Archives for January 2011

Final days for The Shoe Zoo on Blakeley

January 30, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Another long-time area business is closing its doors.

After 23 years of business, The Shoe Zoo (2920 NE Blakeley St # B) is going out of business.  A 30% off sale begins today.

The news was sent out via email  (and passed on to us by our friends at My Green Lake):

Well, it is with a very heavy heart, that after 23 years of taking care of the best customers I could ask for, I must announce, that starting today, we will begin our last sale ever – our going out of business sale. This was a very tough decision to make, but one that had to be made.  I can’t give an exact date of how long we will be here, but I must sell everything in the store. You name it, it’s for sale.  I will start by making all merchandise 30% off.  Hopefully, you can help me get the word out.  Please tell everyone you know, who has kids, the news.  I would really appreciate it.  If this store has made a difference for your families over the years, please come in and pick up a few pair of shoes.  Please be sure to use any credits, or gift certificates as soon as possible.

The Zoo Keeper 🙁

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I purchased my son’s very first pair of “big boy” shoes at The Shoe Zoo. 🙁

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New schedule, location for future Ravenna Bryant Community Association meetings

January 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment

GOOD NEWS: No more skipping dinner to make it to those 6 PM Ravenna Bryant Community Association meetings at the Northeast Branch (before it closes at 8 PM).

Starting next Tuesday, February 1, the RBCA will start holding its regular monthly meetings on first Tuesdays of the month at the Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center (6535 Ravenna Avenue NE). Start time of 7 PM.

The lovely Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center - Open weekdays until 9 PM!

On the agenda for this Tuesday’s meeting are reaffirming some replacement board members, continuing to discuss a new-and-improved (and updated) RBCA website, planning the community-wide meeting (set for Tuesday, April 5), and a neighborhood Major League outing proposal by yours truly*.

If you can’t make this month’s meeting but have something to get off your chest, leave a comment below and I will pass it on. And maybe we’ll see you at the next regular monthly meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, March 1, at 7 PM.

Pensive Trevor Gregg (RECC's coordinator) thanks you for your time.

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*Full details available here on Neighbor Appreciation Day, Friday, February 12! STAY TUNED.

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More info on area power outage on January 24

January 28, 2011 by 3 Comments

Roosiehood's post on the outage of January 24th (click the picture to redirect and read)

Our next door neighbor blog, Roosiehood, reported on last week’s power outage that affected around 840 Seattle City Light customers. (Ravenna Blog HQ wasn’t affected, just AFK.)

The good news is Seattle City Light crews know exactly where the problem occurred and were able to restore power within the hour.

The unfortunate news is they did not find a cause.

We talked with Scott Thomsen, Seattle City Light’s Communications and Public Affairs guy, about where the problem occurred, and he gave us a little Electric Grid 101 as a bonus.

From power generation sources (hydroelectric dams, for example), power flows to substations, then through feeder lines to lateral lines and then to places of service (stores, schools, your house, etc.).

In the case of the January 24 outage, power from the University Substation was heading to customers via an underground feeder, like usual. A breaker on this feeder line tripped, and around 840 customers were put in the dark. (This particular feeder serves around 3,500 customers, so things could have been worse).

In the event of another outage, we’d be happy to call up Scott again. But we hope we don’t have to. (No offense, Scott.)

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City of Seattle files complaint against Jiggles, asks court to shut it down

January 27, 2011 by Leave a Comment

In a move that has been anticipated ever since owner Robert Davis changed the “G” on the sign to a “J,” his Jiggles Gentlemen’s Club is heading to King County Superior Court.

Today, the City of Seattle’s Attorney’s Office submitted a complaint to King County’s Superior Court against Jiggles (5220 Roosevelt Way NE), saying that the new adult cabaret is in violation of some the city’s zoning codes and building codes.

While the complaint lists a number of Seattle Municipal Codes (SMCs) that Jiggles is in violation of, it is the violation of SMC 23.47A.004 (H), which has grabbed the most attention. This particular city code “requires that new adult cabarets be located 800 feet or more from specified locations where children congregate: schools, child care centers, public parks and open space, and community centers.”

The University Child Development School sits across Roosevelt Way NE from Jiggles, a mere 60 feet away.


View Larger Map

The complaint also lists three other kinder congregation areas within that 800 feet zone (University Heights Center, a YMCA, and a city park).

