SDOT wants to make big changes to 125th

Along with the Lake City express lane upgrade, SDOT has many other projects coming up; including safety improvements along NE 125th Street which could have a great impact on traffic.

They are proposing a reconfiguration of the car traffic lanes on 125th between Roosevelt Way NE and 35th Ave NE from two lanes in each to direction to one lane with a center turning lane (see diagrams below).

 Accompanying the lanes changes, the SDOT proposal is hoping to achieve the following :

• Improving pedestrian crossings

• Installing bicycle lanes on both sides of the street

• Improving major signalized intersections by creating right turn only lanes for vehicles (excluding transit and bikes)

As average speeds are in excess of posted limits, this proposal will help address the speeding problem on NE 125th St. It will also make the roadway more accommodating for vulnerable users like pedestrians and bicyclists.

What do you think about these new proposed changes? Share your opinion at the upcoming SDOT open house from 4:00-7:00pm on Monday, July 26th at the Lake City Library.  If you can't make the meeting, you can submit your comments by email to walkandbike@seattle.gov or by calling 206-684-7583.

Community meetings galore - tonight!

I'm excited about all the community organizing in NE Seattle lately.  From City transportation projects to resident-led community gardens, there are so many ways to get involved in what's happening in your neighborhood. Tonight alone, we have four meetings taking place:

Thornton Creek Alliance Meeting
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Lake City Presbyterian Church
3841 NE 123rd St., Room B-2

The Thornton Creek Alliance will be discussing the Hubbard Homestead Park, Thornton Creek Park naming, and their 2010-2011 Work Plan. Bruce Johnson, of the TCA Executive Committee, had these meeting details to share:

Bruce Hubbard will share his memories and his vision for this new park (near Northgate Mall) due to be completed this summer. Also, the Park Naming Committee wants your input. (What kind of name is Park #2, anyway?) TCA's general membership meeting is the place to meet neighbors, learn more about the watershed and the people & wildlife who live here, share your interests & concerns, find a committee to work on, and join a work party. It's free & open to the public, so invite your friends. Hope to see you there!

North Link Light Rail - final design discussion

5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Roosevelt High School Commons
1410 NE 66th Street

Thanks to the new Roosiehood blog for posting details about tonight's light rail design meeting. For those who don't know, the North Link is a 4.3-mile extension to the light rail system with stations at the University District, Roosevelt and Northgate. Tonight's presentation will share engineer drawings and recommendations and discuss what the next steps in the design will look.

Maple Leaf Reservoir Park meeting
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Olympic View Elementary
504 NE 95th Street

The final design meeting is tonight! For those of you following the progress of the new reservoir park, or those still interested in getting their two cents in, tonight is your last chance before the design schematic is approved.  Friends for a Greater Maple Leaf Park and the Maple Leaf Community Council have graciously sponsored professional childcare...so there's no excuse not to go.

Lake City Community Council meeting

Seattle Mennonite Church - community room
3120 NE 125th Street (Enter from parking lot in back.)

Tonight's meeting will be focused on neighborhood events that will support local businesses (The Restaurant Crawl), make the neighborhood safer and build community (Night Out August 3rd), clean up streets and raise awareness about the 33rd Ave NE Vision Project (fall workparty for 33rd Ave NE), and raise awareness about the new park (PARK-ing Day).

Farmers Market season has started!

After months of anticipation, the Lake City Farmers Market opened yesterday to excited crowds and an even more rare occurrence these days - no rain! I couldn't wait to get out of my Pioneer Square office and on the bus home so I could check out what opening day farmers had to offer.

Despite the winter-like weather we've been having, the start of the Farmers Market season signals that, indeed, summer really is here. I had to buy a couple beautiful heirloom tomatoes from Kittitas Valley Tomatoes since my own plants have yet to even send out a single flower and I couldn't pass up the Alm Hills pea vines.

Next week I definitely plan on sampling one of the newest additions to the market this year- Pan Africa. The deliciously intoxicating smell of African food followed me from from stand to stand and haunted me as I went home to a much more boring dinner. I will not pass that up again!

To get your farm fix, the Lake City market runs every Thursday from 3-7pm from now through October 7th. It's located next to the Library at NE 125th and 28th Ave NE. There is a free underground parking garage right next to the market on 28th Ave NE, and plenty of street parking on the surrounding streets.

If Thursday isn't a good day for you, try the Meadowbrook Farmers Market. Starting this Sunday, June 6th, and running until October 31st from 11am-3pm at the Seattle Waldorf School (2728 NE 100th St).

