May 18-20, 2013

Be aware that Aurora Avenue North and Mercer Street will be closed where the two streets cross until 5 a.m. Monday for construction activity. Traffic from the north on Aurora Avenue will be detoured at North 85th Street. From the south, the detour starts just before Spokane Street. Mercer Street will close near [...]]]>

May 18-20, 2013

Be aware that Aurora Avenue North and Mercer Street will be closed where the two streets cross until 5 a.m. Monday for construction activity. Traffic from the north on Aurora Avenue will be detoured at North 85th Street. From the south, the detour starts just before Spokane Street. Mercer Street will close near Aurora with detours to Fifth Avenue North, Denny Way and other streets. Good luck.

As expected, the Seattle City Council unanimously passed a bill to allow rezoning in South Lake Union. Developers will now be allowed to build 400-foot-tall towers in a specific area and 240-foot-tall buildings in others.

There are a whole slew of projects in the queue that were waiting to find out just how high they could go, [...]]]>

As expected, the Seattle City Council unanimously passed a bill to allow rezoning in South Lake Union. Developers will now be allowed to build 400-foot-tall towers in a specific area and 240-foot-tall buildings in others.

There are a whole slew of projects in the queue that were waiting to find out just how high they could go, from a hotel to offices and of course plenty of apartment buildings.

Curbed.com does a great job with this story …

Drivers, beware.

A trip near Seattle Center will take five or 10 minutes longer for the next two years as work starts at the west end of the Mercer Street project.

The big change will be a new, two-way Mercer underpass beneath Aurora Avenue North. The six-lane boulevard will have sidewalks and a bike [...]]]>

Drivers, beware.

A trip near Seattle Center will take five or 10 minutes longer for the next two years as work starts at the west end of the Mercer Street project.

The big change will be a new, two-way Mercer underpass beneath Aurora Avenue North. The six-lane boulevard will have sidewalks and a bike lane separate from traffic.

When the $95 million job is done in late 2015, drivers for the first time will be able to go west directly to the Center from Interstate 5 without making multiple turns on side streets.

And travel will be far safer for cyclists and pedestrians between the busy Uptown and South Lake Union neighborhoods.

However, until all that happens, think barricades and orange cones.

For the typical 75,000 or so vehicles using Aurora Avenue, think delays.

Same goes for the 35,000 motorists who now use Mercer.

Work begins with a full weekend closure of both Aurora and Mercer from 11 p.m. Friday, May 17, until 5 a.m. Monday, May 20.

Southbound through-traffic will be detoured to I-5 at North 85th Street. Local drivers may continue on Aurora down to the Dexter Avenue North exit.

Also that weekend:

• Traffic from South Seattle approaching downtown will be detoured off Highway 99 at East Marginal Way South near South Spokane Street.

• Even the sidewalks in the work zone will be closed.

Then, beyond the weekend closure:

• The existing four eastbound lanes of Mercer from Fourth Avenue North to Ninth Avenue North will be reduced to two, so backups there will worsen.

• A stretch of eastbound Broad Street will be reopened from the Center to South Lake Union, which may help a bit.

• The exit from northbound Aurora/Highway 99 to eastbound Mercer Street will close. That means today’s gridlock at the junction of Mercer and Dexter will be pushed to other locations.

Bus riders will not go unscathed, either. Changes including the loss of some stops will impact five routes. Some 80 buses a day pass through just on Route 358.

When all the dust begins to settle, an offramp from the future Highway 99 tunnel under Seattle will meet up with the new Mercer Street, just west of Aurora Avenue, in 2016.

When the project is complete, drivers heading to I-5 will not save much time. But those leaving I-5 and heading toward the Center will have an easier go of it, said Eric Tweit, project manager for the Seattle Department of Transportation.

“People are going to notice it’s much easier to get off (I-5). You may not be going 35 miles an hour, but it’s … an arterial street. So, it will work much better than turning right on Fairview, left on Valley, and then turning onto Broad Street and then figuring out where you go from there once you get across Aurora.”

In related work, Valley Street will be finished as a two-lane road with sidewalks and bike lanes this year, convenient to the Museum of History & Industry.

And as part of the tunnel project, the state will reconnect the east-west street grid — John, Thomas and Harrison streets, which were severed when the Aurora Avenue bridge was built back in the mid-1950s.

