Soil samples are now being taken at Emma Schmitz Memorial View Point. According to our intrepid reporter, Scupper, they are going down 60 feet. This is for the upcoming improvements to the deteriorating seawall.
Photo credit: Scupper
Drill Baby Drill!
June 7, 2018 by Leave a Comment
Seawall project starting sooner than expected
June 6, 2018 by 1 Comment
Construction of the Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook Seawall Project was projected to begin this Fall according to BDB sources from the Army Corp of Engineers. Yet, it appears that construction, ahem, “design” work will commence within a week. This info sign was just installed at the park….
Anticipated impact to neighbors and the public will include drilling/boring equipment taking soil samples from numerous locations along the 450′ stretch of seawall. Constructing the actual wall has been updated to “TBD”.
Sooner the better is my opinion for getting this done. Fall might be too late for the tattered original structure.
From the City of Seattle’s press release:
Soil borings and sampling at Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), the City of Seattle, and Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) are collaborating on the Emma Schmitz seawall repair. Together we are ensuring a successful cost-sharing program to restore shoreline protection at Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook in West Seattle. SPR entered into a Project Partnership Agreement with the Corps for the replacement of the seawall. The Corps is responsible for the design of the seawall, and one of the steps in the design process is to take soil borings to inform the final design. Drill equipment will be on site for several days starting the week of June 4.
Built circa 1927, the 450-foot stretch of seawall supports important City and County infrastructure, including a 54-inch sewer main, various Seattle Public Utilities drainage and wastewater lines, and Beach Drive Southwest road. The seawall is badly deteriorated, with a 30 percent chance of failure in the event of severe storm or tidal conditions. The new seawall will be built approximately 2 feet seaward and 2 feet higher than the existing wall, thus significantly improving the grade of this scenic viewpoint for the enjoyment of park users as well as ensuring long-term stability.
The implementation cost of the recommended plan is estimated to be more than $2 million, and will be cost-shared with 65 percent federal funds and 35 percent non-federal funds. The non-federal sponsor, SPR, is responsible for all lands, easements, right-of-ways, relocations, and/or disposal areas which are controlled by the sponsor.
The Corps is designing the seawall, and SPR will be designing the park amenities on top of the wall area. SPR will be holding a public meeting to provide information and gather input on these park amenities.
For more information on the boring and soil collection please visit http://www.nws.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Programs-and-Projects/Projects/Alki-Erosion-Control-Project-Seattle-WA/ or SPR Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook page: http://www.seattle.gov/parks/find/parks/emma-schmitz-memorial-overlook
Scupper, reporting for Beach Drive Blog
Buddhist ritual helps crabbing in Area 10
June 6, 2018 by 1 Comment
Although I’m not quite sure what the karma penalties would be for catching one of the dungy’s, it was a great sight to see this Taiwanese family repatriating 30 large crabs into Puget Sound.
The grandfather and father of the newborn (on left with mother) carefully remove bands from the claws before releasing the 30 crabs purchased from a local market.
This Buddhist ritual is meant to give good health and wellbeing to the newly born child and create harmony with nature. Pretty cool!
Scupper, reporting for Beach Drive Blog
And now a word from our Sponsor
June 6, 2018 by Leave a Comment
At this time, Beach Drive Blog is fully supported by my husband, aka Scupper and me. Unlike other neighborhood blogs and news media in West Seattle, we do not rely on Beach Drive Blog as a source of income. I actually have a full time “day job” to help support our household and therefore, this blog. 🙂 I think it’s appropriate if every once in a while, we take a short commercial break to hear from our sponsor beyond the graphic on the sidebar. I’ll try to keep this short and sweet.
I have been in the mortgage industry since 2000 at Mortgage Master Service Corporation. MMSC was actually started by my in-laws back in 1976. In this photo, I’m with Marilyn Porter, President of Mortgage Master (and my sister-in-law) when we received an award from the Washington Association of Mortgage Professionals. Prior to my mortgage career, I worked in the title and escrow industry for 14 years and managed an escrow branch.
I love working here. My underwriting manager’s office is about 25 steps from mine and we have worked together for 18 years! I share my office with my sister, who also cares for my client’s transactions.
We are a correspondent lender, which basically means that we’re like a combination between a bank and a broker. Like a bank, we underwrite, process and fund mortgage transactions from our credit lines. Like a broker (and unlike a bank), we have several lenders to chose from to shop interest rates and mortgage programs. Unlike a bank or broker, this all takes place at our local office by Southcenter (most banks have large processing centers out of state). It’s nice to have more control over a mortgage transaction and to be able to work directly with our underwriter and the president of the company. 🙂
We offer conventional, FHA, VA and Jumbo mortgages for home purchases and refinances. I can help you with your primary home in West Seattle, second home in Bellingham, investment property in Bellevue or anywhere located in Washington state. We lend on 1-4 unit homes, including homes that could use a little tlc/rehab work, condos and select manufactured homes.
I would love to help you with your next mortgage. Please feel free to check out my other blog at www.mortgageporter.com and my reviews on Yelp.
Thanks for reading Beach Drive Blog! And now… back to our regular programming.
Rhonda Porter MLO-121324
Mortgage Master Service Corporation NMLS ID#40445
UPDATE: Kitties are indoor/outdoor… Are these your cats?