Shop Hyper-local in Lake City

I've been blogging a lot about Lake City and its need for revitalization. It's easy to sit back and expound lofty ideas for new local coffee shops and other attractive businesses but a far more difficult task to actually get them there. I'm far from being a city planner but I feel like I can say, with some certainty, that a first step to getting new - non-chain - restaurants, stores and cafes is supporting those the neighborhood already has.

With that idea in mind The Lake City Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with the Neighborhood Farmer's Market Alliance, is promoting an "economic revival program" called Lake City Market Days. Starting tonight it will run every Thursday, until October 7th, from 3-7pm. Participating restaurants include:

BEAN CITY COFFEE
MINOO BAKERY
THE EYESITE
EBITS PC LAPTOP
PONY EXPRESS
THAI ONE ON
GARCIAS VIDEO
PIZZA UNO
LAKE CITY GYRO
PACIFIC MARKET
EMERALD CITY TATOO
KILIMANJARO MARKET

During the promotion their will be some music at the park at 125th and Lake City Way and a chance for farmer's market vouchers:

Participating merchants along Lake City Way will offer a limited supply of "market bucks" which can be used as cash at the Lake City Farmer's Market. Free money in exchange for purchase!

Even though the Farmer's Market doesn't start until June 3rd this year, get out this month and explore a few of those independent businesses you've never tried.  

Anyone have recommendations for their favorite Lake City business?

Cinco de Mayo at El Norte Tonight!

I know what you're thinking: Cinco de Mayo is an amateur night full of drunken 21 year-olds. I agree. Apparently I'm now old enough where I stay as far away from the holiday, and it's drinking holiday-cousin St. Patrick's Day, because of the ridiculous people doing a little too much "celebrating" that night.

But this Cinco de Mayo is different. I will be out celebrating this obscure holiday at the new Lake City bar, El Norte.  Danae, over on Lake City Live, has been doing an awesome job tracking the trials and tribulations of Mr. Villa owner's trying to open - gasp! - a new bar in the neighborhood. Granted the previous bar in the El Norte space was the notorious Rose Garden. But how will we ever expect Lake City to grow and attract new, non-chain, businesses when the red tape is so thick? Also, have you been to Mr. Villa yet? If El Norte has even a little bit of the amazing food that they have at their, I will be so excited.

Alright, I'm off my soapbox - Come have a margarita with me tonight at El Norte (13717 Lake City Way N.E., Seattle, 98125). We can discuss what would be our dream businesses for the soon to be vacated Rick's strip club.

Mayor McGinn to Tour Lake City this Saturday

All NE Seattle residents should consider attending this event so I'm re-posting my Lake City Live story here as well:

Ever since Mike McGinn stepped into the mayoral office three months ago, he has made it a priority to get out and tour different neighborhoods in Seattle.  His purpose, to learn about the issues and opportunities in different parts of the city. The walks started in the Pioneer Square/International District neighborhoods where over 70 people attended and discussed their concerns and ideas. I'm not sure what, if anything, came out of that walk and the subsequent ones that followed. But I can bet, at the very least, it increased the sense of community; something I think our area could use a little more of.

This Saturday, April 10th, the Mayor will tour our very own Lake City. This is an open event to public and residents are encouraged to attend and share their concerns about the neighborhood. Many thanks to Ed Pottharst, of the Seattle Dept. of Neighborhoods, for sharing the following tour details:
People will have the chance to talk with Mayor McGinn at tour stops.  Most of the tour is walking.  The last two gathering places—Little Brook Park and Jackson Park House & Village (youth tutoring program) –are about a mile north of the earlier stops.  You are welcome to join Mayor McGinn on bike hops to these two places.

Support Your Parks Tonight

I posted this over on Lake City Live but I think it's applies to everyone in NE Seattle so I'm posting here as well!

With the City of Seattle facing a $50 million dollar budget shortfall this year, it's highly likely the Parks and Recreation Department will have to share in the budget cuts needed to make up for the huge loss. This is just one reason why it's really important to attend the Community Open House this Wednesday, April 7th from 6:30 to 8pm at the Lake City Community Center.

Cafe Lati Celebrates its First Anniversary

If there's one thing Meadowbrook/Lake City needs, it's more coffee shops.  How can it be, in a city obsessed with coffee, that there are two adjacent neighborhoods with only two non-Starbucks coffee shops? And for those waving your Starbucks loyalty flags, there are only two Starbucks in that same area; bringing up the total to a whopping four establishments.

