Queen Anne View

Should KeyArena be a theater? Exhibition space?

Cory Bergman — Wed, 16 May 2012 23:13:52 +0000

With the city announcing an agreement today with investor Chris Hansen for a new arena in SODO — pending the acquisition of a NBA team — the mayor is considering what to do next with KeyArena here in Lower Queen Anne/Uptown. And it looks like Hansen is willing to play a role.

“We have important decisions to make about the future of KeyArena,” Mayor Mike McGinn wrote in a letter today (.pdf) to the city council. “This is true whether an arena gets built in Seattle or elsewhere in the region. It is true if no new arena gets built.”

McGinn said that’s because KeyArena only breaks even every year, and the city doesn’t have the funding to “properly maintain the facility, let alone invest in needed upgrade and improvements.” The mayor says several options are on the table: keep it as an arena, repurpose the facility into a theater or turn it into a two-story exhibition space.

Hansen is interested in the first option, proposing a series of upgrades “to make the arena viable for two years of NBA and NHL play,” he explains in a letter (.pdf) to the mayor. That would also ensure that the Seattle Storm and Seattle U would still play at the facility.

“Mr. Hansen has expressed a willingness to enter into a long-term agreement to operate KeyArena under the first of these options,” the mayor wrote to the city council. “There could be benefits to such an arrangement. These include coordination and joint booking of events between the new arena and KeyArena; an ability to preserve existing jobs by meeting labor needs at both facilities; and mitigation of ongoing financial risk to the city.”

What’s next? The Seattle Center Advisory Commission will consider the proposals — as well as other ideas — with the timetable to recommend a solution in 10 to 12 months.

“Fortunately, we do not need to make an immediate decision,” the mayor explains. “A new arena will not be completed for several years.”

What do you think? What should the city do with KeyArena?

Mystery tenant moving into old Teacup location

Cory Bergman — Wed, 16 May 2012 21:29:49 +0000

Several Queen Anne View readers dropped us a note to tell us about some activity in the old Teacup location on Queen Anne Ave., right across from Starbucks. “I noticed today that [it] now has opaque windows and the ‘for lease’ sign is down,” Laura writes us in an email.

We called CPS Commercial, which has been working on leasing the empty space, and Jeffrey Jones told us a new tenant is planning to move in and open around September. But Jones said he’s been sworn to secrecy about the business’ identity because the tenant has asked to keep it confidential for now. (If you happen to have the scoop, drop us an email.)

By the way, Jones said the other two vacant spaces in the same building — the old Ototo Sushi and Polpetta locations — are close to getting new tenants as well. Both lease deals are in negotiation.

Teacup, Ototo and Polpetta (formerly Enzo) all closed on December 31st. Landlord Sue Wanwig told us last year that it was purely coincidental that all three closed at the same time. “We tried to keep them in as long as possible,” she said. “I’m not sure why everyone reached their breaking point at the same time.” We’ll keep you updated.

Met Market in Upper Queen Anne prepares to close

Cory Bergman — Tue, 15 May 2012 22:09:01 +0000

Metropolitan Market on Queen Anne Ave. N is preparing to say goodbye to Upper Queen Anne after four decades in the neighborhood. This week, the store began handing out coupons encouraging shoppers to begin to shift their shopping habits to the Lower Queen Anne/Uptown location, which will remain open. Met Market on the hill is planning to close in mid-July.

Met Market’s Brad Halverson told us the development planned for the Queen Anne Ave. location was out of the company’s price range. “We worked closely with Emerald Bay Equity for 3 years to try and make something work. But in the end, the redevelopment as designed was just too expensive for us,” Halverson said, who’s VP of marketing for Met Markets. “The grocery business runs on pennies and nickels and at the end of the day, some features of the redevelopment – customer flow, underground parking and equipment location were making it more expensive.”

The development planned for the lot will span the entire block on Queen Anne Ave. between West Crockett and West Howe streets with a mix of retail and luxury apartments. As you may be able to see from the project rendering above, Met Market initially planned to be a part of the facility but withdrew. As we reported earlier this year, the project hasn’t been without controversy, with some neighbors expressing concern over parking and traffic impact.

Emerald Bay Equity’s Joe Geivett told Queen Anne View that construction on portions of the site will begin in June or early July with “major construction anticipated to begin in August.” As for a replacement tenant for Met Market, Geivett says he can’t comment.

