Monthly Archives: July 2021

The Naked Grocer bringing ‘packaging free’ grocery shopping to Pike/Pine

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The Naked Grocer concept signage (Image: Design by Parker)

A new experiment in grocery shopping is coming to Capitol Hill but the new venture is not backed by a retail giant . “Waste-less grocery store” The Naked Grocer is making plans to open its “packaging free” shopping concept on E Pine at the corner of Boylston, joining the block home to Rudy’s Barbershop, Realfine Coffee, and Fogon. The new business on the block will also mean a new start for neighborhood pawn shop Capitol Loans.

Jayne Truesdell, who cut her entrepreneurial teeth working with Autumn Martin to grow Seattle’s Hot Cakes, tells CHS the Naked Grocer is born out of the recent loss of her father and the realization that our time on the planet is dear.

“It brought home to me my time on this planet is incredibly finite,” Truesdell says. “I’m going to start spending my energy on something that holds value for me.”

When it opens late this year in the transformed former pawn shop space, Truesdell says Naked Grocer will be “nearly a one-stop shop” for grocery needs for those seeking retail that cuts down on the environmental impact of modern food shopping as much as possible. Continue reading →

Next phase of 23rd Corridor project to bring transit, pedestrian improvements to Montlake, backside of Capitol Hill

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A view from above Montlake from August 2020 satellite imagery (Image: Google Earth)

By Ryan Packer

At 24th Ave E and E Lynn Street, next to Montlake Bicycle Shop, an empty bucket is all that’s left of the crossing flags neighbors had added to the intersection to provide people trying to cross at a legal intersection where few drivers cede their right-of-way. People walking north along the west side of the street nonetheless need to cross here as the construction of the forthcoming Sea Wolf Bakery has blocked the entirety of the sidewalk for much of the past year, with a trip around the block entailing dealing with a large hill.

A new traffic signal and marked crosswalks may not open in time to help with the Sea Wolf pedestrian detour, but they are coming.

A set of improvements along the 23rd Ave/24th Ave corridor, geared around improving pedestrian access and experience for transit riders, is set to start construction as soon as early autumn. Continue reading →

Buoyed by pro-housing support, 8-story 12th Ave development gets design board ‘OK’

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Runberg Architecture Group’s design is a “go” on 12th Ave

The land is currently occupied by the former Car Tender auto shop, Bergman’s Lock and Key, and the old Scratch Deli building

Capitol Hill’s “most debated” new development can move forward to construction.

Wednesday night, facing a wave of support from pro-housing advocates and residents providing public comment, and despite concerns from representatives for neighborhood groups, the East Design Review Board gave its support to the plan for a new eight-story, 130+ unit mixed-use apartment building with an 83-car underground parking lot set to rise on the properties now home to a former auto garage and set of small businesses on 12th Ave at E Olive St. Continue reading →

Capitol Hill Community Post | Aloha Community Art Museum Exhibition Opening – Friday, July 30

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From the Aloha Community Art Museum

This Friday, the Aloha Community Art Museum is delighted to host the opening celebration of a solo exhibition by Friedel Fisher (@agoraborealis on Instagram). Please join us between 7 and 8:30 pm to meet the artist, view their amazing art, and enjoy some tiny snacks. Fancy dress is encouraged but not mandatory. Masks are required for all attendees who are not fully vaccinated.

Friedel Fisher is a queer, life long multi-media artist, dedicated to exploring physical, emotional, and spiritual boundaries with their work, allowing creativity to be their primary guide for shadow integration, trauma mastery and creating a liminal existence outside the performativity of all binary legibilities.

The Aloha Community Art Museum (@alohaartmuseum on instagram) is located in the alley between 17th Ave E and 18th Ave E just north of E Aloha St on Capitol Hill. The museum is dedicated to encouraging creativity in everyone, and celebrates the work of local artists of all ages and experience.

 

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Lessons from Seattle Fire: Where you should never stick your butt and why you don’t park in front of a hydrant on Capitol Hill

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A Sunday afternoon fire scorched the inside of a Summit Ave apartment building and provided a valuable life lesson: Never park in front of a fire hydrant on Capitol Hill.

“It’s a life safety concern, and we will take measures necessary to be able to connect to the closest hydrant,” Seattle Fire Department spokesperson Kristin Tinsley tells CHS. “Additionally, vehicle owners can be cited by SPD for a parking violation for parking in front of a hydrant.”

Sunday’s fire in the 1700 block building was caused by an electrical malfunction in the range control panel and did $42,500, Seattle Fire says. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries and the fire was quickly brought under control and contained before it spread. But a photo taken by neighborhood resident Chase Burns of The Stranger of the firefighter response has spread far and wide.

It turns out, firefighters really will bust your windows and run a hose through your vehicle if you park in front of a hydrant. Continue reading →

Sawant recall campaigns continue to duke it out as deadline for November ballot approaches

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Kshama Solidarity promises more rallies to try to force the recall campaign to move forward more in time for a November vote when turnout will be highest

Supporters of recall-embattled City Councilmember Kshama Sawant say it is time to “put up or shut up.” The campaign’s two week zig-zag strategy to try to force a November vote on the recall has produced 2,047 signatures, enough when combined with nearly 10,000 previously collected signatures, they say, for the recall campaign “to immediately turn in their sum total signatures to King County Elections” before next week’s deadline to be part of the General Election ballot.

