West Seattle

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West Seattle

West Seattle is a conglomeration of neighborhoods in Seattle, Washington, United States. It comprises two of the thirteen districts, Delridge and Southwest, and encompasses all of Seattle west of the Duwamish River. It was incorporated as an independent town in 1902 before being annexed by Seattle five years later. Among the area's attractions are its saltwater beach parks along Elliott Bay and Puget Sound, including Alki Beach Park and Lincoln Park. The area is also known for its views of the Olympic Mountains to the west and the Cascade Range to the east. One-third of Seattle's green space and urban forest is located in West Seattle, much of it in the West Duwamish Greenbelt.

Contents

Neighborhoods

High Point

View of downtown Seattle from one of several common greenspaces High Point Seattle 01.jpg
View of downtown Seattle from one of several common greenspaces

High Point is a neighborhood in the Delridge district. It is so named because it contains the highest point in the city of Seattle: the intersection of 35th Avenue SW and SW Myrtle Street, which is 520 feet (160 m) above sea level. The neighborhood is located on the east side of 35th Ave SW, with approximate north and south boundaries at SW Juneau Street and SW Myrtle Street.

The hill is dominated by two large water towers; it is also the location of Our Lady of Guadalupe School and Parish, on the peak of the highest hill in West Seattle. It is also known for the High Point Projects which were torn down in 2005 to make way for new mixed-income housing. High Point is one of Seattle's most diverse neighborhoods, with a substantial immigrant population from Southeast Asia and East Africa.

Redevelopment

Community garden and open play field with typical house variety in background. High Point Seattle 02.jpg
Community garden and open play field with typical house variety in background.

The neighborhood was originally developed during World War II to provide government housing, and it remained a district of predominantly low-income housing through the 1990s. In 2003, the Seattle Housing Authority began work on the first phase of a six-year project to redevelop High Point into a mixed-income community. The redevelopment removed all existing housing, roads, and utilities. In their place, new roads, underground infrastructure, about 1,600 new housing units, and community facilities were built. [1] [2] [3]

Houses are built close to the street. Bioretention swales or rain gardens treat and control stormwater from the streets with plants. High Point Seattle 03.jpg
Houses are built close to the street. Bioretention swales or rain gardens treat and control stormwater from the streets with plants.

The redevelopment embraced many sustainable development principles. The site and rental housing are certified at the highest BuiltGreen levels; most housing is Energy Star rated. The site makes extensive use of permeable paving, including porous sidewalks, parking areas, and the only porous pavement street in the state of Washington. Some houses were built to reduce symptoms for people with asthma. The neighborhood redevelopment plan has been recognized with some of the most prestigious land use and development awards, among them the 2007 ULI Global Award of Excellence, the 2007 EPA National Award for Smart Growth, and the 2007 Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence. [4]

Alki

Duwamish Head, between eastern coast and Alki Beach Duwamish Head West Seattle.JPG
Duwamish Head, between eastern coast and Alki Beach

Alki Point is traditionally credited as the point where the Denny Party founded Seattle before moving across Elliott Bay to what is now Downtown. A similar landing at Alki has been reenacted annually since 1950 as part of the week-long Seafair celebration of Seattle's marine and boating heritage. Seafair coincides with West Seattle festivities including Hi-Yu and the West Seattle Summer Fest street festival held each July. Along with its historical significance, Alki is also home to the most popular beach in the Seattle area. Fittingly named Alki Beach, it features a long strip of sandy beach full of driftwood, seashells, and fire pits. Low tides offer West Seattleites an opportunity to explore marine life in tidepools. Alki also hosts a flat bike and running trail from which visitors can view the Seattle skyline, Puget Sound, and the Olympic mountains.

The Junction

West Seattle High School, in the Admiral District West Seattle High 02.jpg
West Seattle High School, in the Admiral District

The Junction is the name used for the commercial district that centers on the intersection of California Avenue S.W. and S.W. Alaska Street. It is sometimes called "West Seattle Junction" or "Alaska Junction" by residents.

