West Seattle, Washington
31 Sunday
Our daily check of city Department of Planning and Development records turns up a new project in a high-profile place: The lot at 5448 Delridge Way SW, between DESC’s Cottage Grove Commons and the Martin’s Way storefront. The site has long held a ramshackle 1927-built cottage. On Friday, its new owner applied to the city for permission to tear down the house and build a commercial building. Documents in the file carry the name of Dreamscapes, a local landscaping company whose owner bought the Delridge site a year ago, according to county records. The online file says the permit is for a 1-story “office” building with a pre-fab steel frame and four on-site parking spaces (the site is zoned for “neighborhood commercial” up to 40 feet high).
If you are among those wondering about the police, fire, and then Medical Examiner response at Admiral Way Viewpoint just after dawn today – especially unnerving to some in that area after the overnight fires – we finally have a bit of information. SPD Lt. Alan Williams responded to our inquiry, saying a suicide victim was found there, a man believed to be in his 70s.
(As always when mentioning suicide, we want to point out a local resource for those considering self-harm or otherwise in crisis: The Crisis Clinic has a 24-hour hotline, 206-461-3222.)
Back in April, we shared the announcement of a reunion for the Gatewood Elementary School Class of 1956. Now, the followup – Carol Stoner shares the photo above and this report on how it went!
We finally managed to locate more than 70 of the original list of 90. Most of us had not seen the school since the remodel in 1991, and we spent much of the tour reconciling our memories with the new reality.
The Class of 1956 attended Gatewood before the ‘gator was its mascot, when wooden desks with iron grillwork legs were bolted to the floor, and empty inkwells clanged if you flicked them during study time. Cloakrooms in the back were filled with wet coats, dripping boots, and lunchboxes with baloney sandwiches on white bread. No actual library; books were shelved in Mr. Acedo’s sixth-grade classroom, and choosing 35 books for your class was brief, stressful, and done very quietly during his class if you were book monitor that month. And, even in 1956, the wooden stairs leading up into the school had deep indentations, hollow treads, where former students, perhaps parents and grandparents, had trudged in previous decades.
On August 22nd, twenty-eight ‘Woodies reunited for a tour of the remodeled school and a catchup picnic in Lincoln Park. They found the wooden steps had been replaced, but delighted in the fact that the century-old banisters had been retained. Gone also were the wooden desks and cloakrooms, giving the rooms a modern feel and more space. The class picture on the front steps and the tour itself was much like herding cats, but a good time was had by all.
The picnic following at Lincoln Park, catered by Husky’s, was great fun. We heard apologies for remembered slights: “I’m sorry I pushed you off the table in Kindergarten, but I wanted to nap there” or “Sorry I teased you so much, but you were so cute when you blushed.” Episodes were told about teachers who had impacted our lives for good and bad, but we heard no bad stories about missing classmates, only “Remember how fast he ran?” or “She was so funny! Do you remember when she…?” We also told stories on ourselves, and it turns out that little candy store across the street from school must have made a fortune!
Although most of us shared the grade-school experience with one class for seven years, we split into two groups in ’56, some going to Madison and some to Denny. Some classmates we hadn’t seen in 58 years. Since then our classmates have built homes, airplanes, businesses, and families. They have climbed mountains, written books, worked in law enforcement, education, and health care. They have been firefighters, commercial fishermen, and researchers. They’ve worked with numbers, words, machinery, and people. It was a joy to reconnect with old friends, to remember cloakrooms, wooden desks, and inkwells, and when we were all twelve.
Gatewood is an official city landmark, by the way. P.S. Follow the link to the April announcement to see class photos from back in the day.
Three more incidents your neighbors want you to know about – first, Bryan is hoping you might have seen his bike, stolen while he was in a Junction store for a few minutes:
I am sad to say my beloved Psy-Clo was stolen (Friday) around 4:00 pm from the bike rack (locked) in front of the True Value at Edmunds and 44th Ave, while I was in the store for about 5 minutes.