But the Recall Sawant campaign, empowered by elections rules that allow only the group demanding the recall to submit signatures to petition to put the vote to District 3 voters, is definitely not shutting up.

Will it put up?

“King County Elections gives us one chance to submit and verify our signatures, and with the agency reporting a 52% validation rate for ballot measures this cycle, we have a high standard to meet,” recall campaign manager Henry Bridger tells CHS. Continue reading →

Seattle City Council holds public hearing on ‘Neighborhood Residential’ change

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The Seattle City Council’s Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee will hold a public hearing Wednesday morning on the proposal to help change the way city zoning laws describe Seattle’s mix of residential area:

Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee
7/28/2021 9:30 AM
Remote Meeting. Call 253-215-8782; Meeting ID: 586 416 9164; or Seattle Channel online.

Proposed Comprehensive Plan Amendment for “Neighborhood Residential Areas” 1. Supporting Documents: Central Staff Memo Briefing, Discussion, and Public Hearing Presenter: Lish Whitson, Council Central Staff Register online to speak at the Public Hearing during the Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee meeting at http://www.seattle.gov/council/committees/public-comment. Online registration to speak at the Public Hearing during the Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee meeting will begin two hours before the 9:30 a.m. meeting start time, and registration will end at the conclusion of the Public Hearing during the meeting. Speakers must be registered in order to be recognized by the Chair. If you are unable to attend the remote meeting, please submit written comments to Councilmember Strauss at [email protected].

CHS reported here on the plan to begin using a new term to describe the city’s “single family” zoning designation — Neighborhood Residential. Continue reading →

As officials issue new guidance on masks, Capitol Hill bar The Doctor’s Office joins spots requiring proof of vaccination — UPDATE: Cuff, Queer Bar, The Woods, too

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(Image: The Doctor’s Office)

Heading out on Capitol Hill? Bring your mask. It is becoming increasingly likely you’ll need to wear it to enter your favorite cafes, restaurants, bars, and shops.

This week, local health officials issued new recommendations calling for everyone to continue to wear facial coverings “when in indoor public settings where vaccination status is unknown.”

The health officers of King, Pierce, Snohomish, Kitsap, Clallam, Jefferson, San Juan, and Grays Harbor counties have joined together to pass on their best public health advice to protect you, your family, and our communities. We recommend all residents wear facial coverings when in indoor public settings where the vaccination status of those around you is unknown. This step will help reduce the risk of COVID-19 to the public, including customers and workers, help stem the increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in many parts of the state, and decrease the spread of the highly contagious delta variant.

Vaccinations are our best defense against COVID-19 and are safe, effective, and readily available for everyone age 12 and over. Please get yours immediately if you are not already vaccinated.

Private businesses have the discretion to request mask compliance anyway but the new recommendations make it all the more likely more will again require coverings for staff and customers. Continue reading →

Alice in Wonderland, in person and outside this weekend in Volunteer Park

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As we step into the curiouser and curiouser world of the pandemic reopening, finding ways to experience the transitions at your own pace is key. Starting Thursday, you can enjoy live theater performance again on Capitol Hill — outside in Volunteer Park.

Running July 29th through August 1st and again August 5th through 7th, Seattle’s Theatre22 is bringing Alice in Wonderland to the park’s grassy area north of the Seattle Asian Art Museum:

Alice in Wonderland
Theatre22 presents “an Alice for our time” as we journey down the rabbit hole into a topsy-turvy world where rules keep changing, time is fluid and power equals corruption. This contemporary, genre-bending adaptation combines the original beloved characters with song, dance, puppetry, and whimsical wordplay in an imaginative, hilarious, and outrageous interpretation with something for everyone.

DIRECTED by Julie Beckman and Jasmine Lomax

July 29 – Aug 1 Thurs – Sun 7pm

Aug 5 – Aug 7 Thurs – Sat 7pm

VOLUNTEER PARK  lawn north of the museum

The company’s performances are free with donations welcomed after the show. The performances are sponsored by the Washington State Arts Commission, the City of Seattle Office of Arts and Culture, and King County’s 4 Culture.

The performances come as construction continues on the park’s new $3 million amphitheater with a roof, storage and green room space, all-gender bathrooms, upgraded electrical access, and “a resilient floor that will even accommodate dance performances.” Construction is us expected to be completed this fall.

 

$5 A MONTH TO HELP KEEP CHS PAYWALL-FREE THIS SPRING
🌈🐣🌼🌷🌱🌳🌾🍀🍃🦔🐇🐝🐑🌞🌻 
Subscribe to CHS to help us hire writers and photographers to cover the neighborhood. CHS is a pay what you can community news site with no required sign-in or paywall. To stay that way, we need you.

Become a subscriber to help us cover the neighborhood for $5 a month -- or choose your level of support 👍 

 

Take the CHS 2021 Mayoral Primary Ranked Choice Survey

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Next Tuesday, ballots are due in the August Primary Election including a major choice for Seattle voters — picking one person from a field of 15 with hopes your candidate is one of the top two to go through to the November General Election.

There is probably a better way to winnow down the field. Steps to introduce ranked choice voting in King County are on hold but the election format advocates say more accurately captures voter preference while eliminating the need for expensive runoff elections might be a good solution for a summer vote like the mayoral choice Seattle is facing. Continue reading →