Hot fashion trends out, hot sandwich shop in on the Ave (UPDATE)

March 17, 2014 by 3 Comments

This post is for you, neighborhood living UW students and staff.

Normally for new restaurant tips, we hit up the Washington State Liquor Control Board’s New Liquor License Actions web page for King County. But this time we happened upon one while browsing for construction permits for our NE Seattle Development Tracker page.

Potbelly Sandwich Shop appears to be renovating the old Pitaya clothing space at 4520 University Way NE (here’s the project page with the DPD).

Google Street View of 4520 University Way NE and a few extra storefronts to the north.

Google Street View of 4520 University Way NE and a few extra storefronts to the north.

Potbelly currently has three shops in Seattle — two downtown and one on First Hill. They’re a national chain based in Chicago, Illinois with nearly 300 locations.

The Wikipedia summary of Potbelly’s offerings says:

Potbelly’s menu features a variety of sandwiches that are all served hot on regular or multigrain wheat bread. All sandwiches can be ordered “thin-cut” style, in which one third of the bread is cut out. Potbelly began offering salads in February 2007. The menu also includes soup, shakes, malts, smoothies, and cookies. Most restaurants feature live music from local musicians during the lunch hours.

You can read all about Potbelly’s Promise, Story (they started as an antique store?), Menus, and more at their website.

UPDATE (Tuesday, March 18): The Potbelly twitter account told us that they’ve got a couple new stores coming to Washington: One in Issaquah, in addition to this one on the Ave. The opening date for the Potbelly in our area is listed simply as “Summer 2014” so far.

Filed Under: Construction, Food, Restaurants, University District, Updates

NE Seattle YARNPOLCALYPSE is nigh (UPDATES)

March 5, 2014 by 5 Comments

Knit one, purl two, REPENT: For Northeast Seattle may be losing two independent yarn stores.

Acorn Street Shop, 2818 NE 55th St

Current Acorn Street Shop owner Karen Aho is retiring, and selling the shop. They’ve had some nibbles, says the shop on twitter, but as of this writing, there are no official takers. May might be the store’s last month if no buyers come forward.

Interested in owning your very own yarn store?* Contact Karen at acornstreet@msn.com.

Acorn Street Shop in early 2012.

Acorn Street Shop in early 2012.

More about the store from the Acorn Street Shop “About Us” page:

Acorn Street Shop was established in 1979 and began as a New England country store in nearby University Village Shopping Center. Soon the needlework department took over and Acorn Street became a full-fledged needlework shop. The shop has been under current ownership since 1986. In 1992, the business moved to its present location, just north of the U-Village, and the needlework merchandise has expanded to fill the old building up to its 15 foot ceilings!

Weaving Works, 4717 Brooklyn Ave NE

“Oh, if Acorn Street Shop closes, it will be sad. But there’s always Weaving Works down in the University District.” BUT FOR HOW LONG. The Weaving Works building is to be torn down and redeveloped into “a seven-story, 56 unit apartment building with 3,600 sq. ft. of retail commercial space at grade.”

There is no date set yet for the demolition, but the permit was filed on January 30, 2014.

weaving_works_future

Rendering of the proposed development at 4717 Brooklyn Ave NE. Click the image to download the entire proposal (8.2 MB PDF).

The most recent design proposal for the site (available above) was presented to the Northeast Design Review Board on July 15, 2013. It was passed unanimously. You can read the board’s full report from the meeting here (249 KB PDF).

We’ve contacted The Weaving Works for more information about the store’s future, and will post a reply here if/when we know more.

UPDATE (Wednesday, 7 PM): Good news about the future of The Weaving Works, via their twitter account:

UPDATE (Monday, March 17): In the latest Weaving Works newsletter (PDF), the store announces that their annual Mother’s Day sale will be more of a Moving sale (to help make the move easier); however, they’re still keeping the new location under wraps.

Acorn Street Shop also holds an annual Mother’s Day sale.

____________

*Best possible place to work, in the event of an earthquake.

Filed Under: Businesses, Construction, Northeast Seattle, Ravenna, Real Estate, University District, Updates

Water main breaks between University Village and the NE 45th Street viaduct (UPDATE)

October 8, 2013 by 2 Comments

Updates appear at the bottom of the Storify window — hit the blue “Read next page” button below to view them.

