Seattle
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(yes, another geeky meeting. However, these guidelines will guide building design for 20 years or more, and so will govern what our [rapidly changing] neighborhood will look and feel like in the future. So it's in our best interests to go along and help the City get it right. Andrew)
Seattle Design Guidelines!
Public Meeting to Review Draft Updates
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
The City’s design guidelines, Design Review: Guidelines for Multifamily and Commercial Buildings, have been the cornerstone of the Design Review Program since 1994. Beginning in 2008, the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) has led a process to update the 16-year-old citywide guidelines, and is now releasing a first draft for public review.
We are hosting a public meeting at which staff will present the updated guidelines and offer opportunities for public comment. We welcome your attendance!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
5:30pm Open House/6:00-7:30pm Presentation and public comment
Bertha Landes Room, City Hall
600 4th Ave., 5th Avenue entrance*
With the release of detailed Draft Guidelines, Seattle is taking the critical step of renewing its vision of the priorities and values that will inform our approach to design review. One of the key values we share is the importance of neighborhoods taking a lead in establishing their own guidelines, which 19 neighborhoods have already completed. At the same time, a citywide document enables neighborhoods throughout the city to share a common approach to key issues for design in our city and in our time: design excellence, the physical environment, sustainable development, and the diversity of people and cultures that exist here.
The design guidelines have been updated to reflect emerging issues in urban design and sustainability, and improve general usability for Design Review Boards, the public and City staff.
The guidelines are posted on DPD’s website at http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/Planning/CitywideDesignGuidelinesUpdate/Overview/
and comments may be made online. For more information, please contact Cheryl Sizov, Project Manager, at (206) 684-3771.
* Bertha Landes is fully accessible. Please contact DPD as soon as possible to request special accommodations.
[Bertha Landes was Seattle's only (to date) female Mayor and is dead, and hence inaccessible! The large meeting room at City Hall is the Bertha Knight Landes Room which is fully accessible. I presume they are referring to the latter. Andrew]
Previous
Out for Sustainability is hosting a conference on the periphery of Capitol Hill this weekend... at the Olive 8 Hyatt. The conference features a number of topics, ranging from gender and healthcare to the pros and cons of Washington state's DP rights.
The cost of the conference ranges from $5 - $35. For specifics on the conference, visit GayCapHill!
The Literary Death Match comes back to Seattle on Wednesday, November 11 at Re-bar. If you have ever thought to yourself "Why can't literary readings be thrilling, hilarious, and carry a tiny but real danger of death to all involved," then this is the reading for you. The lineup this time around is outstanding. Stacey Levine, recent winner of a Stranger Genius Award, will face off against Aaron Dietz of KNOCK Magazine, playwright Kelleen Conway Blanchard, whose play Small Town received rave reviews at Annex Theater, and Danbert Nobacon, lead singer of Chumbawumba, anarchist, and all-around lunatic. Judges Paul Constant (of The Stranger), Jonathan Evison (writer and radio personality), and Maria Semple (novelist and former writer for Arrested Development) will decide the winner.
The price is $10 at the door, or $8 pre-sale. Proceeds benefit Opium Magazine.
Re-bar is located at 1114 Howell Street, at Boren.
You can just about see the Jones Soda World Headquarters from Capitol Hill:
13 lucky years ago, an offbeat soda company started handing out free soda every Friday. People from all over Seattle started coming to Jones Soda Headquarters to kick off their weekend with an ice-cold Jones. It became so popular in the South lake Union neighborhood that we decided to bring Free Soda Friday to a store near you.
We’re having a Free Soda Friday launch party at Jones Soda headquarters located at 234 9th Ave. N. on Friday, July 10th, 2009 from 8:00 to 5:00 so come on down and have a Jones on us. And make sure to check back often to find out where we’ll be having the next Free Soda Friday!
- It's official, Belltown will get its Bell St. Boulevard.
- If you like BBQs, golf, and jazz, well then Interbay has a summer series for you.
- Wallingford's Gasworks Park makes the Colbert Report
- The city waives fees for using parks in Ballard.
- Inaugural Cascade Farmer's Market a success in SLU.
