All posts by Wendi Dunlap

Editor of the Beacon Hill Blog.
Health and Safety

Boeing Field may be a bit noisier for a while

"Too loud!" Photo by Nicki Dugan via Creative Commons.
Are you noticing increased noise from Boeing Field, sometimes after 10:00 pm? This press release from King County International Airport may explain why:

Residents of some adjacent airport neighborhoods may experience temporary increases in aircraft engine noise levels as described below by The Boeing Company:

Over the next several months, King County International Airport may experience elevated noise events due to The Boeing Company engine runs, a critical part of its flight testing. These flight tests are part of the certification requirements for the 787 and 747-8 programs. Both types of aircraft will be at the airport in higher than normal volumes during this time. This is an important test period where the airplanes are completing their initial configuration testing to support the certification programs.

To the extent possible these engine runs will be kept outside the curfew window between 10pm-7am daily. However, there may be a rare circumstance when The Boeing Company will need to conduct engine runs outside of curfew hours. This is most likely to happen early in the testing program and all proper protocols will be followed and notifications issued. This is necessary in order for Boeing to meet the stringent FFA requirements that allow both airplanes to be certified and put into revenue service.

For more information on flight test operations, please see the flight test fact sheet provided by The Boeing Company at http://www.kingcounty.gov/airport or contact Jennifer Hawton at The Boeing Company, (425) 444-1600.

Thanks to Steve Louie for sending us this info!

Meetings

No fooling—NBHC to meet April 1

Judith Edwards writes to tell us about this month’s North Beacon Hill Council meeting tomorrow night:

The North Beacon Hill Council will meet Thursday, April 1, at 7:00 in the Beacon Hill Library Community Room (2821 Beacon Avenue South). That’s not an April Fool’s joke! We invite everyone that lives or owns a business here on the Hill to come hear a group of individuals present their ideas for parks here on North Beacon. Each has applied for a Parks Department Opportunity Fund grant. Though all cannot be funded, we hope many will be. This is a great opportunity to meet your neighbors and learn more about the awesome events that are occurring here on North Beacon.

The agenda is as follows:

  • 7:00 Welcomes
  • 7:05 Presentations on applications for Parks Opportunity Fund grants, followed by Q&A
  • 8:00 Community Business
    • $1M insurance policy which NBHC must take out to cover events on Festival Street
    • Recognizing the Beacon Music Association as a sub-committee of NBHC
    • Upcoming music events on Festival Street
    • Beacon Business Association formation update
    • Update on Jefferson Park playground
    • Steve Louie, Neighborhood Coordinator
  • 8:30 Close

As always, all are welcome to attend. You are part of the council when you attend your first meeting, and you have voting privileges when you attend your second.

Getting Around

Sewer main blocked on South Waite Street

Neighbor Ben posted on the Beacon Hill Mailing List today:

If you regularly travel through the 1900 block of S Waite you’ll need to find an alternate route for the next few days. There is a sewer main blockage on South Waite Street around halfway between 19th and 20th. Seattle Public Utilities is on the scene working to order to restore service tonight and have closed the street to through traffic. In addition some parking on the street is currently blocked off and will remain so during working hours between 7:00 am and 7:00 pm.

They expect to have a more permanent fix in place by Tuesday. The utilities crew will cover the excavation with a metal plate and open the road to traffic during off-hours and will pour a temporary asphalt patch once the fix is complete. They expect the road services crew to come in behind them within a month to delete the four concrete slabs affected by the work and pour some new ones.


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Local Business, Meetings

Neighbors invited to discuss future of ART’s on Beacon Hill coffeehouse

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ART's on Beacon Hill at 13th and Shelton will host a community meeting this weekend and fundraising performances during April. Photo by Wendi.
Owner Michael Perrone sent this letter about the future of the ART’s on Beacon Hill coffeehouse in the former DeVos grocery at 13th and Shelton:

Dear Neighbors,

Thank you for all of your recent and generous support, as we are working hard to provide a community center that supports and reflects the diversity and rich history of our Beacon Hill and Georgetown neighborhoods.

On Saturday March 27, 2010 between 5 and 7 p.m., you are invited to attend a special community meeting at ART’s to discuss upcoming events and options for further community involvement and support. All neighbors are invited so please spread the word!

As you know, we have been working closely with the City of Seattle to renew historic licensing allowing for the reinstatement of ART’s as the community corner where neighbors gather, share a cup of hot beverage, a tasty delight, and news of the day. It is our aim to continue this tradition and reopen the corner coffee shop as a community hub and center of creativity. To assist in this endeavor, ART’s has recently partnered with CULTURE FORUM, a non-profit Culture and Arts organization dedicated to artist and cultural exchange through community building.

