb thought that they had built everything, everywhere by the time I knew her.

Now go make your own history and check out the parade tomorrow – watch it from anywhere along the route (map in this post last night) OR if you’ve got some volunteering in your past/present (who doesn’t?) you can join the fun little group that West Seattle community volunteer/organizer extraordinaire Cindi Barker is rounding up, with support from WSB (your editor here will walk with the group, and Junior Member of the Team will be handing out candy on the sidelines – no throwing candy, we’ve been warned, but handing it out is OK). We’re scheduled to be about a third of the way down the lineup of 70-plus entries. The Rotary Club of West Seattle presents the Kiddies’ Parade (all participants welcome) at 10:30 am (sign in @ California/Genesee starting at 9:45 am), American Legion Post 160 presents the Grand Parade immediately afterward, starting at California/Lander.

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Fauntleroy Church gets ready for its birthday party
July 12, 2008 9:05 pm
|    Comments Off on Fauntleroy Church gets ready for its birthday party
 |   West Seattle history | West Seattle news | West Seattle religion

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Weekend after next, Fauntleroy Church (WSB sponsor) is throwing a whale of a party for its centennial – and getting ready for it now; this morning, Judy Pickens, Pat Gedney, and Marilynn Bernahl were among the volunteers sprucing up the church grounds during a centennial-prep work party. Special events for the centennial weekend celebration July 25-27 include the Friday Night Bean Feed and Talent Show (followed by Vespers on the Beach) on July 25, an open house and dinner/documentary showing on July 26, and a special anniversary worship service and reception on July 27. Full details at the church website.

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Saving Fauntleroy Schoolhouse: New possibility for “back lot”
July 11, 2008 6:07 am
|    Comments Off on Saving Fauntleroy Schoolhouse: New possibility for “back lot”
 |   Utilities | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

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With next month’s deadline approaching for the Fauntleroy Community Services Agency to make a deal with Seattle Public Schools to buy the historic schoolhouse – now that the district’s selling it as “surplus” — here’s the latest update from FCSA, including word of a new possible use for the “back lot,” which previously has been mentioned as a possible development site:Read More

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Providence Mount St. Vincent: Cars today, jobs tomorrow
June 15, 2008 6:07 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Seen around town | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

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Beautiful day to show off classic cars – the sun gleamed off every beautifully maintained participant at the Providence Mount St. Vincent Father’s Day Car Show this afternoon – these two VERY classic cars in particular:

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The owner of this one told us he really does drive it. 20 horsepower though, so it’s not much for the freeway:

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“The Mount” has another big event tomorrow – a job fair, 1 pm-6 pm. Find out more here; the hilltop facility just south of The Junction says it’s West Seattle’s biggest employer.

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Saving Fauntleroy Schoolhouse: New deadline for deal
June 11, 2008 1:40 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle history | West Seattle news

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With a few weeks to go to the original deadline for the Fauntleroy Community Services Agency to make a deal with Seattle Public Schools to buy the historic schoolhouse – now that the district’s selling it as “surplus” — we checked to see where things stand. According to an update issued this week by FCSA, “The district has extended the deadline to reach a purchase and sale agreement to August.” FCSA also says there’s still a possibility the back lot may be developed and says it “has been discussing what kind of development, who would own the property, who would receive payment for the development rights, and ensuring that any development would be compatible with the tenants and uses in the school.” They also are continuing to work on a formal application to have the schoolhouse designated as a city landmark (as we first reported last month), adding, “city staff has been very encouraging that the entire building could be eligible for designation.”

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Details: New design proposal partly preserves Charlestown Court
June 11, 2008 6:07 am
|      42 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

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That’s the dramatically different new design just unveiled by Junction-based Nicholson Kovalchick Architects for the mixed-use project at 3811 California SW (map), currently the site of the 80-year-old brick fourplex known as Charlestown Court:

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It’s been 14 months since we first told you Charlestown Court was marked for teardown, and two months since we brought you the city Landmarks Board‘s decision that it didn’t merit landmark status, which seemed to open the door for demolition. But instead, a surprise twist last night, as we briefly mentioned earlier — full details ahead:Read More

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Something to consider if you travel on The (High) Bridge today
June 11, 2008 12:40 am
|      18 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle history | West Seattle news

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In about two hours, it’ll be exactly 30 years since the freighter crash that you can thank for the existence of The (high) Bridge. And as you probably know, the case took an even weirder twist years later, when the captain who hit the (old) bridge, Rolf Neslund, was murdered by his wife — a killing that area author Ann Rule turned into one of her recent best-sellers. Six years and one month after the freighter crash, the current (high) bridge opened. You can find great photos of the massive construction project here.

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Bulletin: Charlestown Court may be partly saved, after all
June 10, 2008 9:35 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

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(photo by Christopher Boffoli)
Just back from tonight’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting. Huge news for those who lamented the plan to tear down Charlestown Court, the 80-plus-year-old brick fourplex (photo above) across from Charlestown Cafe. Quick backstory – its owner wanted to tear it down and replace it with a mixed-use building; the landmark proposal slowed its progress, but after the “no” vote un April (WSB coverage here), it seemed the backhoes were on their way. The project is set for one more Design Review meeting this Thursday night — and tonight, when the ANA got a preview from the architecture firm on the project, Junction-based NK Architects, a surprise: A brand-new design that would preserve and lift the two distinctive front sections, or “wings,” of the building — arches and all — as part of the project, demolishing only the rectangular back section. We’ve got a photo of the design rendering and many more details we’ll share in the full writeup later tonight (as well as other news from the ANA meeting).

