West Seattle, Washington
15 Tuesday
Another update provided to families of residents at High Point senior-living complex Bridge Park: One of the three residents with confirmed cases of COVID-19 has died. Thanks again to the people who have shared this news, including the person who sent this image of the notification letter:
The third case was reported three days ago. The residents have been asked to stay in isolation in their apartments since the first case was reported nine days ago. That has led to a community effort to show support from outside – like the chalk art we showed earlier today.
Residents at senior-living complex Bridge Park in West Seattle’s High Point neighborhood have been in isolation because three were diagnosed with COVID-19. So one resident’s daughter asked us to publish her request for people to consider brightening the shut-in seniors’ lives – maybe with chalk art, or (solo) music … and people responded! She sent these photos and a note: “Such a bright and beautiful response to the blog post about Bridge Park! Thanks neighbors for spreading joy during this time. – Michele Nelson (and my mom Mary Lee)”
Bridge Park is at 3204 SW Morgan, with more than 100 residents.
Michele published much of this as a comment on our most-recent report about another coronavirus case at Bridge Park in High Point. Today she emailed and asked if we would post it separately:
You’ve been reading about the 3 confirmed cases of COVID-19 here in WS at the Bridge Park Senior living apartments. My mom is an 84 year old resident at Bridge Park. She has lived there two years, and it has been the most amazing home we could ever hope for her to enjoy. The staff is caring and wonderful in every way Bridge Park is an active independent living complex for seniors; it’s not assisted living or a skilled nursing facility.
The days at Bridge Park used to include three meals a day in the community dining room, daily bus trips to the mall, the junction and Westside. They had weekly social outings. They played cards and board games every night. They had exercise classes, lectures from UW professors, a traveling bean bag team, themed parties and just plain fun. They are now quarantined to their apartments 24/7. Many of the residents are widowed and live alone. Many don’t have family in close proximity.
This is a tragic time we are in now and the current confirmed cases at Bridge Park are unsettling. That being said I feel confident they are doing everything possible to keep the residents safe, healthy and informed. They’ve also been very good in communicating to the families.
I was standing in the Bridge Park parking lot talking to my mom as she stood on her balcony. It was nice to see her in person and see her smiling face while keeping precautions and distance. Many other residents came out on their balconies when they heard us talking. It was nice to see residents smiles and made me realize how lonely many of them must be during this quarantine. I’d love to be able to provide them some entertainment for them to enjoy from their balconies…anyone play the guitar/sing?? Obviously couldn’t be a group or band. Maybe kids could do some chalk art on the sidewalks surrounding Bridge Park?
Please don’t send groups or congregate in the area. Just putting ideas out there to bring some joy to your quarantined senior West Seattle neighbors!
Lots of room to even just walk by and wave … the complex’s address is 3204 SW Morgan, but it has units fronting on public sidewalk on 2 sides – Morgan west of Lanham, Lanham north of Morgan.
(WSB photo, last week)
Another COVID-19 case reported at Bridge Park, the senior-living complex in High Point. Here’s the first page of the notification, provided by a family member:
(Here’s the second page.) The first case was reported last Thursday; second case, this past Monday. These three cases, and one affecting a South Seattle College student, are the only ones that have come to light in West Seattle so far; there could be others, but the King County information releases no longer even list cities, let alone neighborhoods. Meantime, we have a followup inquiry out to parent company Holiday Retirement.
Multiple Bridge Park families have told us tonight that the senior-living complex’s owners, Holiday Retirement, have notified them of a second COVID-19 case there. Here’s the letter they received:
(The second page is here.) This would be the third publicly disclosed case in West Seattle, after the first one at Bridge Park (last Thursday) and one at South Seattle College announced a week ago. No further details on any of the patients or how they’re doing.
Starting tomorrow, a weekly free meal in West Seattle goes to-go – here’s the announcement:
Our free community dinner, High Point Community Dinner Church, has been serving a hot meal to our guests in West Seattle every Sunday night for 2 years. With a non-traditional set-up, we are able to get to know each other over dinner in an organic way, reaching out to people who may not typically feel comfortable in a more standard church setting. Everyone is always welcome for dinner, conversation, and prayer. Even with COVID-19, our volunteers are committed and eager to continue to serve food and show up for the community, especially those that heavily rely on the meal and leftovers to sustain them throughout the week. We are making changes to help keep people safe, fed, and encouraged by serving to-go meals outside at Walt Hundley Playfield starting this Sunday, March 15. With High Point Community Center closed, and many churches and meals cancelled, we hope to continue to help provide for those in need in our community. We thank our leaders, Verlon and Melodee Fosner, our cook and driver, all of our supporters and volunteers, and the other 10 Community Dinner locations in Seattle for coming together to be a bright spot in hard times.