PubliCola has a story up about the complaint as well, with the added bonus of a full copy of the complaint for you to download and read at your leisure.

And for an inside peek at what goes on at Jiggles, check out this article (“In limbo”) from the University of Washington’s The Daily, out yesterday.

UPDATE (8:38 PM): The Seattle Times has a story up now, which includes quotes from Jiggles owner Davis’ attorney.
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Thank you to both Martha and PubliCola for alerting us to the information in this story.

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Light Rail update: Roosevelt Station news, Brooklyn Station Open House

January 26, 2011 by 5 Comments

UPDATE (2:37 PM): Oops! Should have read “Thursday, January 27” NOT 29. Many thanks to lovely Rita who pointed this out in the comments below.

Meeting news first: There is a Brooklyn Station Open House this Thursday, January 29 27, at the University Heights Center (5031 University Way NE). The meeting is from 6 – 8 PM in the second floor auditorium. Presentation to begin at 6:30 PM.

To be discussed at the meeting are:

  • Two underground station design options
  • Station access and entrance locations
  • Construction plans

Those interested in the new Light Rail Station process for the Roosevelt Station might be interested in attending these meetings for the station to the south.

JnS Phonograph Needles… closed

Now the Roosevelt Station news (from Sound Transit):

Properties acquired for Roosevelt Station, townhouses possibly relocated

In preparation for constructing Roosevelt Station, Sound Transit has purchased several properties including Standard Phonograph on NE 65th Street, the QFC grocery store on Roosevelt Way NE, and the vacant lot at the northwest corner of 12th Avenue NE and NE 67th Street. Sound Transit has purchased (or has a purchase and sale agreement for) each of the eight townhouses on NE 66th Street across from the QFC parking lot.

Some building tenants continue to lease from Sound Transit. As tenants move out, the agency takes on building and landscaping maintenance, with staff conducting regular site visits.

As part of its sustainability program, Sound Transit has hired Nickel Brothers to oversee the potential relocation of the eight townhouses (four duplex buildings) on NE 66th Street. Nickel Brothers will advertise the townhouse builldings as available for relocation in 2011 and, if they are sold, will move the buildings to a new location.

The area in question:

View Larger Map

If you’d like to receive North Link Light Rail information in your very own inbox, head to Sound Transit’s Quick Subscribe page. Once you enter your email address, you can subscribe to a veritable smörgÃ¥sbord of bulletins, updates, wireless alerts and more.

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Mayor McGinn Town Hall tonight at the University Heights Center

January 25, 2011 by 2 Comments

Have a question you’ve just been dying to ask Mayor Mike McGinn, in person? Want to learn more about city departments and local volunteer organizations?

Hop on your bike* and head down to the University Heights Center (5031 University Way NE)  tonight, and you’ll get your chance.

Here’s the agenda (via the University Neighborhood Service Center):

5:30-6:30 City Departments and local volunteer organization will have information tables and be available to answer questions and provide volunteer opportunities

6:30-6:35 Performance from the Broadway Bound singers

6:35-8:00 Open question and answer session with the Mayor and City staff

This is the Mayor’s first town hall of the year. More are planned for the future, presumably in other areas of the city.

One of the things you might want to ask Mayor McGinn about are the lovely potholes (dark and deep) on Ravenna Blvd. Here we have some background information for you: The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is planning to resurface the entire thing (between Green Lake and 15th Avenue NE) in 2012. Until then, a work order has been made to help fill the gaps before the “Bridging the Gap” levy money can really smooth things over. Read the entire statement from the SDOT here, on My Green Lake.

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*Obligatory bicycle mention in Mayor McGinn post (SMC 11.46.010: Areas of operation).

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Introducing your neighborhood PIE school

January 24, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Yesterday was National Pie Day (designated thus by the American Pie Council, of course). Perhaps you celebrated by eating some. And now you’re wondering, how can I celebrate this holiday more often?

Photos courtesy Wendy Sykes, Four and 20 Blackbirds

Wendy Sykes can help you with that. She’s the owner of Four and 20 Blackbirds, a baking school right here in Ravenna that she started last September.

The classes Four and 20 Blackbirds is offering right now are Pie Class, Parent/Child Pie Class, Cooking Making and Parent/Child Cookie Decorating. Wendy has plans in the works to add more baking and crafting classes to the mix later on. She’s also able to schedule classes for private events.