June 5, 2018 by Leave a Comment
UPDATE: Bernie and Manny live in the neighborhood and are indoor/outdoor cats. No worries! 🙂
These two sweet cats are hanging around 61st and Beach Drive. Are they yours? If so, let us know or visit the West Seattle Connection group on Facebook to be reunited.
Power Outage on Beach Drive and the Helicopters
May 11, 2018 by 2 Comments
If you haven’t been watching the afternoon news or reading West Seattle Blog, you might be wondering what’s up with the helicopters overhead all morning… and I guess if you’re on that portion of Beach Drive without power, you just might be in the dark (so to speak).
Apparently there is an ongoing standoff taking place at 42nd and Findlay. It appears that the SWAT team was called out for an eviction possibly involving family members. The home was registered having a large amount of firearms which is likely why SWAT was called. The home was set fire and areas of West Seattle have lost power.
I don’t know if the area on Beach Drive is a cause of the fire or if it’s just a coincidence.
Many nearby streets are blocked off.
West Seattle Blog has ongoing coverage of this event.
FOUND Tomatoes & expertise on Beach Drive
April 30, 2018 by Leave a Comment
With the tease of warmer weather on the way, I imagine many Beach Drive area neighbors have tomatoes on the brain. I’m usually too late to the party and end up choosing from the picked over scrawny or wounded plants at the local nursery. Other years I’ve resorted to picking a few plants up from a big box store and wondering what type of “unfriendly” processes might’ve been used to create this mass produced Early Girl??
With that in mind, I stumbled into tomato paradise during a dog walk to Lincoln Park yesterday.
I figured this sign on the 6500 block of Beach Drive was leading the way down a driveway to a few card tables of plants. Boy was I wrong. Instead I found a couple of people working around a small green house with raised beds and several varieties of toms spread out along the garden. A polite young man greeted me and asked if he could Answer any questions I may have. I’m pretty sure he could sense that I was a tomato novice with the questions I asked… “do you have anything that thrives near water in a, um, medium large like pot about so big?”. Kyle didn’t miss a beat and grabbed a tom labeled Hot Tub. He explained that it accidentally sprouted on the west side of their house near their hot tub by the water and absolutely thrived. “Ok, I’ll take that one and also looking for a good tomato for salads?”. Kyle picked a yellow variety and explained that it retains it’s moisture better than most so it won’t mush out on your greens. He then went on to pick another variety that works perfect on a piece of bruschetta with mozzarella and olive oil… SOLD! Then came the detailed instructions in how deep to plant, prune, and size of planter/hog wire to use for stabilizing each plant for it’s anticipated size.
As was walking home with the plants, a neighbor down the block saw me and said “ah, looks like you’ve been by Kyle’s!”.
Kyle working on his many different varieties of tomato starters
Ok, so maybe I’m the last to know about Kyle Winslow’s Nightshade Nursery on Beach Drive. Just in case I’m not, this young man is a great source for answering any questions you may have for what toms to plant this year … and send you off with a few plants to put in the ground!
Scupper, reporting for Beach Drive Blog
BREAKING NEWS: Jacobsen Road is closed
April 29, 2018 by Leave a Comment
Jacobson St (4700 block of Beach Drive) is currently closed due to a large tree that came down along one of the bends. Our intrepid reporter, Scupper, is on the scene and will have more info for us soon. Stay tuned.
UPDATE 9:01 AM: Scupper talked to a Seattle Police Officer who stated he does not know when a crew will be out to remove the tree.
The only access for locals is west of the down tree.
Spongy Grounds by Emma Schmitz View Point
April 25, 2018 by Leave a Comment
We had some anxious neighbors wanting us to make everyone aware of some changes to the earth in Emma Schmitz View Point. We did encourage them to contact the City of Seattle.
This is at the southern part of where the rock bulkhead and the metal seawall meet. It looks like it could be a possible water line leak? Our intrepid reporter, Scupper, took this photo and commented that the grounds are quite spongy.
UPDATE 9:36 AM:
Scupper talked to Seattle Public Utilities worker who mentioned that the nearby water meter is spinning. He was in the process of contacting Seattle Parks to ask for direction of how to proceed. Apparently the parks department is in control of everything beyond the public sidewalk where there is a park.
This spongy bulge (aka the Beach Drive Bulge) should be resolved soon.
Blake Island closure scheduled
April 1, 2018 by 2 Comments
Blake Island is closing off the island to visitors this Wednesday through Friday to deal with thinning the enormous rabbit population.
Like many of the larger islands in the San Juans, Blake has seen it’s rabbit population grow out of control. Much of the island’s daucus carota has been decimated which could spell disaster for the beloved deer population. Hundreds of traps will be set mostly on the southeastern and northwestern ends of the island where burrowing is most pronounced.
Park officials have organized volunteer veterinarians from both King and Kitsap counties to spay all females caught during the 2 day closure. “Our goal is to thin the rabbit population by at least two thirds.” said long time ranger Peter Hare. An adoption rescue line has been set up for local residents to provide homes for many of the exiled bunnies. Peter’s team has currently secured homes for 375 rabbits (at the time of writing this article) however, anticipates the need for a few hundred more. They’ve also made this link available for any interested hosts that have questions regarding care for this particular species of San Jaun rabbit. Please contact the bunny rescue effort at islandbunnies.gov or call 360-Bun-Home if you’re interested in the rescue efforts. Hop to it!
Scupper, reporting for Beach Drive Blog
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