West Seattle also has two other intersections of note: the Admiral Junction in the northern part of the peninsula where California Avenue S.W. and S.W. Admiral Way meet, and the Morgan Street Junction at the southern end where Fauntleroy Way S.W., S.W. Morgan Street, and California Avenue S.W. intersect.

The West Seattle Summer Fest is hosted here annually in the summer. The festival has live music, local food, a kids play area, and shopping at the many vendors. [5]

Other neighborhoods

The Westwood Village shopping center, between S.W. Trenton and S.W. Barton Streets in the south end of West Seattle, has undergone several makeovers and now provides a mall-like shopping experience, including a Target and a Marshall's. However, it is unlikely that a movie theater will be allowed here because of restricted parking.

Before the annexation of West Seattle, the neighborhood of White Center radiated north and south of Roxbury, but now with the city line going down the middle of the old neighborhood is it unclear whether the northern part of the area should still be referred to as part of the White Center neighborhood.

West Seattle also includes suburban neighborhoods in the southwest end, including Gatewood, Fauntleroy, Arbor Heights, and Arroyo Heights in the southernmost section of West Seattle.

Transportation

King County Water Taxi and Downtown Seattle King County Water Taxi Downtown Seattle.jpg
King County Water Taxi and Downtown Seattle

The high-level West Seattle Bridge and the low-level Spokane Street Bridge connect northern West Seattle to Downtown Seattle and SODO. The high-level bridge was closed from 2020 to 2022 for extensive repairs. [6] [7]

West Seattle is served by bus service from King County Metro, including the RapidRide C Line. There is a Washington State Ferries dock in the Fauntleroy neighborhood, with service to Vashon Island and to Southworth on the Kitsap Peninsula. The passenger-only King County Water Taxi also runs between Duwamish Head and downtown Seattle.

History

Numerous sites exist with historical information on West Seattle, which is Seattle's oldest neighborhood and the birthplace of Seattle proper. The Southwest Seattle Historical Society maintains the Log House Museum at Alki Point.

Notable residents

Among West Seattle's current and former notable residents are Pearl Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder; Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament; actress Dyan Cannon; actor Steven Hill; nature photographer Art Wolfe; writer and journalist Amanda Knox; actress and burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee; restaurateur, folk singer, and former Seattle City Council member Ivar Haglund; fantasy author Terry Brooks; mountain climbers Jim Whittaker and Lou Whittaker; author Tobias Wolff; astronaut Gregory C. Johnson; Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell; The Flying Karamazov Brothers member Sam Williams; author, journalist, and screenwriter Jeff Jensen; former Seattle mayor Greg Nickels; mountain climber and guide Scott Fischer; science fiction and fantasy author Cat Rambo; actress Frances Farmer; actress Meg Tilly; musician Bill Rieflin; artist Francesca Sundsten; former Pittsburgh Pirates player Ed Bahr; NFL and Canadian Football League player Byron Bailey; author Nicholas Johnson; singer/songwriter Brandi Carlile; U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal; theatre director Douglas Hughes; TV & Radio talent/writer Cindi Rinehart.

Media

The community is served by the West Seattle Herald, [8] now merged into the Westside Weekly, which publishes weekly in print and offers continuous updates throughout the day on its website; and by the West Seattle Blog, which has been published online since 2005. [9]

Education

Alki Point, seen from Queen Anne Westseattle2.jpg
Alki Point, seen from Queen Anne

West Seattle is home to South Seattle College, West Seattle High School, Chief Sealth International High School, Seattle Lutheran High School, Gatewood Elementary School, Madison Middle School, Denny International Middle School, Roxhill Elementary School, K-5 STEM at Boren, Alki Elementary School, Lafayette Elementary School, Highland Park Elementary School, Sanislo Elementary School, Pathfinder K-8, Holy Family School Seattle, Holy Rosary West Seattle, Genesee Hill Elementary School, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Hope Lutheran School, Arbor Heights Elementary School, and Fairmount Park Elementary School.