"It’s like coloring – but you get to eat the page. And the page is gooooooood," says the website.

The first thing you get from the pie class? A piece of pie, TO EAT. That’s fantastic.

Wendy was interviewed on KUOW this morning (where she once worked for nearly 8 years), along with Kimmy Tomlinson of West Seattle’s Shoofly Pie Company and Dani Cone of High 5 Pie in Capitol Hill. You can listen to the program on KUOW’s website here.

Too cute to eat? NAH.

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Ravenna-Bryant Community Association meeting tonight

January 19, 2011 by 6 Comments

The Ravenna-Bryant Community Association is meeting TONIGHT at the Northeast Branch of the Seattle Public Library (6801 35th Ave NE), from 6-7:45 PM.

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In case you’d like to participate but can’t make it tonight, is there anything you’d like to share? Or know about? Have any concerns? Just want to profess your love for the neighborhood?

I’ll be attending tonight’s meeting and can convey your message to the group. Send me an email, or leave a comment below, and I’ll pass it along.

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Sunflour Bakery Cafe hit with graffiti; plus, how to report

January 16, 2011 by 6 Comments

Reader and long-time resident, Richard, wrote in yesterday to say that the Sunflour Bakery Cafe (3118 NE 65th St) had been tagged by some rather sizable graffiti:

Graffiti found on the east side of the Sunflour Bakery Cafe building

He’d like to find those responsible and see them made to account for their misdeeds (as would we).

Close-up of the graffiti/tag

If we learn anything more about this tagging (we left contact information at the Sunflour this morning), we’ll be sure to post an update here.

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So, what can you do if you spot some new graffiti/tagging in the neighborhood?

If the graffiti is on public property, you can call the Graffiti Report Line at (206) 684-7587. Additionally, Seattle Public Utilities has an online Report Graffiti Form which includes sizeable text boxes in which to describe the vandalism, location, and any other comments you may have. I would also recommend taking a picture of the graffiti and saying you have such on the form or within your phone call.

If you have graffiti on your own private property, call the Seattle Police Department at (206) 625-5011 to file a police report.

If you see graffiti in progress, however, DO call 911. Graffiti vandals must be caught in the act to be prosecuted, says the SPD.

More information on Seattle Public Utilities Graffiti Prevention and Removal can be found here.

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House fire on East Ravenna Blvd, no injuries

January 15, 2011 by 4 Comments

Flames escaping through the windows of the second floor apartment (Photo courtesy Dylan Cline)

Over a dozen area fire department vehicles were called to the 1800 block of Ravenna Blvd around 12:50 pm to battle a house fire. The resident of the apartment was home at the time, but was uninjured.

Showing the damaged second story apartment windows

The residence consisted of a rented out studio apartment on the second floor, and the office of an architect below.

Residents watch the action from the median

Fire department staff on scene said that the fire was started accidentally, in the apartment unit. Unfortunately for the renter, nothing appears to be salvageable.

I spoke with the apartment renter briefly at the scene. He said he’d been in the residence for about 6 or 7 years and greatly enjoys the neighborhood.

Two of the fourteen fire department vehicles called to the fire

The home itself was formerly a city light substation built in 1921, and found its second life through the work of the architect whose office is located on the first floor.  You can read more about Thomas Burkle’s work at his website, Architecture Inside Out (architectinside.com), and see photos of the residence in better times.

Fire department vehicles and staff on site at the residence, after the fire was extinguished.

UPDATE (3:40 PM): We have video of the fire and the firefighters putting it out (thank you to Benjamin):

Ravenna House Fire from b b on Vimeo.

UPDATE (6:14 PM): From the Seattle Times:

A house in Seattle’s Ravenna neighborhood burned Saturday in a fire sparked by overheated electrical wiring.

Flames were seen shooting out of the second floor before firefighters doused the blaze. Damage to the house was estimated at $120,000, said Lt. Sue Stangl of the Seattle Fire Department. Another $20,000 worth of property inside was lost.

UPDATE (10:14 PM): KING5.com has a few pictures up in a slideshow as well, some from Dylan and others from Dale Steinke of Phinneywood.com.

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Thank you to Richard Lotz for the 911 site tweet and to Dylan Cline for the use of his photograph.

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