Psy-Clo was a 2014 Cannondale CAAD-X, mariner blue with red and blue accents, black taped road bars, black ESA cranks (with some distinctive worn paint and scratches from when the crank fell off!), black clip in pedals, Cygolite Metro USB chargeable light (and Hotshot rear), a black rear rack, Novara under seat bag with red tool bag and orange seat cover, a black Brooks leather seat, Promax disc brakes (front adjuster is broken/loose), an RSVP top tube blue frame bag, a silver/black Zefal frame bike pump (strapped to the underside of the top tube), two black bottle holders with one white insulated Polar water bottle, and Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tires – plus a Seahawks car flag mounted under the rear seat!
I did notice an older gentleman with grayish hair and mustache sitting in a pickup truck (I think) parked along 44th right by the bike rack, who in retrospect appeared to be taking in interest in my bicycle – I figured he was just a Hawks fan! Anyway, I (have filed a police report) and have some hope the True Value surveillance camera could have some information, but would appreciate any information any passerbys/witnesses (including the C-Line bus that went by) might have.
Ahead – another “iPhone theft from outside the window” case, plus a tire slash that followed apparent “parking rage”:
A texter tipped us this morning that Delridge Food Mart at Delridge/Brandon was closed and appeared empty of merchandise. We confirmed that with a visit to the store – closed, gated, shelves visibly empty, no explanatory notes. There’s one reason to think this might be temporary: A liquor-license application suggests the store is changing hands. The application was filed on August 26th, described as an “assumption” by new proprietors Trimurti LLC, headquartered in Renton.
(Friday’s sunset, by John Hinkey)
It’s still summer! Some ways to maximize your Saturday:
BENEFIT CAR WASH: Highline Premier FC high school girls’ soccer teams are having a fundraising car wash from 10 am to 2 pm today and tomorrow at Westwood 7-11. Cheryl explains, “They are raising money to help with travel expenses to the Las Vegas Mayor’s Cup International Showcase in February 2015. This tournament gives the girls the opportunity to be seen by college coaches and recruiters from around the country.” (35th/Barton)
SHOP AND SNACK AT THE DUWAMISH LONGHOUSE: 10 am-4 pm, second of two days for the arts/crafts-and-more multiple-vendors sale (food, too!) at the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse in West Seattle; more info in our calendar listing. Free parking/admission. (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)
SAN GENNARO FESTIVAL: This is a West Seattle family‘s 2nd year staging this festival in nearby Georgetown. Today’s the second day, running 10 am-10 pm; more info here. (South Angelo St., north of Boeing Field)
VOLUNTEER WITH THE SOUTHWEST SEATTLE HISTORICAL SOCIETY! 11 am, be at the Log House Museum to find out how your talent(s) can be best put to work helping the home of West Seattle’s history. (61st/Stevens)
BARBECUE BENEFITING THE HUMANE SOCIETY: Final “Dog Days of Summer” benefit barbecue at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor), 11 am-4 pm. (California/Morgan/42nd)
COLMAN POOL’S SECOND-TO-LAST 2014 DAY: Second-to-last day this year that you can enjoy West Seattle’s only city-owned outdoor pool. Swimming starts at noon – find the schedule here. (On the shore at Lincoln Park)
KENYON HALL ‘FLUSH FUND’ BENEFIT: Noon-8 pm, stop by historic Kenyon Hall and enjoy barbecue/entertainment to raise money to upgrade the restrooms. Here’s our preview. (7904 35th SW)
WINE-TASTING ROOM OPENS: It’s opening weekend for Viscon Cellars‘ new tasting room north of Morgan Junction, featured here a few months back. They’re open today 2-7 pm. (5910 California SW)
HIGH-SCHOOL FOOTBALL TODAY/TONIGHT: Two local teams play, both out of town – Seattle Lutheran is at Mary Knight in the Elma area, 1:30 pm, according to its website; West Seattle High School is at Juneau-Douglas High School in Alaska tonight, 7 pm local time, which is 8 pm Seattle time. (Scores appreciated if you’re traveling with either team – text 206-293-6302 – thanks!)
