Yearly Archives: 2013

CDN Year in Review 2013 | Most-Read Central District Stories of 2013

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Humble Pie, hops plants in the foreground.

With 2013 drawing to a close, we’re revisiting our most popular articles of the year. One thing is clear from this list: Our readers are often drawn to stories about food and crime. And sometimes those two topics are linked in the same story.

Top Ten Most Popular Articles of 2013:

1. Humble Pie brings farm-fresh pizza and local beer to the Central District

2. Med Mix fire started intentionally

3. More updates on the Med Mix fire story

4. Chuck’s Hop Shop CD coming to 20th and Union

5. Woman gives birth in front seat of car while stuck in traffic

6. Med Mix damaged in fire

7. New graffiti appears at Med Mix; Artists caught on surveillance

8. Central Pizza opens today

9. Set your phasers to stun with this summer’s Outdoor Star Trek performances

10. Man stabbed with ice pick at 22nd/Cherry

Drivers, Remember All Intersections are Crosswalks. At non lighted intersections pedestrians have the right of way.

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Recently, I have encountered a number of polite and law abiding drivers.  However, as a pedestrian, it seems that fewer and fewer drivers are in this category and yield the right of way to pedestrians, especially along E. Union and E. Cherry.   E. Cherry has long been the worst.  Remember, pedestrians are not suppose to risk their lives to stop autos.  Drivers are suppose to make it comfortable for a waiting pedestrian to cross.

Landmarks Preservation Board to consider nomination for Liberty Bank building

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The Landmarks Preservation Board is set to consider whether the Liberty Bank building at 2320 E. Union merits landmark status. The meeting will take place in February.

Now Key Bank, the application cites the building as the “first banking institution for African Americans in the Pacific Northwest region.”

The application lists other, related reasons why the building should receive the designation:

This building is a worthy historical landmark in Seattle for a number of reasons, notably:
1. It opened as the FIRST and ONLY African American bank in the Pacific Northwest region of the United Sates;
2. Its founders included a number of people of historic note, and it was designed by one of America’s few well known African American architects, Mel Streeter (1931– 2006);
3. Its design is reflective of the culture that characterized Seattle’s predominantly African American Central Area in the 1960s, and is one of the few remaining high quality examples of this type of utilitarian urban blue-collar architecture left in the neighborhood and
4. The changing demographics of Seattle’s Central District, without protection of the neighborhood’s historical landmarks, portends an erasure of a rich cultural past and heritage created by Seattle’s African American community.

The nomination will be considered at a public meeting on Wednesday, February 5 at 3:30 p.m. in the Seattle Municipal Tower, 700 5th Avenue, 17th Floor in Room 1756. The public is invited to attend the meeting and make comments. Written comments should be received by the Landmarks Preservation Board by 5:00 p.m. on February 4 at the following address: Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, P.O. Box 94649, Seattle WA, 98124-4649.

You can read the full text of the application here.

Neighborhood Bits | Man attacks librarian; No transportation package yet

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Police say a man attacked a librarian at the Douglass-Truth Library last Monday. KOMO News has more:

SEATTLE — A Central District library employee was attacked by a ‘nice-looking young man’ who had rented out a conference room for a religious meeting and then refused to leave at closing time, according to the Seattle Police Department.

According to the police report for the incident, the man came into the Douglass-Truth Library and checked out a conference room for a religious meeting Monday.

When two library employees later went to tell him the library was closing, the man repeatedly refused to leave, according to the report. Instead, he walked toward one of the employees, who was standing in the doorway, and reportedly slammed the door on her, catching her between the door and the frame.

The employee later told officers she was shocked by the man’s unexpected violence because he did not appear intoxicated, was dressed well and appeared to be a “nice-looking young man.”

According to the report, the employees said they were going to call the police, and the man told them to go ahead.

Minutes later the man left the library. The employees later told officers he appeared to be smiling at them as he did so. A second man, who had been sitting in the conference room the entire time without doing or saying anything, left with him.

The employees said they would call 911 if they saw the man again.