Mike Lindblom: 206-515-5631 or mlindblom@seattletimes.com. On Twitter @mikelindblom

photo by M. Lowrimore

A fire at a north Lake Union research lab triggered a large response from the Seattle Fire Department and sent a plume of potentially dangerous smoke over Lake Union Saturday afternoon.

As firefighters arrived at Modumetal, they saw roughly 20 foot-tall flames and a large column of gray smoke. When [...]]]>

photo by M. Lowrimore

A fire at a north Lake Union research lab triggered a large response from the Seattle Fire Department and sent a plume of potentially dangerous smoke over Lake Union Saturday afternoon.

As firefighters arrived at Modumetal, they saw roughly 20 foot-tall flames and a large column of gray smoke. When they entered the warehouse-like structure to fight the fire, they discovered large vats of nickle cobalt that had spilled, creating a potentially toxic situation. The chemical spill was limited by a building containment system and did not enter the waters of Lake Union, but firefighters had walked through the acidic chemical on the floor of the building, requiring them to be decontaminated. Flames were seen coming from the back of the warehouse where the owner stored wood pallets.

The EPA and U.S. Coast Guard were notified in case any of the chemical entered the waters of Lake Union. The smoke and spilled chemicals presented and inhalation hazard so firefighters had to use special breathing apparatus, fire department spokesman Kyle Moore said.

The Modumetal website describes their product as “a revolutionary nanolaminated alloy that is stronger and lighter than steel and will replace conventional metals and composites in many applications.”

The fire was determined to be caused by an electrical arc to industrial plating equipment, causing an estimated $150,000 in damage.

No injuries were reported.

Thanks to seattlepi.com

As always, the Opening Day Parade starts [...]]]>

Opening Day, the official opening of Seattle’s boating season sponsored by the Seattle Yacht Club, includes a celebration of many kinds of water activities. Festivities will include a morning of crew races, a sailboat race, and of course, the grand Opening Day boat parade on Saturday.

As always, the Opening Day Parade starts at noon the first Saturday in May with the blast of a cannon and the raising of the Montlake Bridge. Seattle Yacht Club’s Opening Day has become the nation’s largest regional celebration of water, spring, and the opening of boating season. Participating yachts will be decorated to illustrate the 2013 theme for Opening Day, “Hawaiian Magic”. 

Opening Day in Seattle is a family affair; families decorate their boats for the festivities and parades; spread blankets on the shoreline and spend hours watching and picnicking. Families dream of the boats they someday will own.

Opening Day offers some outstanding photo and story opportunities. You’ll not find anything like it in the U.S. or to our knowledge, in the world. The only thing comparable is an annual parade of commercial vessels in Venice, Italy.

thanks to http://www.nwboatinfo.com/Events-Opening-Day.html

 Restore the shoreline, 9 a.m. to noon, 1600 block of Fairview Ave. E.  Meet at the corner of Eastlake Ave. E. and E. Blaine St. (near the madrone trees).  Remove weeds and trash, complete the planting beds, and wire trees from the [...]]]> Celebrate Earth Day in Eastlake on Thursday, April 25 with the following events:

 Restore the shoreline, 9 a.m. to noon, 1600 block of Fairview Ave. E.  Meet at the corner of Eastlake Ave. E. and E. Blaine St. (near the madrone trees).  Remove weeds and trash, complete the planting beds, and wire trees from the beavers.  Wear sturdy shoes and bring work gloves.  Questions:  206-322-5463, info@eastlakeseattle.org.  (Can’t make it April 25?  There’s another shoreline restoration event Sat., May 18, also 9 a.m. to noon.) 

ECC public meeting about bicycling in and through the Eastlake neighborhood — 7 p.m. at TOPS-Seward School (2500 Franklin Ave. E.).   The first part features Eastlake resident and Cycle Messenger World Champion Craig Etheridge, about his life with bicycles as a messenger and competitor.  (For more on Craig, see the winter 2012-13 Eastlake News.) Come with your questions and ideas, such as about bicycle equipment, pointers about riding and safety, and bicycle conditions and policies.