SKIHAWKS CHARITY AUCTION: Benefit at Our Lady of Guadalupe to raise money for the Skihawks Racing Team‘s special athletes. 6:30 pm – details here. (35th/Myrtle)
‘PRINCESS ANGELINE’: Come watch the story of Chief Sealth’s daughter Princess Angeline, presented by West Seattle Meaningful Movies and the SW Seattle Historical Society – details in our calendar listing. 7 pm at Neighborhood House‘s High Point Center. Filmmakers Sandy and Yasu Osawa will be in attendance. (6400 Sylvan Way)
LIVE MUSIC AT C & P: Philip Mariconda performs live at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7 pm. (5612 California SW)
LIVE MUSIC AT THE CASK: Gary Benson performs live at The Cask (WSB sponsor), 8:30 pm. (2350 California SW)
‘COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE – ABRIDGED’: Come applaud youth performers/producers (and donate to a local nonprofit they’re raising money for), 7:30 pm in the Seattle Lutheran High School gym, second of three performances, details in our calendar listing. (41st/Genesee)
LIVE MUSIC AT THE FEEDBACK: Special solo performance by Jefferson Angell at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), 9 pm. (6451 California SW)
‘ROCKY HORROR’ AT THE ADMIRAL: At midnight! Details in our calendar listing. (2343 California SW)
YES, THERE’S MORE … on our calendar!
(WSB photos, added 2:58 am)
1:59 AM: Now Seattle Fire is at the scene of a reported “room fire” inside what sounds like one of the vacated buildings at the future 3210 California development site (former Cayce/Gain offices). More to come.
2:24 AM UPDATE: We are at the scene. Fire out, no injuries. It *was* in the back of the vacant, awaiting-demolition ex-Cayce/Gain/Cometa building. No cause yet and no one will speculate on any connection to those earlier dumpster fires a few blocks north. Many of the units are leaving, but the street will be blocked a while longer.
10:30 AM Police now say via SPD Blotter that they are indeed investigating this fire and two Dumpster fires as arson and are seeking tips.
12:08 AM: Right now in the Admiral District, investigators are dealing with multiple Dumpster fires, and looking into the possibility they were arson. (Thanks to Peter for sharing the photo from one fire between Admiral Chevron and Admiral 7-11.) They have mentioned a possible suspect description over emergency radio – white male, 5’11”, gray jacket with a white stripe, khaki shorts, last seen running southbound on Admiral near California.
4:02 AM: We’ve reported separately on the 2 am fire in South Admiral. Now, a small fire in High Point is now under investigation, and firefighters are checking out a report of smoke in Gatewood. No official information at this point indicating any of this is related but police and fire investigators are checking it all out.
10:30 AM: Via SPD Blotter, police now say they are indeed investigating two Dumpster fires and the 3200 block California SW fire as arson and are seeking tips.
The first local home varsity-football game of the year was tonight at Southwest Athletic Complex, where the Chief Sealth International High School Seahawks hosted the Notre Dame Lions, visiting from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, a 15-hour bus ride away. Above, Sealth senior Brady Crane scored two touchdowns, including running back the opening kickoff for his first one. But Notre Dame returned home with a win, 43-20. Sealth’s other TD was by junior Daron Camacho:
This early in the season, both teams were clearly working on cohesiveness; both had stretches of running and throwing well, but penalties were plentiful that seemed to negate many gains. Sealth has a new head coach this fall, by the way, Simon Iniguez, promoted from defensive coordinator.
NEXT UP FOR SEALTH: Next Friday (September 12th), 7 pm, they visit Rainier Beach High School at Southeast Athletic Complex.
My apologies to @westseattleblog for not including this shot earlier. (cc:@VisitSeattle). From yesterday's flight. pic.twitter.com/dSsu3QxFUs
— Peter West Carey (@pwcarey) September 5, 2014
This West Seattle view, tweeted today, shows a stark look at what so many continue to notice, especially driving westbound on the high bridge – the emptiness of the port’s Terminal 5, now in its second month of closure. It’s a discussion topic on next Tuesday night’s West Seattle Transportation Coalition agenda. But in case you’ve missed the backstory:
*In June, the Port Commission approved closure as the first step toward “modernization”
*The final ship, for now, called at T-5 in late July
*Commissioners voted last month to sell T-5’s cranes, too small for the ships they want to expand it to handle
The commission still has steps to take before its modernization plan would be fully in gear – not the least of which would be, deciding how to pay for its likely nine-digit price. So in the meantime, interested citizens have unofficially suggested alternative futures for the site. One is on the agenda for the West Seattle Transportation Coalition’s meeting next Tuesday, 6:30 pm at Neighborhood House’s High Point Center, 6400 Sylvan Way, everyone welcome. The agenda also includes Q/A with new SDOT director Scott Kubly, who spoke with the Southwest District Council earlier this week, as covered here.
