Georgetown's Newest Loft Project

Clean lines. Recycled building materials. Efficient use of space.



Already sold!



"Eclectic Urban Oasis ... close to all the hip Georgetown action!"



Honestly, when I first saw this, I wasn't sure if it was a joke or an actual sales pitch for some new townhouse project. The language used in some of the real press materials for these places sounds just like that.

From a June 18 ek Real Estate Group press release (first mocked at Blogging Georgetown):

The Rebel Is Yelling: Georgetown Development Asserts Community's Gutsy Energy

Sales of Five Industrial Georgetown Lofts Begin

Anyone who steps foot into the artsy community of Georgetown knows that it walks to the beat of its own bohemian marching band. The new Georgetown Lofts, developed by Murray Kahn of Gordian Development, at 6708 Corson Ave. South, is no different. Comprising five, two-bedroom lofts -- priced from the 300,000s -- these offer loft-like living with an edgy, "distinctly Georgetown" vibe.

...

Kahn believes buyers will be drawn to Georgetown's eclectic, tight-knit vibe, where residents and merchants alike are heavily involved in community associations, activities, and events. Larry Reid of Fantagraphic Books says of the area, "The city is in danger of losing its soul, and right now, Georgetown is the soul of Seattle. Georgetown is the last outpost for the blue-collar, bohemian, industrial arts community in Seattle."

So buy some soul before it's all gone?

Photos from Today's Georgetown Art and Garden Walk

Monstero! Our friend Kevin, a Beacon Hiller, helped build this thing.





I haven't posted anything about James Paroline, a casualty of a terrifying hostility that seems to plague Southeast Seattle more than anywhere else in the city.



The 60-year-old man was a passionate gardener, a Vietnam vet, and possibly a bit of a neighborhood curmudgeon who lived down by Kubota Garden. Wednesday night he was tending to the plants in the traffic circle he'd pushed for, and he put up some traffic cones where his hose stretched across the street, indicating to drivers that they should proceed the other way around the circle while he finished his work.

I haven't read all the stories about what exactly went down, but it sounds like some young women in a car got upset that they were being asked to drive on the other side of the circle, so they got out of the car and started arguing with him. When one of them started moving the cones herself, he squirted her with his hose. (I'm not sure what to make of different stories I've heard about whether or not he pushed one of the girls, whether they stomped on his plants, and whether one of them called her mom, who then had a young man come out to take care of things.)

Anyway, a young man in his 20s got out of his car, and punched Paroline in the face so hard that he fell backward onto the pavement, cracking his skull. The young man, still unidentified, then left the scene, leaving the older man lying there, bleeding and unconscious. He died from his injuries in the hospital the following day.

Oh, this is a sad story to have inserted into these photos of the garden tour. Here's the P-I story about a vigil held by neighbors for the man.

Anyway, the Georgetown gardener paying tribute to Paroline today had an especially lovely garden.

Jules Maes Now Serving Weekend Breakfast

This morning we acted on a rumor that Jules Maes is now serving breakfast on weekends. It turned out to be true -- 10 to 3 on Saturdays and Sundays.

Georgetown Art and Garden Walk This Sunday

I'll bring a better camera than I did last year:

Transpo Event on Saturday, Possible Changes to the 36 Next Year

This Saturday, Sustainable South Seattle is hosting a "hands-on event where you and your neighbors work with transportation experts for a climate-friendly future." Register for free attendance at http://www.climatedialogues.org.

Here's the deal:

More walkable neighborhoods. Better Bus Service. Dedicated Bike Lanes. Regional Rapid Transit.

Build support for transportation improvements underway in your neighborhood. Imagine and plan for an economical and environmentally-friendly transportation future. Learn about key climate actions regionally and nationally. Learn how to make your voice heard by elected officials and policy makers.

"This is a great opportunity for Southeast Seattle to take a leadership role." -- Senator Adam Kline

When: July 12, 2008, 10 am - 2 pm (doors open 9:30 am)
Where: New Freeway Hall, 5018 Rainier Ave S. (4 blocks south of S. Alaska)

Food and drink provided (bring your own mug!)
Free admission – Donations accepted.

Space is limited. Please RSVP online at http://www.climatedialogues.org to reserve your spot.

Climate Action Labs are a project of the Seattle Climate Dialogues and Northwest Environmental Education Council, with help from WSU Extension and TGreen Consulting.

Participants to include:

Bikes: Virginia Coffman of SDOT/Bike Master Plan
Ped: Lisa Quinn (ED of Feet First)
Transit: Jack Whisner (senior transp planner at KC Metro and also Sierra Club/TCC activist)
Funding/Tolling: Michael McGinn (ED of Seattle Great City Initiative)
Land Use: Sara Nikolic (Urban Strategies Director at Futurewise)
Climate: Phil Mitchell

In other transpo news, Roger Pence, a community outreach coordinator for Link light rail, recently wrote to the Beacon Hill Slumberland mailing list about some Route 36 changes that Metro is contemplating to go along with the opening of light rail next year. Here's the bulk of his comments:

Metro is contemplating moving the south terminus from Rainier Beach to the Link station at MLK & Othello. Southbound Route 36 buses would turn east on Myrtle to a new turnaround loop at the Othello Station. The trolleybus wires would be extended for this connection.