- Greenlake is up in arms over their lack of a penguin.
- Coverage of last night's King County Exec environment debate
Also wanted to share this awesome map I got from Lake City Live. It shows all the hyperlocal blogs in the Puget Sound Region. I might have to start sharing some Eastside news in the future (aaahhh noooo!):
View Seattle Area Hyperlocal Blogs in a larger map
White Center's Full Tilt Ice Cream celebrates its first birthday.
The annual Solstice Parade had Fremont baring it all.
Beacon Hill's Cleveland High School to become a tech magnet.
Olsen's Scanadavian Foods is painfully closing up shop in Ballard.
Over in the U-District, The University will partner with local starchitect Kundig and associates to redesign the Burke Museum.
South Lake Union makes it into the New York Times Travel section.
City Neighborhood Council
invites you to
The City Council Candidates’ Forum
Thursday, June 18th, 2009
5:00 pm- 7:00 pm
Bertha Knight Landes Room, City Hall
600 4th Avenue, Seattle, 98124
The filing deadline has passed and the races are crowded!
Knowing this is an important year in city politics, the CNC is proud to host this event.
This is your chance to learn more about the candidates that want a seat on City Council.
This is your chance to find out more about their qualifications.
And, most importantly, this is your chance to let your priorities be known.
Light refreshments will be available.
Four City Council Seats. 16 Candidates. One Forum. And You!
The City Neighborhood Council (CNC) is a citizen-led advisory group, comprised of elected members from each of the city's 13 neighborhoods. In simple terms, we are the neighborhoods!
(planning underway for a Capitol Hill/Central Area Candidate Forum: School Board, Council, Mayor. Probably Sat. July 25th 9 - noon @ Mt. Zion, but stay tuned for details. Contact tayles@jps.net to volunteer)
Interbay Building, Storm's new HQ
- The half-century old Russo Nursery in Georgetown might be forced out.
- The Seattle Storm get ready for their first season from their new digs in Interbay.
- Louisa's Bakery in Eastlake has some seriously skilled baristas.
- A new boutique adult consignment shop adds even more cuteness to Columbia City.
- The ongoing debate between Roosevelt and Sisley rages on.
- Wallingford neighbors not all satisfied with its growing night lfe.
- Historic Seattle buys Washington Hall in the Central District
This is also an open thread for other non-Hill news.
With so much action going on up here, sometimes its easy for us to become a little Hill-centric. I thought I would fill people in on things going on in other neighborhoods throughout the Emerald City.
- Last night's wind storm knocks power from nearly 3,000 homes in West Seattle.
- Plant thieves hinder a Beacon Hill restoration project.
- Ballard's historic Kolstrand Building gets a make-over, instead of a tear down. (Can we get those developers?)
- Bell St. from 1st to 5th Ave in Belltown will become the city's first "Boulevard Park".
- New Hawaiian noodle house, Aloha Ramen, debuts up in Greenwood.
- The Seattle Landmarks and Preservation board approves the "suicide fence" on Aurora Bridge. Queen Anne Community Council not happy.
I first noticed it shining over my building on Capitol Hill. It was obviously coming from downtown somewhere, but where? The last time I saw one of these was as a kid back in Texas; a long bike ride led me to the "old" bowling alley. It was hardly worth the effort.
But tonight, a fussy baby that is best soothed to sleep in the backseat of the car gave me a reason to seek out the source of this beacon.
From Melrose, right above the highway, it seemed clear that Seattle Center hosted the light itself.
A quick ride down the hill brought me to the Pacific Science Center.
And lastly, a trip up to Kerry Park, to enjoy the addition to the skyline.
Unfortunately, the baby in the backseat prevented me from seeking out the actual source. But with the number of cars pulling up around the Science Center, I'm sure the story will come out shortly (a quick visit to the Center's website provided no information).
You have all heard of Cabaret shows all around town, but this new troope is RAISING THE BAR!!!
Cabaret Magnifique is a Troope designed to restore the old vaudeville theatre that people once knew.