The second part of the meeting is open discussion about making the Eastlake neighborhood more bicycle-friendly, and any tradeoffs this involves.  Are street or pathway improvements needed?  What’s in the City’s Bicycle Master Plan for Eastlake Avenue and other bicycle routes?  Do bicycle improvements pose any tradeoffs, such as possible loss of parking for motor vehicles?  What impact would the proposed streetcar and Ride the Ducks routes have on bicyclists?  Whether or not you can come, please send your ideas or questions, to info@eastlakeseattle.org, or c/o 117 E. Louisa St. #1, Seattle, WA  98102-3278.

The above events are sponsored by the Eastlake Community Council.   For more about ECC and how to get involved, see its web site athttp://eastlakeseattle.org, e-mail info@eastlakeseattle.org or call (206) 322-5463

[Also:  a faithful volunteer who delivers the Eastlake News reminds us that the following day (Friday, April 26),  in a 7:30 p.m. concert downtown at Town Hall (8^th and Seneca), the Lake Union Civic Orchestra performs Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain, Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony and a world premiere of the Pasatieri Viola Concerto.  Tickets are $18; $13 for seniors and students.  For information, click here or go to luco.org.]

Seattle’s July 4 fireworks, which seemed certain to die because of lack of support, are back on.

The Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Seafair and the city of Seattle made the announcement Tuesday.

“I’m pleased to announce that the 4th of July fireworks show on Lake Union is a go,” Maud Daudon, the Chamber’s president and [...]]]>

Seattle’s July 4 fireworks, which seemed certain to die because of lack of support, are back on.

The Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Seafair and the city of Seattle made the announcement Tuesday.

“I’m pleased to announce that the 4th of July fireworks show on Lake Union is a go,” Maud Daudon, the Chamber’s president and CEO, said at a news conference, to loud applause.

One Reel, which had produced the Lake Union show, announced on April 1 that the show would be canceled.

On Tuesday, Daudon said the show’s “presenting sponsors” will be Microsoft, Amazon and a gaming company called DoubleDown Interactive. Other major sponsors include Starbucks, Wells Fargo and Tom Douglas restaurants.

Daudon said the companies have also made long-term commitments of at least three years to help create a sustainable plan for show. The commitments, she said, will help “end the springtime ritual of guessing whether there will be a fireworks show or not.”

Problems with fireworks funding began in 2010 after the collapse of Washington Mutual. The bank had been the title sponsor for eight years, and JPMorgan Chase, which bought WaMu, stopped funding after the 2009 show.

That led to One Reel calling for a one-year hiatus – an “incredibly difficult” decision, CEO Toni Aspin said at the time. That brought a grassroots effort from KIRO-FM host Dave Ross and Seattle chef Tom Douglas, who solicited donations from Seattleites. Microsoft and Starbucks agreed to match $125,000 in donations, gaining more than $500,000 to save the fireworks show.

But that was then. This year, after One Reel canceled the show, the office of  Mayor Mike McGinn stepped in to help. It waived park-use and “barricading” fees. Seafair became the new producer, using its long-term relationships with vendors to put on a festival with food, music and a beer garden.

Some vendors also reduced their fees, Seafair president Beth Knox said. Seafair will also use a new – and cheaper – fireworks company. Knox said the overall budget for the show is under the $500,000 that One Reel was trying to raise. But she declined to give a specific figure.

One looming question: Will the show be different? Knox said the festival will still be at Gas Works Park, and the fireworks will be a “spectacular” 20-minute show fired off a barge on Lake Union.

But Knox acknowledged that the fireworks display itself will be different. She didn’t yet have many details, but said, “This show is going to be just as good.”

Jane Broom, the director of community affairs for Microsoft, said the company was encouraged by Seafair’s expertise in fundraising and promotion. Although Microsoft has sponsored the event, it was always concerned about the lack of a sustainable plan, Broom said.

“We fee like there’s a now a long-term plan in place,” she said.

Visit seattlepi.com’s home page for more Seattle news and follow us on Facebook. Vanessa Ho can be reached at vanessaho@seattlepi.com or 206-448-8003 and on Twitter as @vanessaho.

Read more: http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/July-4-fireworks-saved-4456680.php#ixzz2RJrmScvN

The proposal [...]]]> The city council, meeting as the special committee on South Lake Union, unanimously adopted a compromise incentive zoning plan for South Lake Union this afternoon (April 22) that would allow developers to build taller, denser buildings in the growing neighborhood in exchange for new, on-site affordable housing or payments into an affordable housing fund. 