Given that travel time to downtown on the rail will be half or better than that of the 36 bus, it is reasonable to expect that many riders will voluntarily transfer, whether at the Beacon Hill station (at Lander St.) or at Othello Station at MLK & Othello. But for those who don't mind the leisurely ride, a direct bus ride will still be there. Riders transferring at Lander St. should also provide more empty seats on the 36 for those riders on the north end of the hill. The elevator ride down to the trains will take about 20 seconds, and the trains will arrive every 6 minutes during rush hours (10 minutes midday). Riders will voluntarily decide whether the transfer is worth it to them. Travel time on the rail from Beacon Hill Station to the Pioneer Square Station, estimated 8 minutes. To Westlake Station, estimated 12 minutes.

If the south terminus of the 36 is moved to Othello Station, the south end of the 36 (south of Myrtle) would be covered by another route, most likely the 106. Every Beacon Hill bus rider would still have available a direct, no transfer ride, to downtown. And the contemplated changes in the 38 would lengthen and strengthen that route (but it won't be extended to First Ave. until we get an overpass over the railroad tracks at Lander St.; otherwise the buses are hostage to BNSF train traffic).

And no, Route 36 ridership does not exceed what is expected on the rail line. The most recent data I've seen show about 9,000 daily riders on the 36. Sound Transit is projecting 42,000 daily riders on the initial segment of Link light rail, a projection made, btw, when gasoline was running below $2/gallon.

Baja Bistro Bar

I hadn't been to Baja Bistro in months and months, so Tuesday was the first time I'd seen their new bar. Looks nice!

Help Improve the 36

I would be eternally grateful if Beacon Hill residents joined this board and advocated for much-needed improvements on the 36 route.

http://transit.metrokc.gov/up/announce/soundingboard.html

Metro Transit, Sound Transit seek advisory group members

Help form recommendations about bus service and connections to Link light rail

King County Metro Transit and Sound Transit invite you to apply to serve on a community advisory board.

Metro and Sound Transit are considering changes to bus routes in the I-5 south corridor and in areas served by Link light rail, which will begin service in the summer of 2009. Changes might be made to provide bus connections to Link stations from neighborhoods, to improve bus service frequency and coverage, and to avoid duplication of service.

The transit agencies are forming two community advisory groups, called Transit Connections sounding boards. One sounding board will be in southeast Seattle (Rainier Valley, Skyway, West Hill and nearby areas), and one will be in southwest King County (Burien, Des Moines, SeaTac, Tukwila and nearby areas).

The sounding boards will provide advice early in the planning process about what changes would be best for local communities. They will make recommendations to transit agency staff and elected policymakers.

Approximately 30 transit riders and other community members will be selected to represent a broad cross-section of people who live, work, or go to school in the project areas.

The sounding boards will meet together on September 4 and 11, 2008. Then the boards will meet separately from October 2008 through February 2009. The sounding boards will meet together in March 2009 to make recommendations.

Bus routes in the project area: Metro Transit routes 7, 8, 9, 14-South, 32, 34, 35, 36, 38, 39, 42, 48, 60, 106, 107, 126, 128, 140, 154, 170, 174, 175, 180, 190, 191, and 194; and Sound Transit routes 560, 574, 577 and 594
How to apply

To apply for membership on a sounding board, please complete the application below and submit it by Thursday, July 31, 2008
The role of sounding board members

King County Metro Transit and Sound Transit are committed to working with communities as we consider possible changes to transit service in southeast Seattle and southwest King County. Sounding board members will play an important role throughout the planning process by:

* Participating in sounding board meetings between September 2008 and March 2009.
* Attending additional public meetings hosted by Metro Transit in local communities.
* Reviewing communities' transit needs with staff and providing transit riders' perspectives.
* Working together with other sounding board members to arrive at consensus recommendations about changes to bus service.
* Rainier Valley/Skyway/West Hill Sounding Board Meetings
6:30-8:30 p.m. at a location in the Rainier Valley unless otherwise noted
o September 4 and 11, meetings to be held in downtown Seattle
o October 15, 22, and 29
o November 12 and 19
o January 28
o February 11 and 25
o March 5 and 12, meetings to be held in downtown Seattle
* Southeast King County Sounding Board Meetings
6:30-8:30 p.m. at Foster High School in Tukwila unless otherwise noted
o September 4 and 11, meetings to be held in downtown Seattle
o October 16, 23, and 30
o November 13 and 20
o January 29
o February 12 and 26
o March 5 and 12, meetings to be held in downtown Seattle

Transit Connections Sounding Board Application Form

Please note: Sounding Board members cannot be employees of King County, King County Metro, or Sound Transit. If you think you might have a conflict of interest, such as contract work with the county or Sound Transit, please consult with the King County Board of Ethics before applying: 206-296-1586, www.kingcounty.gov/employees/ethics.

Complete and send this application by Thursday, July 31, 2008.

For more information, please contact:

Sarah Luthens, community relations planner
206-684-1154 TTY Relay: 711
Fax: 206-263-3489
sarah.luthens@kingcounty.gov

King County Department of Transportation
201 S. Jackson St., KSC-TR-0824
Seattle, WA 98104-3856.