Parks and recreation

Aerial view of West Seattle from the east, with the Puget Sound, Bainbridge Island, and the Olympic Mountains to the west West Seattle aerial.jpg
Aerial view of West Seattle from the east, with the Puget Sound, Bainbridge Island, and the Olympic Mountains to the west

West Seattle has many parks along the waterfront, including Lincoln Park and the Emma Schmitz Overlook to Jack Block Park facing the port. The West Seattle Golf Course, West Seattle Stadium, and Camp Long Outdoor Learning Center are found in the middle of the peninsula with unique opportunities to recreate outdoors including overnight camping in rustic cabins. In addition, Seattle Parks and Recreation maintains Community Centers (Alki, Delridge, and Hiawatha), Coleman Pool, SouthWest Pool, and the SouthWest Teen Life Center. There is a historic bath house on Alki Beach as well as the Dakota Place Park with its restored light station. [10]

List of neighborhoods

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alki Point, Seattle</span> Seattle Neighborhood in Washington, United States

Alki Point is a point jutting into Puget Sound, the westernmost landform in the West Seattle district of Seattle, Washington. Alki is the peninsular neighborhood on Alki Point. Alki was the original settlement in what was to become the city of Seattle. It was part of the city of West Seattle from 1902 until that city's annexation by Seattle in 1907.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Industrial District, Seattle</span> Seattle Neighborhood in King, Washington, United States

The Industrial District is the principal industrial area of Seattle, Washington. It is bounded on the west by the Duwamish River and Elliott Bay, beyond which lies Delridge of West Seattle; on the east by Interstate 5, beyond which lies Beacon Hill; on the north by S King and S Dearborn Streets, beyond which lie Pioneer Square and southwest International District of Downtown; and on the south by the main lines of the BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad, or about S Lucille Street, beyond which is Georgetown. SoDo is the name of the northwest portion of the neighborhood, named for its being South of Downtown. SoDo is the location of T-Mobile Park, home of the Seattle Mariners, and Lumen Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Sounders FC. Lumen Field was also the site of the former Kingdome.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgetown, Seattle</span> Neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, US

Georgetown is a neighborhood in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is bounded on the north by the mainlines of the BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad, beyond which is the Industrial District; on the west by the Duwamish River, across which is South Park; on the east by Interstate 5, beyond which is Beacon Hill; and on the south by Boeing Field.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delridge, Seattle</span>

Delridge is a district in Seattle, Washington, United States that stretches along Delridge Way, an arterial that follows the eastern slope of the valley of Longfellow Creek, from near its source just within the southern city limits north to the West Seattle Bridge over the Duwamish River. It is generally associated with the neighborhing district of West Seattle, or even considered a sub-district of West Seattle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">P-Patch</span>

A P-Patch is a parcel of property used for gardening; the term is specific to Seattle, Washington. The "P" originally stood for "Picardo", after the family who owned Picardo Farm in Seattle's Wedgwood neighborhood, part of which became the original P-Patch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Me-Kwa-Mooks Park</span>

Me-Kwa-Mooks Park is a 20.2-acre (82,000 m2) public park located in the West Seattle neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, USA. Me-Kwa-Mooks is an Anglicized version of the Lushootseed word for Alki Point, sbaqʷabqs, meaning "prairie point."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alki Beach Park</span>

Alki Beach Park is a 135.9-acre (55.0 ha) park located in the West Seattle neighborhood of Seattle, Washington that consists of the Elliott Bay beach between Alki Point and Duwamish Head. It has a 0.5 miles (0.80 km) of beachfront, and was the first public salt-water bathing beach on the west coast of the United States. It is open daily from 4am to 11:30pm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duwamish Head</span> Landform in Seattle, Washington, United States

Duwamish Head is the northernmost point in West Seattle, Washington, jutting into Elliott Bay.