The Star Studded Cast is Amazing. Demene Hall has worked on the stage, in movies, and television and has worked with such actors as Mr. Billy Eckstein, James Earl Jones, Kelsey Grammar, David Hyde Pierce, and many others.
The Show also features a variety of local talent in the burlesque community, as well as some of the female impersonators of this area.
They will be debuting on MAY 6th in Belltown at Amore. 2301 5th Ave. (corner of Bell St.) the show is free to attend. but reservations are encouraged. 206-770-0606.
The show is hosted by Two Time Tony Award Nominee and Recipient of the Broadway Musical Guild's Newcommer of the Year award (2005 in New York) , Mr. Ryan Hazy. Ryan Hazy's Techniques and vocal talents have gotten him known around the world for his Bobby Darin and Frank Sinatra impersonations and singing their songbooks. He will also be debuting his rendition of "The Ring Cycle in less than 10 minutes." really funny how it turns out to be ALL so true. "His knowledge of the stage has brought him great acclaim around the world" - Seattle Times.
Join them for Opening Night on May 6th at 7pm At Amore.
They will also be perforfing on the LAST WEDNESDAY of every month at Cafe Metropolitain on Capitol hill. 1701 E. Olive Way. (Corner of Boylston E.) 7pm show.. FREE ADMISSION... of course we do encourage tipping the talent because they are working hard for the show. Hope to see you all there!!!!
The Green Festival is happening this weekend, 10am-6pm Saturday and Sunday at the Convention Center. It has a large exhibit hall and over 80 speakers.
Some highlights:
"Undriving Stories: Getting Creative about Getting Around", March 28, 4pm, Room 401
"Green Culture", Lawrence Lessig, March 29, 2pm, Main Stage
And readers of this blog will be interested in this:
"Sustaining Quality (local) Journalism in the New Media Ecology", March 29, 2pm, Room 401
You can find the full schedule here and more info here.
If you Twitter, you can use the #greenfest or #GreenSea tags to do live updates from the festival, and you can read other live tweets here.
Seattle Great City Initiative just added a new feature: every Friday they're going to post up job listings that they think their "constituency would be interested in". I interpret that to mean eco and sustainability oriented jobs of all shapes and sizes. Anyway, worth a look if you're looking.
(reformatting the applause list):
Biggest applause lines:
- Restore science to its rightful place
- Everyone equal to pursue happiness
- Balancing safety vs ideals
- Outlasting terrorists
- Nonbelievers
Ben Kakimoto takes a look at 2008 condo appreciation (or depreciation) rates and finds that "condo values for most neighborhoods declined in 2008 from the prior year" except Alki, Admiral, Junction, Downtown, Fauntleroy and Leschi, which saw average sale prices rise.
Capitol Hill condo sale prices declined 1.2% from $315,000 to $311,250 on average. The problem with the way this measure was calculated is that it doesn't actually represent declining (or rising) values -- it merely represents averages of transactions. A single development of smaller-than-average condos, for instance, is enough to skew a neighborhood's results. The December auction of 15 Press Condos probably single-handedly dragged down the average.
That said, sellers are having to price much more aggressively, sales volume fell as loans became harder to obtain and as potential buyers were spooked by economic turmoil, and we're in a recession and stuff, so it's probably still a fair statement to suggest that property values (not just average sale prices) fell last year.
Question is, will they continue to fall? There appears to be a fair amount of new condo and apartment inventory coming online in Capitol Hill this year. There's 1111 East Pike and the Broadway Building, just to name a couple, plus unabsorbed inventory from Trace North, Brix, and even Press Condos (whoever won those Press units in the auction will likely be looking to sell or lease them out this year. Is Capitol Hill growing fast enough to absorb this inventory? Will sidelined buyers jump on these low interest rates? Any predictions for Capitol Hill?
I started working in the Transit industry on 1/31/2006 - almost 2 years ago. It seemed like an eternity for the Link to Tuckwila to be going into service in July of 2009. Five months from now. Whoa. Time sure does fly, doesn't it?