The city has issued the master-use permit for The Whittaker, the mixed-use megaproject at 4755 Fauntleroy Way SW. The project team told us they got the news from the city this week, and the online files say the permit is officially dated today. According to correspondence in the same files, the project team has told the city it is eager to move forward so the deteriorating, vandalized old buildings on the site can be torn down, but has had to wait for that permit to be finalized, which has taken longer than they expected. The demolition permit is separate and is not shown as finalized yet, so you’re not going to see backhoes show up immediately, but the project team hopes some site work can start soon. The project will line Fauntleroy from Alaska to Edmunds, and Alaska from Fauntleroy to 40th, with two buildings holding about 370 apartments, a Whole Foods Market, and other retailers yet to be signed/announced. The project gained regional attention when former Mayor Mike McGinn told SDOT to reject developers’ request to buy a city-owned alley that’s on the site; the ultimate decision was up to the City Council, which approved the alley deal last April. Construction is expected to last about two years.
Seattle Police have just gone public with that video from this morning’s shooting/robbery outside the South Delridge 7-11 (WSB early-morning coverage here). And they have new information. From the accompanying SPD Blotter post:
SPD Robbery detectives collected video surveillance from the scene of this morning’s shooting and are now working to identify a group of suspects.
In the video, the group of suspects can be seen circling through the parking lot of a West Seattle 7-11 in a gray or silver Buick early this morning, before they climb out of their car and confront several men and women standing outside the store.
During the confrontation, one of the suspects grabbed a man’s phone and demanded his watch before the suspects returned to their Buick.
As the group of suspects began to drive away, one of the victims lobbed something at the suspects’ car. The driver of the Buick then fired several shots out a car window — striking one man in the buttocks and a woman in both her legs — and sped away from the scene.
Witnesses described the gunman as a white male in his mid 20s, possibly with blonde hair, and said he was accompanied by three black males in their 20s and 30s.
If you recognize the suspects in the video or know anything about this case, please call the SPD Robbery Unit at (206) 684-5535.
If you’re picking up a student at Chief Sealth International High School – where classes are ending for the day – it’ll be more difficult than usual to navigate the parking lot/dropoff zone, where you’ll see police cars, a fire engine, an ambulance, and a tow truck. That’s because of what’s in the photos – a car that somehow wound up on the embankment between the parking lot and the exit driveway alongside the auditorium.
Thanks to the person who texted to let us know about this and shared the top photo; at the scene, police told us the car was driven by a student, who wasn’t hurt, but had passengers who were still being checked.
Katy reports her street, 58th SW near Alki’s Whale Tail Park, has been hit hard by vehicle-related crime. Her 4-door Ford F250 was stolen early Thursday – beige, black hard cover for its bed, chrome wheels and rails, red Fx4 sticker on back 3/4 panel, WA plate B59699Y – call 911 if you have seen it. She adds, “In addition, our next-door neighbor got his work truck broken into last week, cleaned him out…and someone at the end of the block had their Lexus stolen.” We don’t have additional details on the latter theft so far but will add them if we find them; Katy’s truck is posted on SPD’s @getyourcarback feed.
(WSB photos by Patrick Sand. Above, the start of today’s assembly)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
This morning’s back-to-school celebration/assembly at Westside School (WSB sponsor) was the last one at the former EC Hughes Elementary.
Next year, after five years at the leased Seattle Public Schools-owned campus in Sunrise Heights, Westside is expecting to start the year in a “home of their own” for the very first time – the former Hillcrest Presbyterian Church site that they’ve purchased and are renovating in Arbor Heights.