ART’s current offering opens April 1 running through May 1, and is entitled MIXED: First Person and is a 42 minute multi-media stage play developed with the Evergreen State College, CULTURE FORUM, and of course ART’s.

We are very close to achieving our goals, but cannot do it without your input, involvement, and support. So please accept our invitation to attend this special meeting, and we hope to see you very soon at ART’s! If you have any questions, please feel free to give a call or just stop on by!

Sincerely yours,
Michael Perrone
ART’s on Beacon Hill
4951 13th ave south 98108
phone: 206-861-6260

Christian Ryser of CULTURE FORUM tells the Beacon Hill Blog that the city has agreed to reinstate the building’s original historic status and zoning, including retail and gallery use, and that they are allowing fundraisers to be held. The Mixed: First Person show is functioning as a fundraising effort for ART’s. He adds, “The bad news is that ART’s is suffering from the same banking malpractice as the rest of the world. Culture Forum has partnered with ART’s to provide artistic direction as well as an avenue for tax deductible donations. We are attempting to find a way to modify and or buy out the absurd loan on the building. ” They are working with an attorney from Beacon Hill in this effort.

Local Business, Meetings

Beacon Merchants Association meeting today

The Beacon Merchants Association is a newly forming organization of all businesses on Beacon Hill, both retail and home-based. They are holding their next meeting today, March 26, at 12 noon at Kusina Filipina, 3201 Beacon Avenue South. The meeting is open to any business or property owner in the area who is interested in improving the business climate on the hill. If you can’t be there, email the BMA at beaconmerchants@gmail.com to be added to their mailing list.

Meetings, Recreation

Camp, classes among events at local community centers

Did you know that Jefferson Community Center has a pottery studio? Neither did we. Photo by Karpov the Wrecked Train via Creative Commons.
Molly Hueffed writes to let us know about adult pottery classes at Jefferson Community Center this spring, meeting on Mondays and Wednesdays during the days, and Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays in the evening, depending on which classes you take. Classes start on Monday, April 5, and enrollment is open now. You can find and register for classes via this Teachstreet page, or via the Jefferson CC website (go to SPARC registration), or by calling 206-684-7481.

The community center is located at 3801 Beacon Avenue South.

* * *

There will be a preschool summer camp at Jefferson Community Center from July 5 through September 3. The sessions are for 3 1/2- to 5-year-old (potty trained) kids and the cost is $125 per week. Kids can attend for a week or for the whole summer. Camp sessions are each day from 9:00 am until 2:00 pm, and each week has a special theme such as “Summer Safari” or “Water, Water, Everywhere.”

For more information, see the Southeast Spring brochure.

* * *

The first of three design meetings for the new Jefferson Park Skatepark, including updates on the Beacon Mountain Play Area and the Jefferson Park Playfield, is scheduled for April 14 from 6:00 – 8:30 pm at the Jefferson Community Center.

From 6:00 – 6:40 pm the project manager will provide updates on Beacon Mountain and Jefferson Playfield, then at 6:45 the design workshop will begin for the skatepark.

The community is asked to bring their skatepark ideas, images and drawings to share with the design team. The next meeting on May 26 will refine the skatepark ideas and a final meeting will be held on July 14 to review a final skatepark schematic design. Each meeting will begin with a construction update of the overall park, Beacon Mountain and Jefferson Playfield.

Find more information on the skatepark here, and more information on Jefferson Park here.

* * *

If you’re closer to Rainier Beach than Jefferson Park, fear not, you also have a great new community center and pool coming soon! All are invited to come and learn about the design of the new Rainier Beach Community Center and Pool at a public meeting at the Rainier Beach Community Center, 8825 Rainier Avenue South, on Tuesday, April 13 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm. For further information, see the project website.

* * *

Thanks to David Gackenbach, Molly Hueffed, Frederica Merrell, and Heather Dwyer for forwarding us community center/park info!

Local Events, Neighborhood Pride

Beacon Idol entrants sought

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Bands and individual performers who are interested in performing at this summer’s Beacon Rocks! music series are invited to perform in Beacon Idol. Beacon Idol will take place at the ROCKiT Space open mic (3315 Beacon Avenue South) on these Saturdays: March 27, April 24, and May 29.

You can sign up to perform at a Beacon Idol event by emailing beaconrocks@gmail.com or contacting Jessie McKenna through ROCKiT space.

Beacon Idol is geared for smaller acts, but bands are encouraged to perform as well as long as they make arrangements with Jessie beforehand.