Dinners to-go
Sunday nights at 5 p.m.
Walt Hundley Playfield (in the park near playground)
Organizers: Michael and Naomi Cox
The park is at 34th and Myrtle [map].
7:07 PM: We have been told by multiple sources that families of residents at Bridge Park, a senior living complex at 3204 SW Morgan in High Point, have been notified of a COVID-19 case there. One shared this letter they received, signed by the general manager:
We went over to see what we could find out. The front doors were locked (though their website says they’re usually open until 7:30 pm); a notice on the door says they are not accepting visitors. We have a message out to Bridge Park’s parent company Holiday Retirement but have not yet received a reply. This would be the second publicly known COVID-19 case in West Seattle, after the one announced by South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) earlier this week.
ADDED 12:12 PM: We have heard back from Bridge Park’s parent company. Spokesperson Alyssa Cerrito emailed:
It has been reported to us that a resident at Bridge Park has tested positive for COVID-19. We are following our infectious disease prevention and response protocols. These include isolation for all residents at the community. In addition, we’re following safety measures across every aspect of our community operations, including closing the communal dining room, limiting entry to essential personnel and restricting interaction among our residents and associates. We are in the process of notifying the emergency contacts for our residents.
Our community team contacted King County health authorities immediately upon learning the diagnosis and is awaiting their recommendations on specific further steps to be taken beyond our current actions. Bridge Park is not a medical facility and does not provide healthcare for its residents, however the community will comply fully with all directions from applicable health authorities.
Additional information about Holiday Retirement’s response to the COVID-19 situation can be found at:
(As far as we could tell from a quick look, that link does NOT include any information specific to the Bridge Park situation.)
ADDED 5:28 PM: From a letter sent to residents and families from Holiday Retirement, saying this is what they knew as of 1 pm today:
Yesterday, we informed the Bridge Park community that one of our residents had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. First, we thank residents and their family members for their understanding and cooperation during this stressful time. We know it is not enjoyable for residents to isolate in their apartments, but limiting social contact is truly the best way to prevent the spread of this virus.
Bridge Park has the support of the entire Holiday Retirement family, and our support center and community leadership team are working tirelessly to maintain essential services to residents while keeping our residents and employees safe.We would like to reiterate the importance of limiting contact among residents and with the outside world. Leaving and reentering the community will only increase all residents’ risk of contracting the virus. We especially appreciate the understanding of family members who are unable to enter the community to visit with their loved ones. Please be assured that we are doing all we can to keep your loved ones safe and comfortable.
Today at approximately 11 am Pacific Time, community management and the Holiday support center spoke with the King County Department of Public Health. The Department advised Bridge Park to continue with the measures it has already implemented. The Department also said that it will follow-up with any additional guidelines within the next couple of days and requested that we call the Department if we learn of any additional cases.
We understand that testing for COVID-19 is not widely available. However, if you experience symptoms and see a doctor, we encourage you to ask your doctor about being tested. If we obtain any information from the Department of Public Health about testing availability, we will share it with the Bridge Park community in a future update.
If you would like additional information about the situation at Bridge Park, please call the community’s phone number at (206) 938-6394. In order to allow community staff to attend to residents’ needs without distraction, the Holiday support center will help you when you call. We apologize in advance if your call is not immediately answered. Please understand that our first priority is supporting Bridge Park and other Holiday Retirement communities with all available resources to address this rapidly evolving situation. If you are unable immediately to speak with a live individual, please leave a message or a callback number and someone will respond as quickly as possible.
Thanks for the tip. If you’re in the High Point area and without water service, that’s why – a break near the library. A Seattle Public Utilities crew is now on scene but has no estimate on how long repairs will take.
Two Crime Watch notes tonight:
WHITE CENTER SHOOTING: Thanks for the tips on this. One person was found in White Center tonight with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound, after deputies responded to a report of shots heard near 16th/Roxbury. The story’s on our partner site White Center Now.
BURGLARY ATTEMPT: We asked SPD about this early-morning incident near 34th/Morgan. Their summary:
Officers responded to the 6300 block of 34th SW for a reported burglary in progress at about 2:15 am this morning. According to the victim, an unknown person attempted to enter the house via the dog door. The homeowner was able to scare off the suspect before they got inside. According to the victim, the suspect, possibly two, fled the area before the officers arrived. Officers conducted a thorough search of the area, but did not locate the suspect(s).
Two West Seattle Crime Watch items:
WESTWOOD SEARCH: As we write this, police are searching for an auto-theft suspect near 26th/Barton. The stolen car was apparently found at Westwood Village; the suspect took off running toward the east side of Roxhill Park. The description we’ve heard via radio is a white man in his 20s/30s, blue ball cap, blue jacket, tan pants. (2:34 PM UPDATE) They have a suspect in custody. You might still see some searching – per radio exchange, they’re looking for items the suspect might have discarded.
