The other spray-paint scribbles says something in Inuit, according to some of the homeless folks who hang around there.

Also, for lulz, take a look at the amount of trash within the fenced in area. Lots of 40s of High Gravity and other bumwines.

At least you can read it. It's kinda refreshing to see graffitti using letters that are ledgeable.

i think the developers should be billed for every call that SPD needs to make there. that would get them in gear!

They sit idle due to the long design review process where anyone who can fog a mirror can (and does) stop a project. Sunset was shut down because of the mannys affect -Avalon was and is worried that it would get historic status. No amount of income from the site could offset the entitlement risk of being designated historic.

Joel - I think you will have to call me a conspiracy whacko. No one is fighting to save that Super Cuts building or whatever it is but they sure leveled the Dennys quick.

>>Why does a developer buy the lot and demolish right away?<<

In the Mannings case (and really, before anybody who knows the history of my entries here jumps on me, this is NOT "sour grapes"), I gotta believe it was a big fat F* You to the people who were tying to save the butt-ugly thing. :-) Also, more pragmatically speaking, maybe to stave off any further possible legal actions?

I find it interesting that the Mannings was gone immediately but not the other building (the former haircut and printing places). But now I'm sounding like some conspiracy whacko!

I do like they way the Rhapsody web site is referring to Ballard as "Ballard Washington" and it sounds like they are trying to sell that corner as the "gateway to ballard". Maybe the development will ultimately reflect that.

Duncan: Good question!

I don't know. I hope it is open 24 hrs.

The only thing I don't like is that these long periods with half-demolished and no construction make the area look terrible. I wish that there was some law that they had to have all there stuff in order before they start knocking things down. There is no reason that the Dennys could be functioning and making money until a week before the construction crew was arriving.

Will the new QFC be open 24 hours now that it has apartments above it?

Though the QFC project is NOW moving at a very brisk pace, it took quite some time to get that project started (pre-demo). The QFC was suppose to be demo'd about 8-12 months sooner. Apparently, the owner had a lot of issues w/the contractors - negotiations took WAY longer than expected. The project has moved at a very quick pace AFTER all the negotiations were taken care of. T-minus one-year or so until it's completed. I can' t wait - I'll be able to walk and get my groceries again. But - this time - in a swanky, new QFC with all the bells and whistles.

So I agree that progress is good. What bothers me is these sites are purchased and buildings are demolished and sit as vacant eye-sores for so long. (though it’s arguable some are eye-sores before their destruction).

I’m thinking of the Denny's, the Sunset bowl, and the block in Capitol Hill which contained the Man Ray, the old Cha Cha, Kincora's, Bimbos. These places were all still attracting business. They were part of the community in their special way.

Denny's - the most visible corner into our little neighborhood is chain-link and graffiti. Sunset Bowl is creepily quiet and falling apart. The block in Capitol Hill - well at least it’s now a gravel parking lot.

Why does a developer buy the lot and demolish right away? Why not buy the lot and let the existing tenets stay in business until your design is approved and you need to move on demolition? At least you get money for rent and the site doesn’t attract every punk with a paint can.

So maybe I will try to answer my question. Is it to end the community fight to keep the pre-existing business open? Is that all it is? Poor planning possibly?

The QFC on 24th they did right. They closed it and immediately started to move on building the new one. The quicker the mess of construction is over and the sooner I can run and make my midnight Tastee Cake run the happier I am.

Seriously, with all the problems in the world, this bored, white, middle class kid with a can of spray paint, a sociology degree from Evergreen State and a chip on his shoulder that his parents have him no street cred, thinks condos are source the world's problem? What would he prefer, the 300 + residents who will eventually live here all live in high carbon foot, single family homes sprawling from here to the Cascades?

Class envy masquerading as social consciousness, yet again.

Suthii,

My boyfriend would love for someone to make a X over the Condos and write Homeless instead.

Anyway, that truly fucking sucks to be honest. I am freakin tired of the drama over that site. Fuck it, time to sell.

Oh, come on Swedes, you're just egging us on!

The good news is, anyone who has time to go out at 2am and spray paint some parental-hating-angst on a wall isn't exactly the kind of hard working tax payer politicians listen to.