Queen Anne resident Becky Sparks Parker emailed us to express her dismay that Met Market is leaving the top of the hill. “(It’s) is not just my favorite neighborhood grocery store, it is my daily dose of inspiration for food & home, which is central to my family’s life,” she writes. “How often have I chatted with Rachel about parenthood while she scans my groceries, or received the latest tip from the ‘wine guy’ on which bottle under $15 to serve at my upcoming backyard BBQ, or been inspired by the food demo for what to serve my family that night? So often in fact that I have apparently taken it for granted and I am sad to see it go. It is truly one of the last neighborhood grocery stores that does not act like a chain and treats its customer with love and respect.”

“Thank you doesn’t say enough,” says Met Market’s Halverson. “We started in Queen Anne in 1971 and wouldn’t be the company we are today without the loyal support of the Queen Anne community…. We put down roots together, grew up together, and have been part of each others lives since. We take great pride in being a central destination in Queen Anne life.”

Halverson says the Upper Queen Anne market just began handing out Queen Anne Appreciation Cards “good for money to be used for shopping now at the 1st and Mercer store, and we will be continuing with offers on that card for the next several months.” Offers include cash to spend on groceries, free sandwiches, free produce, discounts and more. Just ask to receive one.

Many of the employees now working at the Queen Anne Ave. store will be transferring to the 1st and Mercer location, Halverson tells us. “We hope it becomes your new home,” he says.

By the way, Met Market also plans to continue its support of the Queen Anne Helpline, the Queen Anne Farmers Market, FOLKpark and other neighborhood fixtures.

Have a favorite Met Market story to share? Let us know in comments…

West Thomas overpass running a bit behind, will still open this summer

Cory Bergman — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:01:29 +0000

SDOT was aiming for this spring to open the West Thomas St. pedestrian and bicycle overpass — the one over Elliott Ave. that links Lower Queen Anne to Myrtle Edwards Park — but the city says it’s now scheduled to open in July.

You may have noticed slow progress recently, and SDOT blames construction delays as well as the late delivery of new handrails for the overpass. The overpass begins at 3rd Ave. W, twists across Elliott near Big Fish Games, and drops down into Myrtle Edwards Park:

As the weather warms up, Lower Queen Anne residents and employees have been excited for the overpass to open. Currently, accessing the park involves a healthy walk south to the park’s entrance. We’ll keep you updated.

City approves controversial addition to Counterbalance Park

Cory Bergman — Mon, 14 May 2012 23:25:25 +0000

Seattle Parks and Recreation has given the green light to an Uptown Alliance plan to add five stones to Counterbalance Park to honor Raj Shah, who helped finance the park. The plan, which has been revised since it was first proposed, has been opposed by several neighbors who worry the addition will spoil the minimalist artistic integrity of the park.

“Counterbalance Park is in danger of having its elegant, zen-inspired design be spoiled,” explained Flora Ninelles, a dissenting member of the Uptown Alliance Parks Committee, in an earlier story on Queen Anne View. The park was designed by landscape architect Bob Murase, who passed away in 2005.

Today, a Seattle Parks spokeswoman confirmed the stones will be added to the park assuming the Uptown Alliance meets several conditions, including paying for the installation and the insurance. “The Alliance is working to meet all these conditions, and as soon as they do the work will proceed,” Seattle Parks spokeswoman Dewey Potter told Queen Anne View. “Parks will bring the boardwalk back to its original condition.”

The plan is to add three smaller stones in the central part of the park and two larger vertical stones (pictured above) in the northwest corner. (Photo provided by Seattle Parks.)

“Although realizing that not all community members are in agreement on this, Seattle Parks has decided to approve the addition of the stones to Counterbalance Park,” explains Christopher Williams, acting superintendent of Seattle Parks, in a letter sent to a concerned resident last week. “Placement and details for the stones’ installation were reviewed by Seattle Parks landscape architects. Seattle Parks staff members have taken into account the aesthetics of the current park design, and the needs and wishes of a segment of the community closely involved with the history of the park.”

Seattle Parks does not have an estimate when the work will begin. We’ve reached out to Uptown Alliance for more details.

White cat ‘Powder’ missing from West QA

Cory Bergman — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:58:50 +0000

Audrey has posted a missing pet alert in the Queen Anne forum:

Our all-white with blue eyes adult male cat escaped sometime Sat (5/11) evening between 6pm-12am in the 1900 block of 10th Ave W (west side of Queen Anne between Howe and Crockett St). He responds to his name “Powder” and loves affection. Being a mostly indoor cat, we have let him out a few times during the day and he has always returned shortly after.