Also:
STOLEN SKI GEAR? Lose your ski gear in a car prowl or burglary? Tessa might have found it: “Looks like someone lost their ski gear among other things on 35th and Findlay. Put the boot, goggles, helmet and poles at the 21 bus stop.”
P.S. When lost/found items seem more like simple “lost/found,” you can post in the Lost/Found (Non-Pets) section of the WSB Community Forums.
The day before weekend attention turns to The Big Game – how about an evening focused on Big Ideas? Tomorrow (Saturday) night, Delridge Grocery Co-op hosts West Seattle Meaningful Movies, screening “Food for Change” (trailer above) at Neighborhood House High Point (6400 Sylvan Way SW). The film is about co-ops, and DGC’s invitation reads in part: “Returning to our potluck roots, DGC members will be bringing snacks and desserts to share. DGC volunteers and board members will also be on hand to talk about the importance of Co-op membership, give an update on store construction after the movie, and answer questions. No charge for admission, but donations gratefully received.” Doors open at 6:30 pm, film at 7 pm, all welcome.
The Neighborcare health clinic in High Point wants you to know it’ll be closed Monday (February 3rd). All Neighborcare clinics are closing that day for training.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
One of two major West Seattle projects funded by last year’s Seattle Public Schools BEX V levy is well into the planning phase.
The $22 million plan to expand West Seattle Elementary in High Point has cross-peninsula ramifications, as the school will be relocated to the former Schmitz Park Elementary for a year while the construction is under way.
The expansion is intended to add capacity at the school, which is currently more than 100 students past what would be a “right-size” enrollment of 320 and is expected to keep growing. This and the future rebuild of Alki Elementary were the largest West Seattle projects on the list of what’ll be funded by BEX V, approved by more than two-thirds of Seattle voters last February.
The first phase of planning, convening a School Design Advisory Team, is already over, according to the district’s project manager Paul Wight. He says the SDAT meetings – in a process explained here – concluded in mid-December. “In all we had 7 meetings and the team was made out of the Principal. staff, teachers, students, parents, and neighbors.” Attendees are listed on the minutes pages, which are linked here and go into details of what was discussed and suggested throughut the process.
Wight tells WSB that next, “The architect, Miller Hayashi, is finishing up the schematic design and we are moving forward with Design Development. We will be going through permitting this year and starting construction on the addition and renovation work in the summer of 2021. It will be approximately a 14-month construction project and school will reopen in the Fall of 2022.”
WSES will move to the former Schmitz Park Elementary (5000 SW Spokane) for the 2021-2022 school year; district spokesperson Tim Robinson says portables (which proliferated before the SP program moved to the new Genesee Hill Elementary) will be added to handle the full WSES population. District projections show the school is expected to have about 437 students enrolled that year. The move is a change from the original plan, which was described in 2018 as something that would be done without requiring the school to temporarily vacate. Schmitz Park currently houses a preschool program.
(WSB photos)
Education is a vital part of saving Northwest salmon and the creatures who depend on them. Once again this year, Salmon in the Schools teachers and volunteers are making sure it happens. This year’s work began today, with hundreds of salmon eggs delivered to participating local schools.
We were there for two deliveries – West Seattle Elementary (top photo) and Highland Park Elementary (above photo). Volunteers Judy Pickens and Phil Sweetland delivered the hatchery-raised eggs and explained what happens next.
The schools each have a tank in which the salmon grow until the fry can be released into Fauntleroy Creek in the spring.
Salmon are being raised this year by 10 schools, from Alki Elementary in the north to Arbor Heights Elementary in the south. Roxhill Elementary is a new participant this year. At all of them, the students get a front row seat on delivery day:
Seven schools got their eggs today; Judy and Phil are scheduled to visit the other three tomorrow morning. P.S. Salmon in the Schools isn’t just a West Seattle program – here’s the most-recent annual report on citywide participation and impact:
Just tweeted by Seattle Police, who say they do NOT have a photo:
Missing: Mario Sanchez, 71 years old
Last seen in the 6300 block High Point Dr SW.
Wearing blue striped shirt, khaki pants, black jacket and black shoes.
May have taken Metro bus from the area. Please call 911 if seen.
Today is opening day at Nos Nos Coffee House (35th/Graham, in Upton Flats), as mentioned Monday. This is a much-awaited opening, as High Point is short on walkable businesses.
Nos Nos’ proprietor is Khalid Agour, also known for Itto’s Tapas in The Junction. He announced the café plan last June.