Filed Under: 911, Laurelhurst, Open/Closed, Photos, Ravenna, Seattle Department of Transportation, Seattle Fire Department, Seattle Public Utilities, Traffic, University District, University Village

Joint work on the NE 45th St Viaduct starts next Monday

August 1, 2013 by 1 Comment

We can’t let Sand Point Way NE have all the lane closure fun, can we?

The Seattle Department of Transportation sent out an advisory this week about upcoming work on the NE 45th St Viaduct that will cause various lane closures from August 5-19.

Structures crews from the Seattle Department of Transportation will close one lane at a time on the Northeast 45th Street Viaduct starting next week to repair an expansion joint. They will start on the outside, westbound lane and progress to the opposite side of the roadway. When the eastbound lane is closed, eastbound traffic will be shifted to temporarily use one of the westbound lanes, providing one lane in each direction. The closures will be from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. from August 5 to August 19.

But on the bright side, it’s good to get this work done before the UW students come back to town, right?

Filed Under: Construction, Northeast Seattle, Seattle Department of Transportation, Traffic, University District, University of Washington, University Village

Spoke & Food: Bike to dinner for good on July 30

July 23, 2013 by 4 Comments

How about we take a timeout from bicycle infrastructure matters, and get back to basics: It’s fun to ride a bike. Especially in the summer. ESPECIALLY to go meet friends for dinner, at a local joint.

…

Thanks to our own sponsors in the last year, the Ravenna Blog was able to help sponsor another great local thing: The fourth annual Spoke & Food evening of dining and bikes!

20120507-110750.jpg

 

From the Spoke & Food website:

Participation is easy. All you need to do is to bike to and from one of our participating host restaurants on the evening of our event. Invite your friends or family to meet you, bring your neighbors, pack up your kids or go at it alone.

Each of our participating host restaurants have agreed to donate 20% of ALL of their patron revenues from the evening of the event directly to the local non-profit that we select each year.

 

Dine at any of the participating restaurants listed on the Spoke & Food website from 5:30-9:30 PM on Tuesday, July 30th, 2013, and 20% (or more) of your dinner bill will be donated directly to the Bike Works non-profit.

TWENTY different restaurants around Seattle are participating this year, two of which are in our neck of the woods:

50-North-Web-Logo

50 North

5001 25th Ave NE #100;

just south of the Burke-Gilman Trail at 25th Ave NE
VIOS-logo_sm

Vios Cafe & Pub

6504 20th Ave NE;

inside Ravenna Third Place Books

 

From the Bike Works About page:

Bike Works is an innovative organization centered around bicycles that combines youth development, community engagement, bicycle recycling and a social enterprise bike shop to help build a sustainable and healthy community.

We’ll be stopping by these locations on the night of the event to check in, and perhaps to nosh.

Filed Under: Events, Families, Food, Fundraiser, Northeast Seattle, Ravenna, Restaurants, Roosevelt, University District

Get schooled on UW architecture, with a Seattle Architecture Foundation tour

July 14, 2013 by 1 Comment

Ever strolled onto the University of Washington campus, marveled at all the different architecture, and thought, “Gosh, I’d sure love to learn more about these buildings from a knowledgable person, for a modest fee?”

Well, you’re in luck, dear reader! Because the Seattle Architecture Foundation (SAF) is doing just such a thing.

Via email:

Purple and Gold: From Gothic to Modern at the UW Core

Come see how this glorious “University of a Thousand Years” has managed through its first 150. Go back in time to bask in the rich detail of Gothic, Renaissance, and Beaux Arts architecture. Stroll through serene quadrangles, lush gardens and awe-inspiring interiors along the way. Witness some new stars as contemporary buildings change with the needs of this fine institution. Oh, and did we mention it has the most fabulous view of Mount Rainier.

The tours run from 11:30 AM-1:30 PM on July 27, August 31*, September 28*, and October 26* (the last Saturdays of the next four months).

Tickets are $15 ($10 for SAF members, $25 day of IF there are any available). Advance tickets are strongly recommended, and can be purchased through Brown Paper Tickets, here.

The Seattle Architecture Foundation is a non-profit organization that connects people to the architecture, design and history of Seattle. SAF provides entertaining workshops, dynamic tours, educational seminars and enthusiastic community advocacy.

…

*A word of caution: All of these starred tour dates are also Husky Football home game dates. You may want to consult the Husky Football season schedule before choosing one of these dates; however, not all the game times are set as of this writing.