 

When it comes to King County buses, it might be time for Plan B. In November, Exec Dow Constantine said King County would employ a “Plan B” if state leaders couldn’t pass a new transportation funding package. While the Olympians have promised to resume discussing the funding when regular sessions resume in January, no special session was called to nail down the needed multi-billion dollar package:

The Senate majority wants that slice of sales-tax revenue to be applied to transportation projects, estimating it could boost spending by $750 million over the next 12 years.

Democrats have said they want the money to remain in the general fund, noting the state will need billions of dollars in the coming years to meet a state Supreme Court mandate to increase funding for education.

Loud boom reported near Powell Barnett Park

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A loud boom heard across the city and possible smoke reported by a nearby resident brought out Seattle Fire emergency crews and police early early Sunday morning near Powell Barnett Park but the responding units could not immediately find the source of the mystery disturbance.

According to Seattle Fire dispatch logs, a “minor” explosion was first reported around 3:20 AM near 27th and E Alder. Arriving SFD units and police searched the area but could not find any fire, damage or electrical issues.

911 calls came in from across the city following the thunderous early morning bang. We’ll update if we find out more about the situation.

2013 Central District Real Estate Recap.

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This is my recap of home sales in the Central District and how it compares to the rest of Seattle.

Prices for pre-owned homes in the Central District of Seattle increased 12% in the past year. The number of sales increased 25%.  Over the past 10 years, the number of home sales in the Central District has averaged 242 sales per year whereas we had 228 in 2013 and 192 in 2012.  2012 was the lowest number of home sales since before 2003.  3 of the past 10 years experienced more than 300 sales.  In 2013 Seattle as a whole experienced a 16% increase in the number of sales and a 12.7% increase in prices.

Sales of new construction in the Central District (West of MLK)  increased from 14 sales in 2012 to  25 sales this year.  The median  price is $597k, unchanged from 2012.  I was curious to see how this compared to 2009 when the real estate market was really suffering.  My findings were suprising.   In 2009 there were 68 new home sales at a median price of $472k.   Since 2009 there has been a  63% drop in the number sales and a 26% increase in prices.  (Pre-owned prices are 14% higher than in 2009).  It feels that more new homes are under construction and the average prices are going to be much higher than last year.

What does 2014 have in store?  Home affordability will drop.  Zillow is predicting a 6.7% increase in home prices over the year 2014.  Regarding interest rates, Kiplinger is predicting 5%-5.5%,  Zillow is predicting 5%, Forbes is predicting 5.5%.  A house costing $500,000 today would require $2280 a month with 10% down. Next year, that house will cost $533k but the payments would be $2725 at a 5.5% interest rate.

I hope this has been useful, contact me with any questions.  I have a lot more information that I couldn’t squeeze into this article.  www.DanSanchezRealtor.com

Man found dead at Safeway yesterday

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An apparently homeless man was found dead in a wheelchair outside the Starbucks and Safeway at 22nd and E Madison Thursday morning.

The Seattle Police Department and the King County Medical Examiner are investigating the incident first reported to authorities around 8 AM Thursday. There were no signs of foul play but a cause of death is pending.

Fifth Annual Christmas Day of Caring Toy Giveaway to Help Hundreds of Families Throughout Central District

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2012DayofCaringBy Henry Hall

Seattle, WA, Dec. 19, 2013 – Mount Zion Baptist Church is expecting another large turnout for its 5th Annual Christmas Day of Caring toy giveaway on Saturday, Dec. 21 between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Last year over 1,200 individuals were served. Children and youth felt the joy of choosing a toy or gift that they would be able to open on Christmas morning.

While the economy is showing signs of improvement, many families continue to struggle just meeting basic needs. Mount Zion plans to help hundreds of families fill that gap. It’s the goal of Senior Pastor Aaron Williams and church volunteers to ensure no child leaves empty handed.

 

In addition to gifts, families will be invited to enjoy a nutritious meal, sing along with the Mount Zion Choir and visit the Church’s Helping House, where they can receive gently used clothing and household items at no charge.

Monetary, toy and gift donations from the community are appreciated and needed. They can be delivered to the church through 5:00 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20th.DayofCaringGiftwrap