Mayor’s conditions for $56M Broadway Crisis Care Center plan include Seattle Police safety sign-off, citizen advisory committee

Posted on by
6

The building from above from a recent real estate listing (Image: CBRE)

Screenshot

As the King County Council prepares to vote on a $56 million plan to create a new Crisis Care Center at Broadway and Union, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has conditionally endorsed the proposal and says the city is ready to “partner” on the new facility.

“Seattle, along with other cities in the County, is facing an unprecedented behavioral health crisis. Too many residents are struggling with behavioral issues without adequate support,” the mayor’s letter in support the plan for the facility reads. “When the Seattle clinic opens it will provide same-day access to care for a person in crisis, which will help reduce the crisis we see on our streets every day.”

In the letter, Harrell says the county and a yet to be announced operator of the center must partner with the Seattle Police Department to assess the former Polyclinic building and its surroundings for safety, execute a “safe operations plan for the building and the surrounding exterior spaces, including public sidewalks and other publicly accessible spaces,” and enter into a Good Neighbor Agreement with the city that “obligates the provider to meet certain safety and disorder standards to be negotiated with the provider.”

The Seattle City Hall letter of support is a key milestone in the so far limited public process around the proposal. Continue reading →

Denny Blaine Park’s new ‘nude zone’ is in effect (Though somebody tried to tear the nude zone fence down)

Posted on by
5

Seattle Parks quietly moved ahead this week with a plan to create a “nude zone” In Denny Blaine Park with new signs and fencing. Thursday night, somebody tried to rip that nude zone fence down.

Seattle Police were called to the park on the shores of Lake Washington just before 10 PM to a report from a nearby resident that someone was trying to rip down the just-installed fencing. Cops were looking for the suspect described as a male wearing a green shirt, black shorts, and a backpack last seen leaving the area on foot but it is not clear if they ever tracked the suspect down.

The surprisingly fast turnaround on the project to install the new signs and fencing happened quickly this week as the city responds to a court order to address sex and drug crime around the park reported by neighboring property and area residents while, city officials say, also attempting to respect the beach’s place in Seattle’s queer and nudist communities. Continue reading →

‘Revive in 25’ — Christian groups reportedly set for return to Cal Anderson for August 30th rally

Posted on by
29

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell’s office is relying on technicalities as it explains the status of city permits for an August 30th anti-LGBTQ fundamentalist Christian rally in Capitol Hill’s Cal Anderson Park.

“Park Use Permits aren’t issued for about two weeks (~15-30 days) prior to an event. See full permit process here. So at this time, a permit has not been issued for this event,” the mayor’s press secretary Callie Craighead told CHS Wednesday.

CHS asked Craighead what the Harrell administration is doing to protect the neighborhood and prevent the issues that occurred in May as Seattle Police moved on crowds of counter-demonstrators gathered in the park.

The mayor’s office has not responded.

Now, another concert and rally from the church groups is planned to return to the Capitol Hill park despite previous vows from city officials. Continue reading →

Church demolition clears way for new mixed-use development at 23rd and Union

Posted on by
3

Thanks to photographer Alex Crick for the images from 23rd Ave

Mount Calvary before this week’s demolition

There is space for new homes to rise along 23rd Ave. The Mount Calvary Christian Center has been demolished, clearing the way for The Sarah Queen, a new Black-owned development set to rise at 23rd and Union.

CHS reported here last year on the project from Jaebadiah Gardner and Gardner Global. The development will create 112 new apartment homes above street level commercial or live-work space and underground parking for about 20 vehicles. The building could rise seven or eight stories depending on the review process, zoning decisions, and the final design.

“Our goal is to seamlessly blend luxury, innovation, and cutting-edge design to redefine urban sophistication,” Gardner says.

The project must still undergo a public design review process. Continue reading →

Who didn’t vote for Katie Wilson on Capitol Hill? Mapping the 2025 primary shows progressive success on familiar Seattle political terrain

Posted on by
32

A zoom of the mayoral primary results showing the precincts of Capitol Hill and the Central District (Source: Washington Community Alliance)

Mayoral challenger Katie Willson’s strong election night showing has only grown more impressive as ballot counts in the August primary move into their final phases but precinct by precinct maps of the results show incumbent Bruce Harrell will be working from a familiar base across Seattle and in Capitol Hill and Central District neighborhoods as the race takes shape for November.

