West Seattle, Washington
24 Sunday
It’s the hottest topic on WSB since the now-legendary “West Seattle Dishes to Die For” — 85 comments and new ones every day — so we’re thinking you might be interested in the next chance for an in-person discussion of the upzoning proposal on California between Hanford and Hinds (and a little further south, on the west side of the street, as shown on the city map @ left): Tomorrow night, you’re invited to the monthly meeting of the Admiral Neighborhood Association, 7 pm tomorrow at Admiral Congregational Church (California/Hill, map here). The ANA’s last meeting brought the first word of full details on this proposal, so who knows what you’ll hear if you drop by tomorrow night!
Just a bit north of where the fire-interrupted live/work project has resumed at 4132 California, a demolition permit has now been granted for these old rentals, slated to be replaced by a 4-story, 39-unit apartment building with 3,300+ sf of ground-level retail space plus 51 parking spaces (so says the city project page). Between that site and 4132 is yet another future apartment building; we saw some cleanup work going on there this morning, though that project isn’t as far along in the permit cycle.
We linked yesterday to a photo of the water buildup in the 41st/42nd/Alaska megaproject construction … today, WSB contributing photographer Christopher Boffoli went by for some video of what’s being done about it:
The lot behind Petco in The Junction isn’t closed to parking yet but it’s apparently on the brink (the folks in the store are also waiting to hear when) – so suggests the sign on the fence, shown in our photo above; it discusses other parking options, and advises Petco shoppers to get store workers to help them with big items, and of course it also talks about the project coming to that site: Mural, which is the second project on this page at the site of its developers, Harbor Properties (side note, a power permit for the construction project was just granted). Petco, you may recall, wants to move to a new future building at the Charlestown Cafe site; things on that front have been publicly quiet (city project page here) since the last Design Review Board meeting four months ago (our detailed report is here, and it includes links to all the background).
(above photo by WSB contributing photographer Christopher Boffoli) North of The Junction, reconstruction is back in high gear at 4132 California, the live/work units (city project page here; developers’ project page here) that were under construction when a huge early-morning fire (below photo by Garrett Burke) destroyed the project August 17th. Investigators declared it arson but so far as we know have never made an arrest (hotline for tips: 800-55-ARSON).
We all got excited October 12 when, the day after the demolition permit was granted, the ex-Schuck’s at California/Charlestown started showing some signs of impending activity. Then … nothing, till a construction permit for the replacement project was issued last Friday, and today, we got a reader tip (thank you!) that takedown crews were on scene … WSB contributing photographer Christopher Boffoli went over for a look and reports, “… the entire interior is indeed gutted and the front windows are blown out. Looks like they went through the interior with a bobcat tractor [see second photo]. The north parking lot was full of burned-up debris.”
UPDATED FRIDAY MORNING: Last night’s West Seattle HS meeting on the California Ave upzoning proposal drew a big crowd (SRO in the library, almost 100 people). Very spicy meeting, with the landowners behind the proposal — real-estate/property-management partners Roger Cayce and Mike Gain — there not to make a presentation (that was done by their representative Josh Stepherson, and it was no different from what we heard at an informal meeting two weeks ago), but to participate in the discussion, where they heard lots of angry opposition, before and after explaining why they want the zoning changed. Here’s our complete report:Read More
All 3 are on our frequently updated everything-West-Seattle Events page, but also worth one more big shoutout:
4-8 PM @ ARBOR HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY: Holiday bazaar! Food, music, shopping, fun; read more here.
6:30 PM @ WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL: The (so far) only scheduled public meeting about the upzoning proposal for a block-plus of California Avenue between Hanford and Hinds; property owners are expected to attend to explain their intentions, as well as city reps and concerned neighbors; everyone’s welcome. (Read our previous coverage: Yesterday, Monday, Nov. 20, Nov. 13 in 2 parts here and here, original report on November 8th.)
7 PM @ HIGH POINT COMMUNITY CENTER: The second of 6 chances within 1 week for West Seattle residents to have a say in the city Parks Department’s future plans (read our complete coverage of the first meeting here).