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Want to save another unique part of The Junction? Here’s a chance
May 30, 2008 10:58 am
|    Comments Off on Want to save another unique part of The Junction? Here’s a chance
 |   How to help | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

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As you can read in our coverage of last night’s development meeting — and many other related stories — more than a few people are worried about losing what makes The Junction special. On a semi-small scale, here’s a chance to help save part of its specialness by coming to the rescue of one of its unique works of public art — another of its history-depicting murals (here’s more about all of them) — the ferry mural behind the ex-Morton’s-now-Pharmaca building. More photos and info ahead:Read More

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Satterlee House followup: Agent says repairs in the works
May 20, 2008 1:21 pm
|    Comments Off on Satterlee House followup: Agent says repairs in the works
 |   West Seattle history | West Seattle news

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If you’ve been following the saga of the Satterlee House – the city-landmark-designated “Painted Lady” of Beach Drive (4800 block) – you know its current owner, William Conner, is challenging a city ruling against his proposal to build three 3,000-square-foot-average homes on its long front lawn (most recent WSB report here). In testimony before the city Hearing Examiner, who affirmed the city Landmarks Board ruling that Conner had appealed (WSB coverage of the decision here), it was disclosed that the house has significantly settled and that the problem likely had contributed to the failure of at least one purchase offer over the years. One of the witnesses at the hearing (as reported here) was the Satterlee House’s longtime listing agent, AC Braddock, who e-mailed WSB to say that Conner has committed to repairing the settling, and she believes that might “help someone to decide to buy the entire property as an estate. Having the house lifted and made more level should give a prospective owner more confidence in the viability of the home and seriously consider making the investment required to update the home and grounds as an estate home.” Braddock adds that she plans to schedule some open houses before and after the repair work.

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Satterlee House owner goes to court to challenge city ruling
May 15, 2008 4:27 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

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The fight over what can and can’t be built on that large lawn in the 4800 block of Beach Drive, stretching westward from the city-landmarked Satterlee House, isn’t over yet. Richard Hill, lawyer for Satterlee House owner William Conner, has just confirmed to WSB that Conner is going to court to challenge the city Hearing Examiner‘s recent ruling on his development proposal. As reported here April 28th, Hearing Examiner Sue Tanner upheld the city Landmarks Board vote against Conner’s proposal to build three 3,000-square-foot homes on the land; it’s been subdivided into three lots for potential development, and it was suggested at the extensive hearing preceding the ruling (this archive includes all WSB coverage) that the board might have looked more favorably on smaller houses. The HE ruling was the city’s final say, so court action was the only means by which it could be challenged; the 51-page appeal asks King County Superior Court to review the decision – we won’t have time to review all 51 pages till later, but we’ve uploaded the document here in case you want to read it first.

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Saving Fauntleroy Schoolhouse: Pursuing landmark status
May 15, 2008 10:44 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

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A little more than a month is left before Fauntleroy Community Services Agency needs to make an official deal with Seattle Public Schools as part of the first round of negotiations to buy the 92-year-old Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, which the district is putting up for sale as “surplus property.” Meantime, landmark status is being pursued – we heard last night from Alison Swing, who is working on the landmark-nomination documentation and asking to hear from anyone who can help her with this type of information:

I’m just looking for testimonies on behalf of the community on significant impacts the school has had on the local community, whether socially, economically, politically, and any other information on the significance of the school as a historic landmark for the community.

If you have anything to say along those lines, please e-mail Alison at aswing@u.washington.edu as soon as you can.

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Time and tide: Looking back, looking ahead
May 11, 2008 6:07 pm
|    Comments Off on Time and tide: Looking back, looking ahead
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle history

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One more look back, not just at this past week’s megalow tides, but into history … Susan Grossman of Singingpixel Photography sent that photo of the old Luna Park pilings during one of their low-low-tide appearances. This gives us an excuse to remind low-tide fans to mark the calendar for the first week of June (tide table here), when we will again see this type of low tide (and even lower, with two minus-4 tides, “bottoming out” just before noon on June 4th, with a -4.1).

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Happening today/tonight: Two restaurant events
April 29, 2008 5:35 am
|    Comments Off on Happening today/tonight: Two restaurant events
 |   Alki Homestead | Neighborhoods | West Seattle history | West Seattle restaurants

ALKI HOMESTEAD: A post in the WSB Forums brought first word of an “antique” sale there 3-7 pm today. (By the way, the business – not the building – is still for sale; this listing was renewed just yesterday.)

ENDOLYNE JOE’S: Part of tonight’s proceeds will benefit the Fauntleroy Community Association‘s Fauntleroy Fall Festival. (More here.)

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Bulletin: Satterlee House owner loses city appeal
April 28, 2008 4:50 pm
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

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Just received a copy of the decision issued this afternoon by city Hearing Examiner Sue Tanner after several days of testimony we covered last month: The Hearing Examiner affirms the Landmarks Preservation Board‘s denial of a “certificate of approval” for Satterlee House owner William Conner to build three houses on the Beach Drive landmark’s front lawn (photo above). That doesn’t mean he can’t build on the front lawn, but the particular proposal he had put forth – which required Landmarks Board approval because of the property’s status as a city landmark – will not be approved. WSB was the only news organization to cover the hearing that stretched out across almost three weeks last month (you can find the previous stories in reverse chronological order by looking here). 5:15 PM UPDATE: We have messages out to Conner’s lawyer Richard Hill seeking comment; this is the city’s final decision in the matter, so any further challenge would have to come in court. Also, here is a link to the full 16-page decision if you would like to read it yourself. 5:20 PM UPDATE: Quick reply from Hill: “Mr. Conner respectfully disagrees with the Hearing Examiner’s decision. He will be reviewing his options.” No decision on that expected for at least a week. Meantime, we’re still working on the summary of the decision. 6:39 PM UPDATE: As promised, here’s our full writeup on the Hearing Examiner’s decision, with excerpts:Read More

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