It turns out the two dumpster fires on lower Queen Anne over the weekend were intentionally set.  As we first told you Saturday, the fires broke out early that morning within minutes of each other at 612 1st Ave W and 417 2nd Ave W.

We’ve been tracking a rash of intentionally set dumpster fires for months.  We heard from Seattle Fire officials today who ask that you call the Arson Alarm Hotline at 1-800-55-ARSON if you see anything suspicious.  Of course if you see an arson in progress, call 911 immediately.

We couldn’t help but notice the large number of home burglaries on Queen Anne that showed up on today’s Seattle Police crime map.  Only two of the detailed police reports are out, and they don’t provide much information.  Here’s a list of the homes that were hit:

August 11: 900 block Warren Ave N

August 11:  2800 block 11th Ave W

August 10: 3000 block Humes Place W

August 10: 2400 block 3rd Ave W

August 10:  100 block W Aloha Street

Just as temperatures start to cool later this week, the season will end at the East Queen Anne wading pool on August 22. The wading pool has been open on Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays this summer from noon to 7pm. You may remember that the pool survived budget cuts earlier this year, but has been operating on reduced hours.

Today is the deadline to apply for free street trees from the Department of Neighborhoods. Interested applicants need a minimum of five households to apply for anywhere from 10 to 40 trees per project. Each participating household can also get a fruit tree for their own yard. Check out the application.

The Tree Fund is a simple way for residents to beautify their neighborhood and help the environment, while connecting with their neighbors…Groups of neighbors from at least five households living on a street or block can request from 10 to 40 trees per project. In addition, every participating household can have a fruit tree for their own yard. Information on how to organize your neighborhood, the selections of trees, as well as the application form, can be found at www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/nmf/treefund.htm.

For questions or additional information, contact Judy Brown, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, at 206.684.0714.

After responding to complaints from neighbors about the late-night noise, Aurora Bridge construction crews have begun a new work schedule.

The first of four Sunday shifts, WSDOT crews resumed using the loud tool called the “Rivet Buster” yesterday to build the suicide fence along the bridge. But unlike last time, workers are avoiding the overnight hours.

Until midnight on Sunday, two of three southbound lanes on the bridge and the southbound Fremont Way N. on-ramp were closed to traffic.

“WSDOT engineers looked at weekday and weekend traffic volumes and determined that four 16-hour Sunday closures would allow crews to get the work done with the lowest overall noise and traffic effects,” explains WSDOT in a press release. “Four straight Sunday closures are critical to completing the fence project by the end of the year.”

Drivers can expect additional Sunday closures on Aug. 22 (northbound), Aug. 29 (half day each northbound and southbound), and Sept. 5 (northbound).

Want to chat with the new principal of John Hay Elementary, Karen Hanson? Swing by her open meet-up, “Coffee with Kari,” at the Queen Anne Cafe from 8 to 9 a.m. today, Monday, August 16.

The school invites anyone “who’d like to come and talk casually about our school, your kids, their learning, the past, the present and the future of Hay, or maybe even for a quick meet and greet just to say hello” to swing by.

If you can’t make it today, Kari will be hosting another coffee chat next Monday, August 23, same time and place.

The official high at Sea-Tac hit 95 degrees yesterday, Sunday, August 15 breaking the old record for the date of 92 degrees.

The weather service has issued an “excessive heat warning” through today, when temperatures are expected to get as high as 91 degrees. The good news: The weather is expected to cool down into the 70s later in the week.

Until then, for those of you looking to find a place to cool off or duck out of the heat, try hitting the International Fountain at Seattle Center, or spending some time cozied up to a good book—and free air conditioning—at the nearest public library. The Queen Anne branch will be open from 1 to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.

The Canlis restaurant is hosting its fourth annual surprise Block Party for the neighborhood this Sunday, August 15, from 12 to 3 p.m. at Little Howe Park/East Queen Anne Playfield (located at 1912 Warren Ave N).

The restaurant, which celebrates 60 years on the hill this year, says the party is a  way of getting the community together for a fun time and saying thanks.

The Block Party will be stocked with free burgers, prepared on-site by Canlis staff, shaved ice, live Hawaiian music, face painting, and a special appearance by Queen Anne firefighters.

And following tradition, the party will culminate with an epic tug-o-war battle between Canlis and the Queen Anne neighborhood. (See pictures from last year’s block party here).

Last year the Canlis Block Party raised over $1,700 for the Queen Anne Helpline. This year all proceeds will benefit the Queen Anne Farmers Market.

Swing by the event, or follow the action on Twitter at #CanlisBlockParty and @canlis.

It looks like the dumpster fire problem has once again returned to Queen Anne. The 911 log shows that Seattle Fire crews were dispatched to two fires within minutes of each other early this morning.

The first call went out at 2:29am at 612 1st Ave W. Six minutes later, a dumpster fire was reported at 417 2nd Ave W.  We’ve been tracking a rash of intentionally set dumpster fires for months.  This past spring, fire officials even distributed arson fliers in the neighborhood.

Seattle Fire hasn’t put out any official information yet on today’s fires, and it’s tough getting in touch with anyone on the weekends. We’ll let you know once we get an update.

Seattle Police are once again cracking down on speeders on Elliott Avenue.  We snapped these pictures today of the photo radar van that’s been used around the city for the past few months.  Today, it’s back on Elliott near Mercer.  