The project is on schedule, Westside’s head of school Kate Mulligan told us during an end-of-summer conversation about that and other reasons this is an especially exciting year for the independent PreK-8 school.
Thanks to Fiona for the tip: Demolition has begun at the other new-elementary-school site in West Seattle, on Genesee Hill. No backhoe-biting-into-building activity yet, as of our visit – as you can see in the photo, some bricks have been removed from the front of the school along SW Genesee, and we noted backhoes on the back side (north). This is the future home of the program currently at Schmitz Park Elementary; Seattle Public Schools has said that building will become an “early-learning center” once the new elementary opens. According to this history page from the district website, Genesee Hill Elementary was open 1948-1988 before its first closure; the building was reopened in 1994 for the alternative school that became Pathfinder K-8, which was housed there until GH was closed one final time in 2009.
Crystal-clear morning, no snow on the Olympics in the view from Beach Drive. None likely any time soon. So consider this another summer weekend – from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, here’s how it’s getting started:
DUWAMISH NATIVE MARKET & JUMBLE DAYS: 10 am-4 pm, first of two days for the arts/crafts-and-more multiple-vendors sale at the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse in West Seattle; more info in our calendar listing. Free parking/admission. (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)
DELRIDGE GROCERY’S FRIDAY FARMSTAND: The fresh-produce stand just south of Delridge Library is open again, 4:30-7:30 pm, with farm-fresh fruit and vegetables. (5435 Delridge Way SW)
WORDS, WRITERS, WEST SEATTLE: Molly Ringle is featured tonight at the monthly Southwest Seattle Historical Society-presented author reading/signing event at Barnes & Noble/Westwood Village, 5-7 pm. (2600 SW Barton)
HIGH-SCHOOL FOOTBALL: One local game tonight – Chief Sealth International High School starts its season at home at Southwest Athletic Complex across the street, 5 pm. (2601 SW Thistle)
HIGHLAND PARK ELEMENTARY BACK-TO-SCHOOL BARBECUE: As previewed here earlier this week, 5:30-7 pm. (1012 SW Trenton)
CORNER BAR & SQUARE DANCING: The Subversive Square Dance Society joins the Highland Park Improvement Club‘s monthly pop-up Corner Bar, starting at 6 pm – more in our calendar listing. (12th/Holden)
SAN GENNARO FESTIVAL: This is a West Seattle family‘s 2nd year staging this festival in nearby Georgetown. Opening night, 6-10 pm; more info here. (South Angelo St., north of Boeing Field)
NIGHTLIFE AND MORE … live music at multiple venues and other happenings beyond what’s highlighted above – find it all on our calendar.
(WS bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Good morning! Quiet on the roads so far, and the weather is clear, headed for the 80s. We’ve been covering an early-morning police investigation in South Delridge but it is not affecting traffic.
WEEKEND TRAFFIC ALERTS: See them (and more) in the SDOT Construction Lookahead – most notable is that southbound I-5 will be closed 11:30 pm tonight to 6:30 am Saturday under the downtown Convention Center for fire-system testing.
TRANSPORTATION NEWS: SDOT’s new boss made his first official West Seattle appearance this week; here’s the story we published late last night.
(Photo added: South Delridge 7-11, at which police say this started)
4:38 AM: Police and fire have responded to the 9000 block of 20th SW for an assault-with-weapons call with two victims. Per emergency radio, both are in their 20s and both have gunshot wounds – one to the leg, one with a “grazing wound” behind her knees. The gunfire is believed to have come from someone in a car. More to come.
4:50 AM: According to radio communications, the person shot in the leg is a 29-year-old man who will be transported by SFD medic unit; the person with a grazing wound to her legs is an 18-year-old woman who’ll go to the hospital via private ambulance. The latest description of the vehicle is “gold,” with the shots believed to have been fired by a “white male,” with “three black males” also in the car.
Our crew at the scene is seeing one person being treated at the Montridge Arms Apartments (photo added above); police also are at the nearby 7-11.