Filed Under: Events, History, Northeast Seattle, University District, University of Washington

Annual University Village summer concert series starts July 10

July 8, 2013 by Leave a Comment

On Wednesday nights starting July 10 through August 21, from 6:30-8:30 PM, the University Village presents another season of their annual free summer concerts.

The 2013 Sounds of Summer Concert Series line-up features:

July 10 – The Nowhere Men

July 17 – Mycle Wastman

July 24 – The Dudley Manlove Quartet

July 31 – LeRoy Bell & His Only Friends

August 7 – The Paperboys

August 14 – Clinton Fearon & The Boogie Brown Band

August 21 – Hit Explosion

In addition to their favorite bands, concert-goers look forward to gourmet bites from University Village restaurants, the lively Ram beer garden and fun activities in the kid’s play area.

20130705-111001.jpg

The University Village Sounds of Summer Concert Series is presented by UW Medicine, with major support from Bob Byers Volvo [also a Ravenna Blog sponsor], Mrs. Cook’s, the Ram Restaurant and Brewery and Click 98.9.

Filed Under: Music, Ravenna Blog sponsor, University District, University Village

Cafe Racer Love: Concert at the cafe and walk to Cowen Park on May 30

May 28, 2013 by 1 Comment

DSC_8412

Those lost during the shootings at Cafe Racer a year ago will be remembered and celebrated this Thursday, May 30 with music and friends and a great deal of Cafe Racer Love.

Cafe Racer’s Kurt Geissel told us that Orkestar Zirkonium will play a concert at the cafe (5828 Roosevelt Way NE) at 8 PM. An hour later, at 9 PM, Cafe Racer will close early, and everyone will walk over to Cowen Park.

Taken on May 31, 2012

Taken on May 31, 2012 at Cafe Racer.

Earlier in the month, the Seattle Weekly and the Seattle Times both published pieces about the shootings, now a year in the rearview mirror. Both, touching portraits of a gathered family hit by violence, but moving forward in love and community.

Seattle Weekly (May 7, 2013): Cafe Racer, Gun Violence, and the Power of Song

Following the shooting, [Racer Sessions] grappled with whether or not to hold the usual Sunday-night session. “Ultimately we decided that there’s no way in hell we’d cancel it,” says Icasiano. “On a Sunday night, there’s nothing we would rather be doing than hanging out and playing music at Racer. We just figured we do music, so we should do that to help.”

Seattle Times (May 11, 2013): A year later: Cafe Racer lives on.

“Knowing that so many people are there for you, it’s mind-boggling,” [Leonard Meuse] said. “Powerful.”

Moving forward? It’s simple, he said. But not easy. His advice:

“Love. Love more than you can. The more you love, the more you put out, the more it’s going to come in.”

Want to know more about Cafe Racer in general? HistoryLink.org’s Peter Bletcha published this essay on “Seattle’s Famously Quirky Dive” in October 2012.

…

Ravenna Blog posts about Cafe Racer from last year:

Shooting at Cafe Racer in Roosevelt (UPDATES) – May 30, 2012

Our post from the day of the shootings. Most recent updates were listed at the top of the post.

Cafe Racer community remembers, and celebrates (PHOTOS) – May 31, 2012

The night after the shootings, members of the Cafe Racer family met at the cafe to mourn together, and to remember their lost friends. And to make music together.

Video and impressions of Thursday night’s “Walk for Love” – June 1, 2012

Jens Wazel and Lucia Neare of Lucia Neare’s Theatrical Wonders organized a “Walk for Love” that started at Cowen Park and wound its way through the neighborhoods around Cafe Racer, before finally stopping at the cafe. Respects were paid at the houses of those killed who were locals as the walk proceeded. Participants carried bells that gently rang during the procession.

Filed Under: Cowen Park, Meeting, Memorials, Music, Roosevelt, University District

Key Bank near 35th Ave NE and NE 73rd St robbed (yet again); suspect in custody (UPDATE)

April 3, 2013 by 15 Comments

Just as we were writing up the rollover collision this morning at 12th Ave NE and NE 75th St, followers on twitter started reporting from seven to nine Seattle Police patrol cars heading up east NE 75th St.

Sent at 11:25 AM:

They were responding to a robbery at Key Bank at 35th Avenue NE and NE 73rd St. Again.