Asked earlier this week about worth of organizing a Capitol Hill community discussion to talk about -- and document -- the impact of December's snow and ice problems. Here's the Seattle City Council plan (pdf) for how they plan to postmortem the situation:
Monday, January 5 at 9:30 a.m. - Council Briefings: An overview from Office of Emergency Management and Seattle Department of Transportation on the Storm Response, including information from the Seattle Fire Department and Seattle Police Department.Tuesday, January 6 at 9:30 a.m. - Joint Meeting of the Transportation and Environment, Emergency Management, and Utilities Committees: Briefing and Discussion with Seattle Department of Transportation, Human Services Department, Seattle Public Utilities, Seattle City Light, Office of Emergency Management and King County Metro Transit. Time will be available for public comment.
Monday, January 12 at 9:30 a.m. - Council Briefings: Identification of immediate steps that can be taken for improved storm response.
Friday, February 20 at 9:30 a.m. - Joint Meeting of the Transportation and Environment, Emergency Management, and Utilities Committees: Establish a detailed Action Plan for improved response. Time will be available for public comment.
January 6th is the first opportunity for people to discuss what happened in an offline forum. If, like me, you have a few things to say but aren't going to attend the Tuesday meeting, take a minute to submit comments to the council now. You can tune in to live video of council meetings here.
I plan to send the comments from pertinent snow and ice posts to get our discussion on the record. Feel free to include the voices of others in your messages to the council, too.
All of this doesn't eliminate the potential value of a Capitol Hill-focused meeting -- in fact, it might increase it. More details on that, shortly.
Editorial from yesterday's P-I:
Seattle Neighborhoods: The vibrant coreSeattle is a city of neighborhoods. The neighborhoods have a rare chance to meet, discuss any issues and look at how common needs can be addressed.
We don't mean to fuel Downtown vs. Neighborhoods sentiments, because Seattle's communities enjoy the vibrancy of the business core. But the neighborhoods often think they have a hard time being heard consistently at City Hall.
The Seattle Neighborhood Summit will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall (with a networking session beginning at 5:15 p.m.). The event, sponsored by Seattle's City Neighborhood Council, is a good chance for residents from every area to get together, explore issues of concern and look at ways to improve their city.
Chris Leman, chairman of the city-chartered advisory council, said the summit will be the first one in nearly three years. He said there has been an effort to learn from previous sessions and make sure participants have chances to talk, rather than just listen to speakers. So, there are more than a dozen breakout sessions on an array of issues that touch neighborhoods most, including public safety, parks, transit, roads and sidewalks. There's also a youth and schools session, which Leman said could offer teenagers an opportunity to speak up about their needs.
Mayor Greg Nickels is to deliver opening remarks and at least two City Council members are expected to comment at the end. But the event's heart is about bringing citizens together in a spot where they can look beyond elections toward a healthy future for the city and the neighborhoods.
Seattle City Council newbie Bruce Harrell is proposing the creation of a new city Web site designed to harness the power of the city's 'silent majority':
With the available web technology, Councilmember Harrell will call for the implementation of an online gateway incorporated with the current Seattle.Gov website that allows every citizen the opportunity to provide their input in a structured, electronic polling format.
We like ourselves a poll here and there. And other greats of the Seattle Internet have put them to good use, too. So we're not surprised the city wants in on this online democracy thing, too. This, of course, warrants a poll.
IMG_7003.JPG Originally uploaded by picatarI may finally be receiving the punishment I deserve for my ongoing bitching about the Blue Angels' annual assault on Seattle.
I've been asked to play the part of liberal douchebag on KVI 570-AM's conservative cranky pants talk show The Commentators Thursday afternoon.
Unless I get bumped for somebody more douche-like, tune in around 4p to hear me serve as the progressive punching bag for angry windbags Ken Schram and John Carlson as we talk Blue Angels, Seafair and the American Way.
Any advice? Not sure who to root for tomorrow, are you?
It would be ridiculous for this little site to declare The Stranger's online behemoth, The Slog, dead. But some part of what we once called Seattle's best blog definitely bit the big one last week -- and it happened right here on Capitol Hill.
On Friday, Slogger Lindy West posted this photo of a remarkable patron visiting Liberty. The post was a typical Slog job, setting the Segway man up for ridicule. The Slog comment crowd, as usual, went for it: I wonder, if the bartender were to - as one might expect he would do - punch this person in the face repeatedly, would he just keeping popping up for more like a Weeble? Because I would love to see that.