On the eve of the public meeting about the upzoning proposal for both sides of California Ave between Hanford and Hinds (and a bit south on the west side), two updates: Neighborhood opponents are distributing a flyer around the area with their concerns and full details of how to have a say (they sent us a copy; we uploaded it – click here to read it); supporters continue to add comments to our earlier posts (one comment is at the bottom of the list here; another one at the bottom here). Tomorrow night’s meeting is at West Seattle High School, 6:30 pm. For background info, the city’s page about the proposal is here; our report on informal presentations made 2 weeks ago to the Admiral Neighborhood Association by a developers’ rep and a city planner is here.
From Pigeon Point Neighborhood Council leaders: An urgent call to neighbors to find out if they want to meet this week with the principal/CEO of the firm behind a sizable housing development on 22nd SW (city info page here), because that executive can schedule a meeting either this week, or not till next year. The development centered at 3816 22nd SW (here’s a map) would include 14 housing units — 2 single-family homes plus 12 townhouse units. Neighborhood leaders need to hear by 6 pm tonight from anybody who would be interested in a meeting this week; if you’re in the Pigeon Point area and not already on its list, contact info is at the PPNC site.
Reminder that this Thursday night (6:30 pm, West Seattle High School library) is the first major public meeting about the proposal to rezone both sides of California between Hanford and Hinds (and a bit further south on the west side of the street) to allow larger businesses and taller buildings (city map screengrab at right). Over the holiday, the major landowners behind the proposal (and four other site visitors) added comments to the original WSB report about the plan — since that report is almost 3 weeks old, there’s a 99.9% chance you haven’t seen the new comments, so here are the highlights:Read More
TOWNHOUSE GLUT? WHAT TOWNHOUSE GLUT? Not long after reading this article (which we also mentioned over the weekend), we found permit applications for another teardown-to-townhome project in north West Seattle, on 44th just south of Atlantic (map): it spans two addresses, 1506 44th and 1508 44th, and is next to what appears to be a similarly sized project for which permit applications were filed a few weeks earlier, 1510 44th and 1512 44th.
LAST CALL FOR DESIGN REVIEW ON 2 PROJECTS: The official notice on these came out last week but might have gotten lost in the pre-holiday rush: The Southwest Design Review Board meets December 20th — at Denny Middle School instead of the usual SW Precinct — for the “recommendation” phase on the townhouse/”live-work” proposal at 6053 California (where the martial-arts tenant just had its moving sale weekend before last) and 7901 35th, known for spiritual pursuits from the Seventh-Day Adventists to Temenos to Mars Hill bus parking, now proposed for auto repair (including a new 2-story building).
Three notable articles from the P-I this morning: #1, apparent townhome glut; #2, definite rat glut; #3, on the 36th anniversary of the legendary DB Cooper hijacking, the second half of this article features someone who claims D.B. Cooper was a transsexual from West Seattle.
Background: A group of property owners led by well-known real-estate/property management partners Roger Cayce and Mike Gain are asking the city to “upzone” both sides of California Ave. between Hanford and Hinds (and a bit south of Hinds; city map screengrabbed above) from NC1-30 to NC2-40, as preparation for future redevelopment. The first details emerged at last week’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting; here’s our detailed report. Then, last Friday, the city set November 29 as the date for the first full public meeting on this. And tonight, we know that meeting will be at 6:30 pm in the library at West Seattle High School. Representatives for both the city and the property owners will be at the 11/29 meeting, and public comment will be important, for and from anyone interested/concerned in the plan. Here are a few other details of note:Read More
One year ago, we first wrote about the stretch shown above — 4515 41st and environs, on the east edge of The Junction. Neighbors were concerned at the time about a development proposal for a 7-story apartment/condo building on the 4515 41st parcel, and neighboring lots, that at one point even featured a “park & pool” plan. That had changed by the time the project finished going through the Design Review Board process, but neighbors’ concerns over the size of the proposed project remained. Now, WSB contributor Christopher Boffoli (who also took the photo above) reports, the original developers appear to be getting out — 4515 41st is on the market again. Two years ago, county records say, it sold for $925,000; now it’s offered for $1,500,000, with listing pages (such as this one) describing it as a “(f)antastic townhome or multi-unit site right in the heart of the West Seattle Junction.”