Good news is: A suspect was arrested in the University District, near 9th Avenue NE and NE 42nd Street.


View Key Bank robbery in a larger map

UPDATE (12:01 PM): Update from the Seattle Police Department Blotter:

Just after 11:15 am, a masked man walked into the Key Bank at 73rd Avenue NE and NE 35th Street demanded money, and fled the bank.
Eighteen minutes later, police had tracked the suspect to the University District (using high-tech gadgets AND old-fashioned sleuthing!) and arrested him near NE 42nd and 9th Avenue NE after a brief foot chase.
Officers will likely be around the Wedgwood and University District scenes for some time as they search for evidence.

Suspect was described as a masked, white male, age 20-30, wearing a black jacket, blue jeans, and black and yellow shoes. He displayed a small gun at the bank before taking off.

 

Filed Under: 911, Crime, Ravenna, Seattle Police Department, University District, Updates, Wedgwood

UW Light Rail Station show-and-tell tour (PHOTOS)

January 16, 2013 by 20 Comments

On Friday, January 11, I was invited to a tour of the University of Washington Station (UW Station). While the station is still under construction, it is over the halfway mark, and both on-time and under-budget.

WHY tour the UW Station, which will be two stops away from Ravenna’s closest station, in Roosevelt? Turns out, the designs for underground portions of both stations are similar (though the UW Station is at a larger scale):

Roosevelt_UW_Stations_x_sections

Click the picture above for a larger version of the graphic.

UW_Station_tour21

Prior to heading down into the station, everyone on the tour had to don the collection of safety gear pictured above.

UW_Station_tour20

Start of the tour view, looking north across the top of the UW Station. Husky Stadium is on the right.

UW_Station_tour19

Out of the elevator, down on the platform level. We walked north along the northbound side of the platform to the presentation area.

UW_Station_tour17

The group standing on the platform at the base of the north-facing escalator (not yet installed; same with all escalators), listening to King County Councilmember and Sound Transit Board Member Larry Phillips talk about the station.

UW_Station_tour12

Platform level again, taken to the right of the previous picture, looking down the southbound side.

UW_Station_tour15

And the other side, on the northbound trains side.

UW_Station_tour11

You can currently find a little sky from nine stories down on the train platform.

UW_Station_tour18

Q13 drops the mic sets the mic down carefully.

UW_Station_tour16

Gaggle of Sound Transit folks, plus Seattle Transit Blog’s Bruce Nourish at the far right.

UW_Station_tour14

Cienna Madrid of The Stranger takes notes while Ellen Banner, photojournalist for the Seattle Times, takes some shots.

UW_Station_tour10

 Media getting more info on the station construction progress from University Link Executive Project Director Joe Gildner.

UW_Station_tour13

YOU ARE HERE.

UW_Station_tour08

Next stop, the area above the platform level, where the first set of escalators meet. This shot is taken from the south end of the station, looking back north towards the south-facing platform escalator (middle) and the two escalators which will carry people up and down from ground level.

UW_Station_tour02

Scaffolding was removed from much of the station, the exception being the southernmost portion. Bit of a Steampunk Mines of Moria vibe, with metal columns extending in every direction.

UW_Station_tour07

Another view of the scaffolding.

UW_Station_tour05

Past all the scaffolding, at the southern end of the station, we reached an overlook of the tunnels leading to and from the Capitol Hill Station. Northbound is on the left, southbound is on the right.

UW_Station_tour03
Close-up of the southbound/Capitol Hill Station tunnel entrance.

UW_Station_tour04

Close-up of the northbound tunnel exit.

UW_Station_tour09
And my favorite picture of the set.

Notice the pinkish-red cross in the center of the wall. Bruce Gray,Sound Transit Media Relations, told me that that cross is the spot where a tunnel boring machine, starting from the Roosevelt Station construction site, will enter the University of Washington Station (northbound side), connecting the Northgate Link to the University Link.

The cement block partial wall that you can see on the left side of the photo will continue over and meet up with a similar bit of wall on the other side. This wall will be in place as the UW Station

UW_Station_tour01

Climbing back out into the daylight.

For more pictures and information from this tour, please visit:

Many thanks to Sound Transit’s Bruce Gray for the invite.

Filed Under: Light Rail, Photos, Sound Transit, University District, University of Washington
« Previous Page
Next Page »