Typical Slog stuff, really. But this time, the nastiness got shoved right back in our Slog-loving faces. Out of the comment cesspool, came the actual story:
i met this guy at cal anderson park a few weeks ago while i was with a quadraplegic friend who uses a wheelchair that untilizes the same technology as this man’s segway. i also thought this man a lazy fool until he explained that he has a condition that makes it difficult and painful for him to walk. he also has very brittle bones that break easily ( remember that otherwise stupid m. nught shaymalan movie unbreakable ?)which is why he wears a helmet and kneepads. he engages in conversation fairly easily and if you had asked he might have explained his condition to you. the man doesn’t reserve your judgement or ridicule. so cut this shit out
Before we get too high and holy, let me say that the post is the kind of thing we might have created here on capitolhillseattle.com. We've seen the Segway man. We very probably would have also set this man up for ridicule. It very easily could have been us.
But of course this post happened on The Slog. There's a high statistical probability that, given something mean, nasty and Seattle, it came from The Stranger's site.
The Slog isn't dead -- after all, the same comment crowd that produces the hate, produces the answers. But it's definitely unhealthy as it enters its fourth year of life. Savage and crew might want to think about starting a new and better discussion. In the meantime, maybe we should start preparing a monument to be erected at Liberty Bar:
Here lies The Slog
Self poisoned
Brilliant
2005-2008
Ken Jennings is a smart dude -- he's the guy who won all those times on Jeopardy! and didn't have to cheat or sleep with Alex Trebek to do it. So, when he makes a list of the 5 best places in Seattle for bread pudding and one of them is right smack dab in your neighborhood, you should take note:
2. The Kingfish Cafe. We’re crazy about this family-run soul food place on the back of Capitol Hill. They rotate bread pudding in with a bunch of other desserts, but whatever you order, the serving is guaranteed to be the size of your head. Like the pineapple upside-down cake we ordered last time we were there. Or, even better, the maple-pecan bread pudding with whiskey-bourbon sauce we had when Mindy’s folks were in town a while back. Always nice to get the in-laws loaded when they visit. Be in line when Kingfish opens or be prepared to wait, though; they don’t take reservations.
I'm with the genius on this one. K likes the massive mound of strawberry shortcake (which recently underwent a redesign which K should write about, hmm, K?) but I much prefer to stuff my gut with Kingfish's gooey bread pudding. Still, Jennings ain't a total genius -- bread pudding in June, smart guy? I'll have to teach you a little bit about seasonality. Where's your ice cream list, genius?
OK so I did accept the offer of a ride home last night when I was walking up the hill, but I was hurrying off to a local business to pick up my repaired bike.
Why didn't we score higher? Note their idea of my closest grocery store, bookstore and library .
Note: sometimes when I use that link I get a walk score of 69 and am told there are no grocery stores (or a mini-mart on the other side of I5) and sometimes I get a score of 89 and they find the Safeway! My nearest library is typically identified as "Group Health Co-Op Med Library", though once it was a bar with "library" in the name. Neither was what I had in mind.
Regarding Proposal to Provide Opportunities at
Volunteer Park
to Enjoy the Park Car-free
Seattle Parks and Recreation invites you to a community meeting to discuss “It’s a Walk in the Park,” a proposal to increase opportunities for everyone to have car-free use of our parks one weekday and one weekend day each week July through September. This would expand current car-free locations to include Volunteer Park.
This proposal is part of the City’s campaign to Give Your Car the Summer Off, a component of the Climate Action Now initiative.
Please join us at this meeting to learn about the proposal and provide input to help Parks understand the needs of participants and neighbors.
Meeting Information
Montlake Community Center
Multi-Purpose Room
1618 East Calhoun Street
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
6:30-8:30 pm
If you are unable to attend the meeting or have additional comments, we encourage you to send comments to Karen Tsao, by email to karen.tsao@seattle.gov or by post to 100 Dexter Avenue N, Seattle, WA 98109
