It’s 12th Avenue week here at CDNews, and this time it’s really good news. Today the city parks department released the draft list of projects that would be funded through the Opportunity Fund that was provided in the Parks & Green Space Levy.

The big winner is the James Court Woonerf that the neighborhood has proposed for installation next to the forthcoming James Court Park on 12th Avenue. It has made the draft list with a $500,000 budget allocation, which should be enough to turn the sleepy side street into a landscaped, pedestrian-scale plaza. 

In addition to extending the perceived size of the new park that will be next to it, the project is intended to provide a connection an transition to Seattle U’s new student housing and ground-floor retail that is now taking shape on the block just to the north.

Another project on the north border of the Central District is also slated for funding. The 19th & Madison Neighborhood Park is allocated $473,000. Stay tuned as we find out more about that project and bring it to you in a separate story.

The proposed Jimi Hendrix Park next to NWAAM on the south end of the neighborhood was also hoping for funding, but as of now it is only on the alternate list of projects. We’ve got a note out to find out more about that process and figure out what the odds are that it could move up in the list.

A public hearing on the draft list of projects is scheduled for October 25th at  7pm, nearby at the Miller Community Center on 19th Avenue. Final recommendations will be made by the Parks Oversight Committee on December 6th, with final approval granted by the city council.

A full list of projects citywide is attached at left.

CDNews is glad that September is leaving on a weather high-note. Here’s the scoop from Seattle’s sunny East Precinct:

Yesterday we shared details of Zaw Pizza coming to 34th Ave. Today we have the news on its neighboring business in the former Monad space.

A new home furnishings store called “Henry and Frances Home” will be moving into the vacant storefront at 1135 34th Ave. The owner, Madison Park resident Kate Sehulster, plans to open her doors on November 1. 

“I’d always wanted to open a store, and when the space came available it was perfect,” Sehulster said.

Sehulster has a background in interior design, textiles and wall coverings. Her shop will sell new furniture and consignment pieces, “the best of the old and the best of the new.” She’ll also offer lighting, candles, books, and works from local designers and artists. Eventually she plans to knock down the back wall to add more space to the 250 square foot front room.

With the post-work evening traffic from local restaurants, Sehulster plans to stay open in the evenings until 7pm.

Originally she considered calling the store Grandesse, but decided on “Henry and Frances,” based on her sons’ middle names. 

What are your thoughts on the newest business to come to Madrona?

The city’s new First Hill Streetcar is scheduled to start construction next year, and one big decision still remains in the project. As we reported in the summer, the city is evaluating two potential locations to place the maintenance and storage facility for the streetcar vehicles, including one spot here in the Central District at 12th and Yesler.

This week the Department of Transportation gave city council members an update on streetcar planning, including new details on how the maintenance facility could be sited on the Seattle Housing Authority property adjacent to Yesler Terrace..

According to preliminary renderings, the maintenance barn would face 12th Avenue and sit in the middle of the block between Yesler and Fir, with a half-block of track connecting it to the main path of the streetcar where it travels up and down Yesler. 

The photo below shows the general massing of the facility in an aqua color. It is surrounded by a conceptual development from the housing authority, adding low-income apartments that would ease the planned transition of Yesler Terrace to a more dense mid-rise development. Apartments are shown in red and orange, parking is shown in gray, and retail space is shown in yellow.

The partnership with SHA would be designed to benefit both the housing agency and the city. SDOT’s Ethan Melone said “We each benefit because we take on some of the site development costs, and they provide some of the land.” The roof of the maintenance facility would also provide open space for SHA’s residents, giving them green space and a courtyard that would be 25 feet up above street level.

With SHA’s plans in flux, the city’s design would allow for a phased approach that would build the maintenance facility first, and then allow the housing authority to fill in the space around it sometime in the future. The photo below shows how the streetcar barn would fit in with existing development on the site:

Melone told the city council that one key consideration is whether a maintenance facility fits in with community plans for 12th Avenue. They’re looking at whether its impact can be lessened by including ground-floor retail along the 12th Avenue side, and will be talking with community groups to collect their feedback on the plans.

We stopped by 12th & Yesler today to get some action shots of the fire fighter training at the empty retail block that will soon be demolished by the Seattle Housing Authority.

Crews had filled the second floor of the building with artificial smoke, practicing rescue responses in situations similar to actual fires.

The smoke was clearly visible coming out of broken windows in the building, drawing stares from pedestrians and motorists who passed by. But fire crews and a training sign were clearly visible, so it doesn’t look like it generated any calls to 911.

SHA will be tearing down that block sometime in October. As we reported yesterday, there are no concrete plans for further development on that block.

It’s the biggest investment in academics in Seattle University’s 120 year history and an impressive landmark for the city’s largest independent university.

How long did it take to build? About 60 seconds, according to this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY2aemMVuJI

See the invitation

http://messages.seattleu.edu/crossroads/0922_library.html

SDOT is in the process of installing new “bike boxes” at 12th & Pine, with a second coming to 12th & Madison. Bike boxes are designed to make it easier for bikes to ride with traffic, allowing them to get ahead of cars at an intersection when the light is red and then get out first when the light turns green. This helps everyone move along more safely and efficiently, and is a technique already used in various European countries, NYC, and our neighbors to the south in Portland, among others.

Zaw Pizza, the local take-and-bake company with a focus on local and organic ingredients, will be setting up shop at 1137 34th Ave. (Thanks to the tip from the building property manager Jaime Hernandez on the news.)

Zaw co-owner Greg Waring confirmed they signed the lease on Monday and are aiming for a November opening date, dependent on all the necessary paperwork and permits. 

Waring said Zaw chose Madrona for its next location because of feedback from residents here and in Madison Park, who fall outside the delivery zone for the Capitol Hill store.

“It’s a response to a lot of demand in the area,” he said.

Zaw has had a stand at the farmers market on MLK and Union for the last two years, and Waring said it’s been their most successful farmers market location. 

Once the shop is open, the delivery zone will be east to Lake Washington, west to MLK, south to the I-90 bridge and north to the 520 bridge.

Zaw will occupy half of the former home of the Monad art gallery, now split in two. The other half of the space will house a new home furnishings store called Henry and Frances Home – details on that business to come tomorrow.

“We’ve really been screening to make sure we get the right people,” Hernandez said of the rental process.

There’s already some commenting action going on about the merits of Zaw. What do you say? Is a takeout pizza spot a good addition to the neighborhood?

The end of September is nigh!  Here’s what’s happening in Seattle’s East Precinct:

This morning we got caught up on neighborhood crime trends using the latest data from SPD, and have found that crime is down in every category except auto thefts.

As we’ve reported many times, summer months often see a spike in crime with longer days, open doors, and kids home from school. But according to stats from June and July, property and violent crimes are way down compared to the same periods in 2009:

• Assaults: down 10%
• Robberies: down 25%
• Burglaries: down 25%
• Theft: down 10%
• Auto Theft: down 22%

Crime is down in all categories for the YTD as well, with the exception of auto thefts which are up 35% due to a spike in the first half of the year. The most impressive number is for robberies, which are down 42% in 2010 compared to 2009.

In last week’s East Precinct Crime Prevention Meeting, one of the prevention coordinators noted that over half of all home burglaries this summer were not forced – the thieves just walked in and out through open doors or windows. So remember that it’s in your power to reduce crime even more by just keeping you home secure and keeping valuables out of your parked vehicles.

Participants at that meeting also reported improved situations in their own parts of the neighborhood, with less drug activity on Union, new businesses opening in formerly troubled spots on First Hill, and an “eery quiet” near 12th & Jefferson, which has had a history of problems.