For more information on how to contact Audrey, click here.

Chihuly Garden and Glass opens on May 21st

Cory Bergman — Sun, 13 May 2012 20:23:41 +0000

The $20 million Chihuly exhibition at the Seattle Center is opening soon, and our partners at the Seattle Times were given a sneak peek inside. The Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibition covers nearly 45,000 square feet — where the Fun Forest used to be. Visitors will be able to look up at the Space Needle “framed by 1,250 colorful Persian glass pieces suspended from the ceiling.”

(Photo from Chihuly Garden and Glass)

“What I wanted to do there was take the very best from all the museum shows I’ve done over the years and add a couple of new parts to it,” Dale Chihuly told the Times. “I’m so pleased with the results. It was beyond my expectations, really.” Chihuly designed the exhibition himself.

(Photo from Chihuly Garden and Glass)

Tickets are $19 a pop for general admission, which is the same price you’ll pay to ride to the top of the Space Needle. Chihuly will pay $350,000 a year in rent, and after five years, the lease jumps to $500,000 a year, adjusted for inflation.

(Photo from Chihuly Garden and Glass)

You can wonder around the gardens outside now as the final touches are put in place, but the main exhibition opens on May 21st.

Queen Anne Community Center closed Friday

Cory Bergman — Fri, 11 May 2012 04:52:30 +0000

The Queen Anne Community Center is getting an energy upgrade, and the facility will be closed on Friday as workers replace a 60 year-old boiler. The new energy-efficient system will include new wiring through the building, a new emergency generator designed to work in a seismic emergency, new fuse boxes and minor structural repairs to the chimney.

The facility will reopen on Saturday. More details here.

Sunny weekend to greet Mounger Pool opening

Cory Bergman — Thu, 10 May 2012 02:58:55 +0000

Have you seen the forecast for this weekend? The sun will be shining, and temperatures will be in the upper 70s — even flirting with 80 degrees on Sunday. That’s a perfect excuse to head to Magnolia’s Mounger Pool, which is opening for the summer season on Saturday.

As many Queen Anne families know, Mounger is one of only two outdoor pools in Seattle, and it combines a regular pool with a wading pool. This season on Friday nights (beginning next week), it will hold Friday Family Fun nights (5:30 – 7:30 p.m.) with themed events such as Rock and Roll Party, Outrageous Animal Safari, Art on Deck, and Pirate Pool Party.

Mounger Pool is located at 2535 32nd Ave. W, and it will be open daily until September 9, 2012.

Queen Anne Farmers’ Market is growing in 2012!

SA — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:57:47 +0000

The Queen Anne Farmers’ Market today announced the vendors for the 2012 season. The Market is growing this year from an average of 32 vendors in 2011 to 50 in 2012. QAFM has increased the number of farmers, artisinal foods, and ready-to-eat food vendors from which to choose for your summer fare. Seattle Salads, Little Brown Farm, Rachel’s Ginger Beer, Olsen Farms beef, and Farmers’ Market Jam are just a few of the offerings.

“The growth in our vendor roster is in response to customer feedback that tells us they really enjoy the market but want even greater diversity and number of vendors. We’ve worked hard to ensure that we maintain the same high quality while providing some new fresh food options. This expansion is also a critical step forward as we work towards the Market’s financial sustainability,” states Maria College, Co-Founder, QAFM.

While QAFM is expanding its vendor base, the site is not expanding. Stewart Chung, AIA, and owner of Buns on Wheels, volunteered his time to make sure the site space was maximized to accommodate all the new vendors. “It’s clear to me as a market vendor that the Queen Anne Farmers Market is a labor of love for its dedicated staff and volunteer team. It feels great to be a part of this effort and I’m glad to contribute my skill set to make a great community resource even better,” he shared.

Mr. Chung also created an an amazing fly-by visualization of what an expanded Market would look like.

This year’s sponsor list has been released as well. They include Metropolitan Market, Rene Stern at Windermere Real Estate, HomeStreet Bank, EveryBlock, Whole Foods Market, The Shop, and Liz Petrillo at Windermere Real Estate.

“We owe a debt of gratitude to our sponsors. Without their support the market would not be possible. We encourage everyone to support the businesses that support our great community,” notes Ms. College.

Last, but not least, Elizabeth Mullaly’s coveted poster design for 2012 has made its debut. Available for purchase at Queen Anne Dispatch, Queen Anne Frame, and charley + may.

The Market is held every Thursday, 3:00 to 7:30 from June 7 to October 11.