The van is equipped with a traffic safety camera and across-the-road radar.  Depending on your speed, a ticket will cost you anywhere from $124 all the way up to $247.  The ticket is mailed to you.  The van is part of a pilot program that’s set to end this fall.  The state legislature will then decide whether to continue the program.

If you’ve ever wondered what the going rate for a new apartment on Queen Anne is these days, this story provides some answers.  The developer for the new Avalon Queen Anne apartments, currently under construction at the site of the old Mountaineers Club on 3rd Ave West between Harrison and Thomas, has applied for a multifamily housing property tax exemption from the city. 

Groundbreaking on the project earlier this year

In return for the limited tax exemption, 20 percent of the apartments have to be classified as affordable (80 to 90 percent of the median income).  A comparison of market rate versus affordable rent can be seen in the monthly rent scale below.

Studios: $1290 (market rate)/$1105 (affordable rate)

One bedroom: $1668 (market)/$1260 (affordable)

Two bedroom: $2286 (market)/$1608 (affordable)

“This is amazing to me what studios are going for now, the market rate for studios,” said City Council member Tom Rasmussen as he looked over the figures.  ”Wow.”

The total tax reduction for the first year to the developer, Avalon Bay Communities, is estimated to be almost $400,000.  The exemption, which lasts for 12 years, is designed to encourage developers to include affordable housing in their game plan.  After 12 years, the property is then assessed at the market value.  To make up for the exemption, the property tax is shifted to homeowners who would pay an average 47 cents extra each year. Members of the council’s Housing, Human Service, Health, & Culture Committee voted 3-0 to move the matter on to the full council next week.

Image of project presented in City Council chambers.

The six story apartment building will have a total of 196 units along with retail space.  The apartments will start being leased around November of 2011, but the project won’t be completely finished until early 2012.

PI blogger Mary Cropp has discovered some potentially wonderful information: admission to the Space Needle will be free all day long tomorrow, Friday, August 13! Apparently Bausch + Lomb is celebrating the release of its new contact lens solution by making free access to the Needle for all (i.e. the first 10,500 visitors) for a day.

The Needle’s Observation Deck is open from 9 a.m. to midnight tomorrow. Check out the restaurants hours here. Admission is normally $18 for adults, $16 for seniors, and $11 for kids 13 and under (children under the age of three are always free).

It’s a beautiful mid-August day—perfect conditions for another afternoon at the Queen Anne Farmers Market. Check out this week’s lineup:

Thursday, August 12

• 4 p.m.—Chef Demo with Diane LaVonne of Diane’s Market Kitchen
• 5 p.m.—Kids Cooking Class with Ashley Rodriguez of Not Without Salt
• 3 to 5 p.m.—Musical performance by Hal Merrill (West end of market)
• 5 to 7 p.m.—Music by Quartette con Brio (East end of market)
• 6 p.m.—Cooking Demo with Diane LaVonne of Diane’s Market Kitchen

The featured nonprofit this week is Friends of Seattle Public Library, which will be running at Cookbook Exchange at their table. Market-goers are invited to bring in a gently used cookbook, and take home another.

As always, the market will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. at W. Crockett St. at Queen Anne Ave N.

We want to pass along a couple of crime related stories that happened in Queen Anne the past few days.  A homeowner in the 500 block of W. Prospect was sitting in her den this past Saturday (8/7) when she heard something hitting her window.  She looked out and saw the neighbor boys standing at their bedroom window, holding what appeared to be a pistol.  Although the victim’s window was cracked, nothing penetrated the glass.

Officers confronted the boys’ father who didn’t realize what was happening upstairs.  He went upstairs and got the boys, along with a daisy pellet gun.  The father offered to pay for the damages to his neighbor’s property.  Officers say the boys are well known for causing problems in the neighborhood, and one of them is a suspect in a previous property damage case.  Police recommended charges of property destruction.

Meanwhile, a home in the 400 block of Newton Street was burglarized on Monday (8/9).  The burglar got in by kicking out a basement window.  Some of the stolen items include 2 laptops, 3 iPod’s, 6 playstation games, jewelry, and cash.

We just got this alert from SDOT. Anyone driving down Nickerson Street tonight.. be warned!

Last week’s Seattle Weekly was filled with the paper’s annual citywide “Best of” piece. And it may not be much of a surprise that more than a couple Queen Anne spots made the list. Check out the Weekly’s bests of Seattle that are located right here in the neighborhood:

• Easy Street Records—Best Selection of Vinyl
• Meadow—Best New Boutique in the ‘Hood
• Nielsen’s Pastries—Best Snitter
• Toulouse Petit—Best Breakfast Deal
• El Diablo Coffee—Best Liquid Trend
• Queen Anne’s Secret Stairways—Best Alternative to the Stairmaster

Congrats Queen Anne!

Notice some Queen Anne items on the list that we missed, or want to recommend your own favorite from the neighborhood? Comment below, or email us at tips@queenanneview.com to share!

Here’s a follow up to a story we brought you a few days ago. We’re getting our first look at what the pedestrian overpass from lower Queen Anne to the waterfront will look like.

The overpass would run from Thomas Street on Queen Anne all the way across to Myrtle Edwards Park.

Images from the City of Seattle and Hewitt

Members of the City Council’s transportation committee were briefed on the project this morning and voted 3-0 to move forward with it.  If the full Council decides to remove restrictions that limit SDOT’s spending on the project, construction could start early next year.  You can read more about the project details and funding here.