Nos Nos will be open 6 am-3 pm for starters, hoping for later hours in a few months. Along with QED Coffee and Flying Bird teas, it’s serving pastries from Patrick’s in White Center, as well as soups and sandwiches.
We photographed the menus – printed food menu here, beverage menu here.
The tree at the top of the city is shining bright tonight, after
He and other OLG students were part of the festivities – some of the Christmas classics sung tonight were led by 4th and 5th graders:
Also singing tonight, the Starry Crowns – and of course, the crowd!
Brian Callanan emceed, and the crowd heard briefly from OLG’s new-this-year pastor, Fr. Kevin Duggan. The night is also a celebration of giving, with lots of volunteer power going into the event, plus donations collected for local food banks:
After caroling wrapped up outside, everyone was invited inside the Walmesley Center, where cookies enhanced the holiday cheer:
You can enjoy the big tree, and the other lights on the church grounds, at 35th/Myrtle throughout the season. (About that elevation … 512 feet!)
The photo is from Khalid Agour of Itto’s Tapas, giving us a peek inside his close-to-opening High Point coffee shop Nos Nos. Our previous update was in September, and we’ve received many requests for an update, so we checked with him. Here’s the status of the shop at 35th/Graham:
We are very excited about Nos Nos opening in the High Point neighborhood to serve our community. Finally the buildout is done. We are now in the process of hiring and training baristas. We are shooting for mid-December. … We can’t wait to open our doors to you all!
West Seattle Elementary sheltered in place for half an hour this morning. We checked on this after several phone calls/texts. It was over by the time we confirmed it, and there was no corresponding police incident anywhere nearby – which is often the case for these situations – so we followed up with Seattle Public Schools spokesperson Tim Robinson. He tells WSB the shelter-in-place happened 9:15-9:45 am because “A parent was upset and had contacted police. There were no issues.”
7:26 PM: Busy night for police. Now they’re on a reported hit-run at 35th/Morgan, with a possible suspect/vehicle located a few blocks east, according to radio communication. Avoid that stretch of Morgan for a while.
7:58 PM: Police have 1 person in custody.
10:18 PM: Thanks to Manuel for spotting that Instagram post and texting the tip. We’ve been watching that spot at 35th and Morgan since reporting on Pizza Hut‘s closure nine months ago. No hints, at the site or in permit files, until this. Grillbird also has a website that says, “We are opening in early 2020 in West Seattle. We can not wait to serve you Classic Seattle style teriyaki, Katsu and more!” We have sent an inquiry in hopes of finding out more.
11:55 PM: We’ve heard back from Grillbird’s proprietor Matt Parker, a restaurant-industry veteran and 10-year West Seattleite. He describes the restaurant as a “teriyaki chicken shop.” This is his first solo enterprise but his background, he told us by email, includes being “the restaurant designer for Huxley Wallace Collective: Westward, Quality Athletics, Scout, Kiki Ramen, Great State Burger, etc.” He adds, “We love West Seattle and and I can’t wait to meet the folks in High Point.” We’ll be chatting with him further to find out more.
ADDED FRIDAY AFTERNOON: A little more from proprietor Matt, who we photographed at the restaurant-to-be this afternoon:
The vision for Grillbird is to serve up the best of what we all love about teriyaki (chargrilled chicken to order, exceptional value), and then to meet the needs of the modern customer (mobile pay, online ordering, delivery app, gluten free & vegan options, designed experience). Grillbird focuses only on the “hits” – a small but efficient menu serving up the dishes people consistently love. Everything will be made in-house, with quality, fresh ingredients, grilled to order and served quickly. Customers will be able to order by delivery, online app, phone or walk-in.
Grillbird is not a chain, or a concept. We are not “elevating” teriyaki. It’s just your local teriyaki joint made a little more modern and serving up (what we hope is) the best chicken teriyaki in town.
A few seats for dining in. P.S. He’ll be painting the exterior this weekend
We often feature local libraries’ storytimes in our calendar and daily preview lists. One that’s coming up on Friday is a community member-presented event rather than library-sponsored: Japanese storytime, 11:10 am Friday (corrected: October 18th) in the meeting room at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond). They’ve been presented occasionally by Sayoko for seven years and she’s hoping to reach families who hadn’t heard. She says, “It is a fun time with Japanese picture books, songs, and craft time for little ones and also for parents or caregivers who seek Japanese community. All are welcome!” 日本語のお話の会 10月18日金曜日11:10からハイポイント図書館のミーティングルームで開催します.
The security-camera image is from Cheryl in High Point, who says the person “tried our door and a lock box on our house. He only ran away when we talked to him through the camera.” it happened shortly after 5:11 am near the north end of Walt Hundley Playfield.
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