One clue into this lack of coffee might be found over on the Lake City Live blog.  There's a  lively discussion about the challenges of running a business in that neighborhood. From reading the comments, it definitely seems like it is a difficult section of Seattle to maintain a thriving business. 

With all the challenges, I'm happy to announce that Cafe Lati - the only coffee shop in Meadowbrook - is celebrating it's one year anniversary.  Starting today they will have daily drink specials until Sunday, April 4th.  Become a fan of their Facebook page to find out all the deals.

More importantly, when you are about to take that quick run to the Starbucks on Lake City, why don't you head over to Cafe Lati on110th and 35th instead. Supporting your local businesses is the best way to get even more opening.

Drink a Beer to Benefit North Helpline

Danae, from Lake City Live, posted a great event happening at The Beer Authority this weekend. On Saturday they'll be collecting non-perishable food for North Helpline, Lake City's food bank, emergency services, and health clinic.

LCL mentions another added benefit, thanks to the Wedgwood Alehouse:

From Barry at The Beer Authority: A big shout out goes to our friends at the Wedgwood Alehouse for helping us get the word to the masses. When you get a chance check out their pub. As a token of our appreciation, anybody who says "the Wedgwood sent me" gets an additional 5% off their bottle beer to go purchase this Saturday. Cheers!

Lake City Meetup Tonight!

I posted this over on Lake City Live but I would love to meet people from all over NE Seattle, so putting it up here as well!

Monica Guzman, the maven behind the Seattle PI's Big Blog, has been hosting weekly reader meetups for over a year now.  This week she's bringing it to Lake City! Join me and DanaeK, along with the entire Big Blog crew, at The Beer Authority tonight. It's a great chance to meet new people in the hood and have some fun!

Meet Up Details:
The Beer Authority
12716 Lake City Way NE
Wednesday, 3/10
5:30-7:00pm

Reduced Library Hours Start Today

A 1.7 million dollar budget cut has led to the Seattle Public Libraries reducing hours for many branches starting today.  The SPL was originally asked to cut $2.6 million but, luckily, the City Council stepped in and restored $860,000 to the budget.

15 libraries, including the University and Northgate Branches, now have the following hours:

• Monday - Tuesday: 1pm to 8pm
• Wednesday - Thursday: 11am to 6pm
• Friday: closed
• Saturday: 11am to 6pm
• Sunday: closed

11 other branches will still be open seven days a week but operating under shorter hours.  NE Seattle libraries included in this group are: Lake City and Northeast Branches. Their new schedule will be:

• Monday - Thursday: 10am to 8pm
• Friday - Saturday: 10am to 6pm
• Sunday: 1pm to 5pm

Want to support the Library and all it's amazing programs?  Join Friends of the Seattle Public Library or donate money through The Seattle Public Library Foundation.

Teacher Assaulted at Nathan Hale High School

Nathan Hale High School staff reported that a student assaulted a teacher, as well as another student, last week.  According to the Seattle-PI, the teacher was meeting with a 14 year old student about his grades when she saw a large group of students congregating in the hallway.  Suspicious of what was going on, the teacher went out to see what was happening.  When she returned, two students had entered the classroom and would not leave.  One of them then struck the student she had been meeting with in the face.  When the teacher intervened she was struck in the arm.  Luckily, that was the extent of her injuries.

Schools officials explained that the student fled the grounds when the incident happened; since it was the end of the day they did not immediately report the crime to the police.  The following day, officers were contacted and led to the suspect where he was positively identified by both the teacher and the 14 year old victim.

For more information about this incident, as well as a teacher assault on the same day at Cleveland High School, read Casey McNerthney's story on the Seattle-PI website.

Lake City Needs More Sidewalks

I've lived in Lake City for almost five months now. Almost immediately I noticed how much less walkable the neighborhood is compared to Capitol Hill.  Part of me shrugged it off as an unfair comparison because Capitol Hill is one of the most walkable neighborhoods in the city.  
Then my car broke down.

New Park in Lake City

The Pinehurst Seattle blog posted plans for a new park in Lake City.  Seattle Parks and Recreation will be turning the former Lake City Elementary into Virgil Flaim Park.  This announcement begs the question, who the heck is Virgil Flaim?

According to the press release, Flaim's work as the executive director  of the Lake City Community Center from 1986 until 2001 led to many improvements in the neighborhood.  An active member of the community, he is a part of many clubs such as the Lake City Lions and the awesomely named Lake City Western Vigilantes; an organization whose mission is to roll in parades all across Washington raising money for local kids programs.