CHS reported here as Wilson and Seattle’s band of upstart progressive made strong Election Night showings this month with messages focused on strengthening Seattle’s social and community safety nets in the face of damaging Trump administration cuts. As the dust settled on Election Night, Harrell and fellow business-friendly incumbents Sara Nelson and Ann Davison faced second place finishes headed into the November general election.

Meanwhile, a Capitol Hill business owner with a provocative platform has also become a political factor in the city.

Maps from the Washington Community Alliance show how it all has played out and illustrate that Harrell and his fellow incumbents may be working from second place but will be doing so with support from familiar parts of the city that have been the base of their past victories. Continue reading →

On the list | Art Walk, dancing in Cal Anderson, picnic at the Pillars, and Capitol Hill Garage Sale Day 2025

Posted on by
Reply

Capitol Hill’s 2025 sit in a park watching free music, dancing, and movies season isn’t over but it is winding down quickly. Don’t miss out. This weekend brings plenty of things to get out and do including the 2025 Capitol Hill Garage Sale Day. Continue reading →

911 | Police say 14th Ave Urban League office targeted in aborted armed robbery

Posted on by
Reply

See something others should know about? Email CHS or call/txt/Signal (206) 399-5959. You can view recent CHS 911 coverage here. Hear sirens and wondering what’s going on? Check out reports from @jseattle or join and check in with neighbors in the CHS Facebook Group.

  • Urban League targeted: Police say a woman implying she was armed with a handgun forced a janitor to take her to the 14th Ave and Yesler office of the Urban League in what police say was an attempted robbery. “The janitor escorted the suspect up to the 2nd floor and saw that employees were still working in the business and managed the convince the suspect that he didn’t have access to the rooms they wanted in,” SPD reports. Police say the suspect fled on foot but could not be located after a police K9 search. There were no reported injuries and no arrests. Continue reading →

Seattle Fire quickly takes care of reported dryer fire at 16th and Howell

Posted on by
Reply

Seattle Fire provided a full response to a reported dryer fire that filled the Community House housing facility at 16th and Howell with smoke Wednesday morning.

SFD was called to 16th and Howell across from Seven Hills Park around 10:20 AM to the reported fire. Continue reading →

Spruce Street School will bring its kindergarten and elementary kids to First Hill in $22M project on Madison

Posted on by
13

Spruce Street has been educating Seattle city kids for decades (Image: Spruce Street School)

The school’s future Madison home (Image: Spruce Street School)

By Matt Dowell

The private Spruce Street School is building its future on First Hill in the midst of the neighborhood’s mix of hospitals, medical facilities, and high-rise apartment towers.

The $35,000-a-year school of about 110 K-5th graders purchased the building in 2019 for $15.15 million as part of a long term plan to make it their “forever home.” This summer, the school applied for a construction permit to begin a $7 million renovation of the Madison at Summit building, though they don’t plan to relocate from their current address at 914 Virginia Street on the edges of South Lake Union and downtown until 2028.

School officials declined to comment on the project.

“By 2035, Spruce Street School will be the highest quality, most financially accessible K–5 independent school of its kind in the Seattle area – able to admit children who would thrive in our educational program and community, regardless of their families’ ability to pay,” the school says of its future. “In addition, we will continue to be distinguished for our unique program and excellent teachers.”

The urban campus will include the 20,000-square-foot classroom building plus the building’s roof which is planned to be developed as an outdoor play area and a massive underground parking lot.

The permit states that work will occur on all three levels of the property, which is currently home to Salal Credit Union and ATI Physical Therapy, plus another school, Seattle Academy. Continue reading →

Seattle City Council considers ‘protected data’ in plan to expand ‘Real Time Crime Center’ cameras to Pike/Pine and the Central District

Posted on by
5

The Seattle City Council’s public safety committee could vote Tuesday morning on legislation expanding the Seattle Police Department’s surveillance camera pilot program to include Capitol Hill and the Central District. The expansion could also bring changes that will allow SPD to use select Seattle Department of Transportation traffic cameras in the program.

CHS reported here on the proposed legislation to expand the SPD “Real Time Crime Center” surveillance camera system to include the Capitol Hill nightlife core around E Pike and Cal Anderson Park and a major swath of the Central District from E Cherry to Jackson it says it necessary to prevent gun violence near Garfield High School. Continue reading →