If you would like to submit your band/music or other talent that you think might be a good addition for the Beacon Rocks! event series, but are unable to perform at a Beacon Idol event, you have the following options:

  • Send a link to your webpage where your music can be found (three songs minimum), a brief bio, and some pictures of you to beaconrocks@gmail.com
  • Send a CD (three songs minimum) with a one-sheet/brief bio to ROCKiT space, 3315 Beacon Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98144
  • Or drop your CD and bio off in person at ROCKiT space (you may leave it in the mailbox if no one is around)

The Beacon Rocks! series is all-volunteer—artists will not be paid. The series is intended to be a fun opportunity to build community and give local musicians a place to play in their neighborhood. Music and performances must be family friendly. All bands/artists will be chosen by May 29.

For more information on Beacon Rocks! or Beacon Idol, see the Beacon Rocks! website.

Beacon Bits

Beacon Bits: Green bikes, arts classes, and dodgeball

Bicycle commuters on Dexter Avenue near Seattle Center. Photo by Oran Viriyincy via Creative Commons.
Sarah Bronstein of the Cascade Bicycle Club writes,

“As part of a greater initiative to get more people biking in SE we will be implementing the Green Bike Project. The Project gives away Novara commuter bikes to employees who fulfill a 3-month pledge to reduce their drive alone commute trips by 50%. Last year, the GBP was done county-wide, but this year it will be targeted only at SE Seattle employers in the Rainier, Beacon Hill and Columbia City area. Interested employers need to be able to recruit about a half dozen employees from their work site (company or building) to participate, and then serve as a site-contact for the duration of the project.”

Applications for the project are due March 31st. More information can be found on the Green Bike Project page.

* * *

Health Department inspectors have been in the area again, visiting Mac Pherson’s and the 21st Avenue South Cash & Carry. The Cash & Carry should be congratulated for scoring a perfect score of zero, which they have done for at least the last four inspections (the only ones shown on the county’s website).

* * *

ROCKiT space at 3315 Beacon Avenue South is among the South End music and arts businesses featured recently in the South Seattle Beacon.

ROCKiT space also has some new activities, including sculpting classes and a knitting club (at which you may see a certain BHB editor, once it gets started). See the ROCKiT space website for details.

* * *

The ongoing work on the South Spokane Street Viaduct continues. Permanent closure of the First Avenue South on-ramp to the westbound lanes of the viaduct is tentatively scheduled for May 17. For the next year and a half after that, there will be no access to the Spokane Street Viaduct from surface streets in Sodo, and vehicles from Sodo will be detoured to the low level bridge to get to West Seattle. We’ll post more info as the date approaches.

On March 22, the First Avenue off-ramp from the eastbound viaduct will be reduced to one lane for up to five months, and First Avenue South will also be restricted to one lane for northbound traffic from South Spokane to South Hanford.

Next week will be the exception—the Alaskan Way Viaduct will be closed for inspection, so First Avenue will stay open to keep Sodo from becoming complete gridlock for the weekend. See SDOT’s Spokane Street Project page for more.

* * *

If you didn’t get enough dodgeball as a kid in gym class, Jefferson Community Center is the place for you this spring. Adult dodgeball league games will be held at both Jefferson and West Seattle’s Delridge community centers. It’s open to teams of all abilities, and the cost per team is $180. Spring team registration closes on April 7, 2010. For more information, contact Antoinette Daniel at 206-684-7092, or email Antoinette.daniel@seattle.gov.

Site News

How you can be part of the Beacon Hill Blog

You may have noticed recently that we’ve run a few opinion pieces by Beacon Hill neighbors who have something to say. This is just one of the ways you can communicate with your neighbors through the blog and its related activities, and keep up with what’s going on here on Beacon Hill.

Opinion posts are always welcome, on a variety of topics, as long as they are related to Beacon Hill. If you’d like to submit an opinion post, please email us. Non-opinion articles are welcome, as well. Please talk to us about what you are interested in covering. Local meetings and events are great places to start.

If your interests are more in the photojournalism area, consider posting your photos in the Beacon Hill Blog photo pool on Flickr. Photos posted there are considered for publishing in the blog.

The BHB Forum allows you to post on a variety of topics and carry on ongoing conversations with your neighbors. Recent topics posted on the Forum include electric car plug-in sites, finding running partners on the Hill, the Jefferson Park Community Garden, and bicycling with kids. The Forum is a good place to post your help wanted, lost pet, and swap/sell posts, too.

Some folks prefer to interact with their neighbors via email. The Beacon Hill Mailing List has been operating for more than 10 years now, with a large group of neighbors exchanging advice, warnings, recommendations, announcements, and ideas about our neighborhood.

The Beacon Hill Blog Twitter feed is another way to keep up with things. All the blog’s new posts are announced there, as well as other commentary and information on occasion. We also have a Facebook group.

Last but not least, there’s one other way that you can use this blog to communicate with your neighbors on the Hill—by running an ad (or two). You can run picture ads or text ads, for a very low price, that will directly target people who live and/or work on Beacon Hill.