As Seattle U continues to grow along 12th Ave including plans for new art museum, school will expand to South Lake Union with Cornish College takeover

(Image: Cornish College of the Arts)

Seattle University will take over the Cornish College of the Arts in a agreement announced Thursday.

“Seattle University joining forces with Cornish will combine two storied Seattle institutions of higher learning into one,” Seattle U president Eduardo Peñalver said in a statement. “It will create incredible new opportunities for our students to expand their educational horizons and for faculty to pursue innovative interdisciplinary collaborations. This is definitely a case of ‘one plus one equals three.’”

The “modern, progressive, and global Jesuit Catholic university” on the southern edge of Capitol Hill says it is working on a final deal to acquire the college as it undertakes “a thorough due diligence review of Cornish’s finances, holdings and assets, operations, compliance and legal obligations.”

The takeover comes as Cornish officials have said enrollment at the arts college has continued to fade, falling to just under 500 students. Last month, CHS reported on Cornish’s sale of its final physical connection to Capitol Hill as it agreed to sell the historic Kerry Hall studio and performance space to Seattle Theater Group for $6 million.

The addition of Cornish to the Seattle U family won’t change the direction of the arts college’s hopes for growth in South Lake Union. The schools said Thursday the plan is “continuing to educate students at its South Lake Union campus.” Continue reading

Massive art donation comes with a $25M gift for 12th Ave — plans for a new Seattle University Museum of Art

(Image: Seattle University)

Dick Hedreen (Image: Yosef Kalinko/Seattle University)

A 12th Ave Seattle University parking lot could become a new art museum and the center of the school’s art holdings as property developer Dick Hedreen has announced he is gifting his family’s 200-piece, $300 million collection of paintings, pottery, photography, etchings, and sculptures to the Jesuit university on the southern edge of Capitol Hill.

The rare handover comes with a $25 million donation to begin the development of the Seattle University Museum of Art, “a teaching museum that will showcase centuries of art history and be a true learning extension of the classroom,” Seattle U says. Continue reading

L’Oursin sibling Bar Bayonne has ‘train station-style baguette sandwiches’ by day, cocktails and jambon by night on E Jefferson

Jonathan Proville and Zac Overman are creating their own Central District day/night food and drink scene along E Jefferson.

Bar Bayonne has made a late summer opening next to its Proville-Overman sibling L’Oursin. It is bringing “train station-style baguette sandwiches” by day and cocktails along with “freshly-shucked oysters, shrimp cocktail, moules mariniere” by night. On the bar, you will also find a hock of the namesake Jambon de Bayonne, the appellation d’origine contrôlée-worthy ham of southwestern France.

CHS reported in March on the plans for the project that has helped fill in L’Oursin’s block after the fall 2022 closure of the neighboring cask ale-focused Capercaillie Pub. Continue reading

Seattle University first in state to end holdings in fossil fuel industry

Jim and Janet Sinegal Center for Science and Innovation (Image: Seattle University)

12th Ave’s Seattle University announced it has divested from fossil fuel marking a first for Washington State.

The school is also reportedly the first Jesuit school in the nation to end its fossil fuel investment holdings.

“Though the university is at the end of the five-year divestment process, it is just one part of Seattle University’s ongoing efforts toward building a sustainable community that supports human and ecological health, social justice and economic well-being through Socially Responsible Investing,” the school said in a statement. Continue reading

Annual Seattle Public Safety Survey is open with trust of SPD continuing to plunge in Capitol Hill and the Central District

You have until the end of the month to add your feedback to the annual survey process Seattle Police says it utilizes to help shape its approach to policing specific communities and neighborhoods in the city.

The annual Seattle Public Safety Survey run by Seattle University’s Crime and Justice Research Center and promoted through SPD’s social media channels including the deal the department maintains with the Nextdoor service is open through November 30th at publicsafetysurvey.org.

With questions on topics including SPD officer respect for “basic rights,” honesty, local trust, and “pride” in the department, the survey is part crime issue reporting, part customer service feedback. Continue reading

Mayor to appear at ‘Where do we go from here?’ forum at Seattle U

Public appearances and community forums used to be a regular component of being a public official before the pandemic. Monday night, Seattle University will host what these days is a rare in-person session with Mayor Bruce Harrell. You are invited to attend.

The “Meet the New Seattle Mayor: Where Do We Go From Here?” forum takes place Monday starting at 6:30 PM in Seattle U’s Pigott Auditorium: Continue reading

Student held up on Seattle U campus in mobile banking robbery — UPDATE

Online banking and payment apps have protections against identity breaches and online thieves but not street robberies.

A Seattle University student says he was held up on campus on the Monday Presidents Day holiday and forced to transfer money as the two suspects threatened to shoot him and his home.

According to the SPD report on the Monday, 3 PM incident, the student said he was standing by his car on campus when the two suspects confronted him and placed him in a headlock: Continue reading

Report finds officers failed to properly de-escalate situation before shooting and killing Seattle U grad student during mental crisis

Hayden

Two Seattle officers have been suspended after the Office of Police Accountability found they shot and killed a Seattle University graduate student without attempting to properly deescalate the mental crisis situation as it played out along the city’s waterfront in February 2021.

CHS reported here on the February 16th, 2021 shooting that killed 44-year-old Derek Hayden after police responded to reports a man armed with a knife was reportedly trying to harm himself during a mental crisis around 9:20 PM on Alaskan Way and Seneca.

“Police approached the man and attempted to use a less lethal tool, but the device was ineffective,” the Seattle Police Department said at the time. Continue reading

Man in critical condition after 15th/Cherry alley shooting

A 53-year-old man was critically wounded and Seattle Police were investigating after an alley shooting overnight in the Central District.

Multiple callers reported gunfire and a man was reported shot in the stomach near 15th and Cherry around 2:15 AM, according to East Precinct radio updates.

Seattle Police arrived and secured the scene for Seattle Fire to treat and transport the man to Harborview. Seattle Fire reported the patient was in critical condition.

According to radio updates, police were collecting evidence and interviewing people in a nearby building and found at least one shell casing and bullet holes in a fence in the alley.

There were no reported arrests and no suspect information was available.

See something others should know about? Email CHS or call/txt (206) 399-5959. Hear sirens and wondering what’s going on? Check out Twitter reports from @jseattle or tune into the CHS Scanner page.

 

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