The proposal the council committee adopted is most similar to a compromise proposed by council member Mike O’Brien that will require developers to pay $21.68 into an affordable housing and child care fund for every additional square foot of density above what’s allowed under existing zoning rules. The proposal would increase the requirement, known as a “fee in lieu” of building affordable housing, annually according to the rate of inflation.

Mayor Mike McGinn proposed a much less ambitious proposal (known as “incentive zoning” because it gives developers an incentive—taller buildings—to pay for things like affordable housing, child care, and open space) that would have required developer to pay just $15.15 per square foot of additional residential density. (The proposal also requires developers to pay more for additional height in commercial buildings.)

As we reported last week, council members were split on how much of a per-square-foot payment the city should require, but agreed that the mayor’s proposal failed to meet a basic goal: Giving developers an incentive to actually build housing on site, instead of simply paying into a fund. So far, developers who’ve taken advantage of existing incentive zoning rules in South Lake Union and downtown have universally chosen to pay into the fund instead of building actual affordable housing, suggesting that it’s the per-square-foot price has been too low.

That troubles council members not just because it’s a lucrative break for developers, but because private companies are better equipped to build “workforce” housing—housing affordable to people making up to 80 percent of the area median income (AMI), or about $45,000 a year for an individual—than nonprofit housing developers, whose expertise is building low-income housing with wraparound services, like job training and social services, that higher-income renters don’t need.

“It’s not the big leap forward that I was hoping for, but it is a step in the right direction,” council member Nick Licata, who had proposed a much larger fee of $96 per square foot, said.

Several amendments by Licata, including proposals that would promote the preservation of existing low-income housingand expand the incentive program to require half of any new units be affordable to people making no more than 60 percent of median income (as opposed to 80 percent), failed.

Acknowledging that “These are not the kinds of figures that will actually get us to the [affordable housing] that we need in South Lake Union, council president Sally Clark suggested that the council may want to revisit Licata’s 60-percent proposal in the future.

The full council will vote on the zoning proposal on Monday, May 6.

Amazon.com will lease more space in downtown Seattle’s 1800 Ninth Avenue Building than previously thought.

Commercial real estate company Kidder Matthews reported on Thursday that the online retailer signed a lease for 150,000 square feet. The lease had been rumored for several months, though it had been said that Amazon was taking only 100,000 square [...]]]>

Amazon.com will lease more space in downtown Seattle’s 1800 Ninth Avenue Building than previously thought.

Commercial real estate company Kidder Matthews reported on Thursday that the online retailer signed a lease for 150,000 square feet. The lease had been rumored for several months, though it had been said that Amazon was taking only 100,000 square feet.

The information was in Kidder’s first-quarter report, which states that the region’s office vacancy rate held steady at just over 10.3 percent. Considering the number of leases signed at the end of late year, vacancy rates are expected to decline this year.

Other highlights from the report include:

– The Seattle vacancy rate varies from 6 percent in the Lake Union area to just over 14 percent in downtown Seattle. The Lake Union rate should fall below 4 percent with Amazon’s leasing activity.

– As previously reported, State Farm Insurance is negotiating leases for the former Russell Investments space in Tacoma. Initial estimates indicate the company will take a total of 290,000 square feet.

– The South King County market had a burst of leasing, resulting in the most amount of space being absorbed in 10 years.

– Across the region, there are only 17 spaces larger than 100,000 square feet available. This is a relatively small number in a market of about 182 million square feet.

Wow. That’s one of our largest and most cherished events on the lake. There were a lot of news stories and other pieces published in Seattle on this matter, but we liked the following take on it best:

Lighten up, Seattle: Don’t fire the Fourth of July fireworks

The tepid reaction to [...]]]>

Wow. That’s one of our largest and most cherished events on the lake. There were a lot of news stories and other pieces published in Seattle on this matter, but we liked the following take on it best:

Lighten up, Seattle: Don’t fire the Fourth of July fireworks

The tepid reaction to the news that Seattle’s Fourth of July fireworks show has been canceled must have Ivar Haglund rolling over in his watery grave…..

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2020694828_westneat3xml.html