4:55 AM: New possible description of the vehicle: Gray Taurus; police are still sorting it out.
5:01 AM: From our crew at the scene: Police say this might have started as a person-to-person theft at the 7-11, between the victims and the people in the car. The victims made it across the street to the apartment building under their own power. This is not affecting traffic on Delridge Way.
5:14 AM: More from what police said at the scene: They’re not certain whether the “grazing” injury suffered by the female victim were from bullets or “shrapnel.” Again, neither victim has a life-threatening injury. No one in custody so far. People in the area say they thought they heard five shots. Police are still talking to witnesses to sort things out, including the vehicle/suspect descriptions.
6:14 AM UPDATE: Police have just published a summary on SPD Blotter; they now confirm the man was shot, the woman hurt by “shrapnel.” The item at issue in the “theft” they told us about is now reported to have been a cell phone. The conflicting vehicle descriptions also are mentioned – either gold Buick or gray Taurus.
9 AM NOTE: We went by in the 7 am hour and noted that Robbery Unit detectives had joined other officers on scene, still behind the yellow tape.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
“We’re back to it now,” as Southwest District Council co-chair Sharonn Meeks said, launching the SWDC’s first meeting since July. The marquee guest for last night’s meeting: New SDOT director Scott Kubly, about 15 minutes late because he “had a problem with the reliability of the transportation system.”
He noted he’s lived in Seattle all of six weeks, “so I’m very very new to the city” and “learning a lot about it … One of the things that has been really apparent from my first moment on the ground … is that we have a pretty fragile transportation system.” As an example, he mentioned recent incidents, including, locally, the Highway 99 offramp fuel spill. Regarding West Seattle, “there’s very very few ways to get over here,” he observed, “a really challenging geography to work with,” while also acknowledging “it doesn’t take a rocket scientist” (to figure that out).
“I’m sure you guys are going to hit me with a lot of hard questions,” he concluded his introduction, adding, “We all need streets to work for everyone.” First question was from Chas Redmond – who brought a handout to accompany his.
Tomorrow night is the next edition of “Words, Writers & West Seattle,” 5-7 p.m. Friday (September 5th) at Barnes & Noble Westwood Village, sponsored by the Southwest Seattle
Historical Society. Featured author this time is Molly Ringle, whose work includes the young-adult fantasy novel “Persephone’s Orchard.”
The event is free; 10 percent of any purchase you make during it will benefit SWSHS. More info is on the official flyer.
P.S. Your next chance to find out about volunteering with SWSHS is coming up on Saturday at SWSHS’s Log House Museum, 61st/Stevens. Says SWSHS executive director Clay Eals, “Attendees will learn about how to turn desires and skills into meaningful tasks that will help preserve and promote the heritage of West Seattle and the greater Duwamish peninsula.” He’ll be leading a local-history primer, too.
(WSB photo, 2012 Harvest Festival)
Shopping, trick-or-treating, more shopping, costume parade, more shopping, kids’ activities … plan to be in The Junction on Sunday, October 26th, for the third annual Harvest Festival, officially announced today by the West Seattle Junction Association. Created in 2012, this event moved the Sunday Farmers’ Market out into the street, folded in the annual business-district trick-or-treating, and added a costume parade as well as games and other activities for kids, and it’s been a fun-filled four hours each time, rain or shine. The hours again this year:
*Festival runs 10 am-2 pm
*Costume parade at 11:30 am
*Trick-or-treating at noon
If your business, group, or organization would like to offer a Harvest Activity as part of the festival, find the application here. If you can volunteer at the festival, please e-mail Junction Association director Susan Melrose at susan@wsjunction.org
Two West Seattle scenes, with game time a little over an hour away:
THE 12TH FLAG, FLYING: Yes, the 1,500-square-foot, Tacoma-made “12” flag went up at Delridge/Andover a few hours ago, as planned (here’s the backstory), with spectators, in the sunshine:
12TH FANS SAIL AWAY: A smaller flag is flying from the West Seattle Water Taxi, which tends to be a hot ticket for big games. We spotted it pulling away from Seacrest about an hour ago with 12s out on deck in the sunshine:
Go, Hawks!
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