Westwood is a neighborhood in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is located in the southwest of the city, close to the neighboring CDP of White Center. Westwood is known for its International Baccalaureate high school, Chief Sealth High.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meadowbrook, Seattle</span> Seattle Neighborhood in King, Washington, United States

Meadowbrook is a neighborhood in the Lake City district of Seattle, Washington. Meadowbrook is centered on open fields adjacent to the Community Center, Meadowbrook swimming pool, and Nathan Hale High School. It is bounded on the south by NE 95th Street and the Wedgwood neighborhood, on the north by NE 120th Street and Cedar Park, on the west by Lake City Way NE and Victory Heights, and on the east by 35th Avenue NE and Matthews Beach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Highline Public Schools</span> Highline Public Schools

Highline Public Schools (HPS) is a public school district in King County, headquartered in Burien, Washington. As of October 2007, it served 17,331 students and had 997 teachers, and served the cities of Burien, much of Des Moines, Normandy Park, and SeaTac as well as adjacent unincorporated census-designated places proximal to Burien in King County such as White Center and much of Boulevard Park. Portions of Kent and Tukwila and a very small portion of Seattle are in the district limits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fauntleroy, Seattle</span> Seattle Neighborhood in King, Washington, United States

Fauntleroy is a neighborhood in the southwest corner of Seattle, Washington. Part of West Seattle and situated on Puget Sound's Fauntleroy Cove, it faces Vashon Island, Blake Island, and the Kitsap Peninsula to the west. On sunny days, many locations in the neighborhood offer views of the Olympic Mountains, which are about 40 miles (64 km) to the west. The neighborhood adjoins Lincoln Park to the north, Fauntlee Hills to the east, and Arbor Heights to the south. Within Fauntleroy is an area known as Endolyne. Fauntleroy is home to an eponymous Washington State Ferries terminal, providing service to Vashon Island and Southworth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arbor Heights, Seattle</span>

Arbor Heights is a neighborhood in West Seattle, Washington, made up of the area south of SW Roxbury Street, north and east of Puget Sound, but excluding the downhill portion on the west side of this region. It is the southernmost section of West Seattle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gatewood, Seattle</span> Seattle Neighborhood in King, Washington, United States

Gatewood is a neighborhood in West Seattle, Seattle, Washington. Situated on the highest hill in Seattle it overlooks Puget Sound, the Olympic Mountains, and downtown Seattle. It is generally bounded to the north and south by Raymond and Thistle Streets respectively, to the east by 35th Avenue, and the west by California Avenue and Fauntleroy Way. The neighborhood's landmarks include the Gatewood School, currently an elementary school. It is minutes from Lincoln Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Admiral, Seattle</span> Neighborhood in Seattle, Washington

North Admiral is the oldest neighborhood in West Seattle, Washington. In the early 1900s, it was connected to Seattle by ferries and a cable car. These ferries included the paddle steamers City of Seattle and West Seattle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King County Water Taxi</span> Passenger ferry service in King County, Washington

The King County Water Taxi is a passenger-only fast ferry service operated by the King County Metro Transit Department, Marine Division. It operates two routes between Downtown Seattle and West Seattle or Vashon Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank B. Cooper School</span> United States historic place

Frank B. Cooper Elementary School, usually called Cooper School, serves students from kindergarten through 5th grade. Located in the Pigeon Point neighborhood of Delridge, Seattle, Washington, it is part of the Seattle Public Schools district. The school's 14-acre (57,000 m2) site is immediately adjacent to the 182-acre (0.74 km2) West Duwamish Greenbelt, one of Seattle's largest wildlife habitat corridors. This rich natural environment enhances the school's environmental education program.

References

  1. Official High Point neighborhood website
  2. High Point Neighborhood House
  3. Seattle Housing - High Point
  4. "Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence". Bruner Foundation. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
  5. https://westseattlesummerfest.com
  6. Kroman, David (August 11, 2022). "West Seattle Bridge reopening date announced". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  7. Bancroft, Ethan (September 17, 2022). "West Seattle Bridge reopens after 2 ½-year closure". SDOT Blog. Seattle Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  8. West Seattle Herald
  9. Grubisich, Tom (September 8, 2016). "As 10-Year Mark Approaches, West Seattle Blog Sticks to Profitable Basics". Street Fight. Street Fight Magazine. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  10. Lori, Hinton (2005), West Seattle 101: a hundred and one things to do: an insider's guide to recreation, dining, entertainment & enrichment, Seattle: Adventure Press

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