Even before the destiny of the ex-Gee/ex-Huling dealership parcels becomes clear … even before Fauntleroy Place breaks ground … another chunk of Fauntleroy Way business land east of The Junction is now on the market: 4415-4425 Fauntleroy (map), perhaps best known as home to Tervo’s Mini-Mart (whose proprietor died this past Labor Day), listed for sale for $2,900,000. Here’s the listing; the flyer describes it as “commercial, retail, or mixed use; potential for 79 units, plus 5 commercial units; 108 parking spaces.” Here’s a screen grab of the flyer:Read More
According to the city’s project page for the Hanford-to-Hinds upzoning proposal on California (Wednesday’s detailed report here), the public meeting is set for Thursday, November 29th, at West Seattle High School. We hope to hear back from DPD planners early next week regarding the time.
First one has to do with the doomed building shown above (future home of a 3-story commercial building plus townhouses), which, as we first wrote in April, we have a soft spot for. Big green signs in its window today announce a “moving sale” this weekend for the martial-arts studio that’s been the storefront’s most recent tenant; we found more about the sale online.
Second note: Across the street and to the south from the aforementioned moving sale, the city seems to still be having trouble getting the ex-Chuck and Sally’s Tavern to comply with the rules regarding not using the property as a parking lot; this page says it’s failed two inspections and now is under a warning to comply by 11/30, or else.
Continuing our report on details about the California Ave (Hanford to Hinds) rezoning request that were revealed at tonight’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting: While, as we mentioned earlier, there are two “primary applicants,” the area involved in this request to “upzone” from the current NC1-30 to NC2-40 has more than 20 property owners. The applicants’ rep Josh Stepherson says 70% of them have signed on for this, but even among the other 30%, he says, none are opposed. His presentation included bullet points on what “positive impacts” the applicants think this would have on the area — but first, the full text of their statement, included in the 10-page handout Stepherson distributed tonight:Read More
Just back from dropping in on the Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting to hear the promised mini-presentation on the proposed “upzoning” of both sides of California from Hanford to Hinds (and a bit beyond, on the west side). Not only was a DPD rep there as expected, so was Josh Stepherson, who’s representing the property owners behind the proposal. He brought along a 10-page handout, and among the new details included in that handout were the names of the “primary applicants” — Roger Cayce and Mike Gain. If you are a relatively recent West Seattle arrival, you might be thinking “Yes, and your point is — ?” It’s this: Back when we arrived in the early ’90s, they were the biggest names in WS real estate, with their names on almost every for-sale shingle. (We bought our house from a Cayce & Gain listing, after two years of renting a Cayce & Gain-managed condo.) Their names are still on a property-management firm in the proposed rezone area, but what was Cayce & Gain Real Estate is now Prudential NW (also in the proposed rezone area). So why are they (and other area property owners) asking to change the zoning? We have some details on that too, as well as on plans for a public meeting in about 2 weeks, coming up in a complete report we’ll post here later tonight.
We first told you five days ago about the new proposal to rezone both sides of a stretch of California Ave south of Admiral Junction. Right now it’s zoned NC1-30 (latter number is maximum height); the proposal, brought by a representative for area property owners, is to change that to NC2-40. (“NC” stands for neighborhood commercial; other Seattle zoning designations explained here.) Here’s the area in question, in a screengrab straight from the city “notice of application” page:
Some of those commenting on our original post suggested new development in that area will be an aesthetic improvement. Then there are concerns like this one:Read More
If you are going to The Junction for the Farmers’ Market (or anything else) today and have time to stroll a block east — check out how massive the excavation for the Capelouto megaproject (announced as Office Depot/QFC/apartments) has become (above photo was taken looking through the fence from the west side, along 42nd). Downtown, big digs like this are old hat, but in West Seattle, not so much.
There’s a real bulletin this time around in the semiweekly city Land Use Information Bulletin that just came out: A request to rezone both sides of California, between Hanford and Hinds on the east side, and from Hanford to 100′ south of Hinds on the west side. If this is granted, the zoning would change from NC1-30′ (the last number is max height) to NC2-40′. Looking now to find out more about what’s behind this, but wanted to pass it along in the short run – we’ve been following the LUIB fairly closely for more than a year and haven’t seen anything like this in that time.
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