Please don't take my comment about "ridiculous" amounts of money to be against what you are saying. I think (and even posted it somewhere around here...) a very similar statement regarding new owners needing to have a plan. I think the neglected area is terrible. Lowers property values, brings in a bad element, does nothing for our urban landscape, etc... I really like the increase property tax rates on undeveloped commercial property idea. It would force developers to get their ducks in a row before they buy.

Personally, I am very against the bowling alley sale. We simply do not need any more condos, the ones we have now are not filling, and the bowling alley was a good place for high-schoolers to do something on a friday night that didn't involve drinking or causing trouble.

Okay, so how do you rectify the situation when you have property that is being neglected?

If there was a business or residence on the property, there is a visible presence where you could at least attempt to echo any concerns to. When its a "faceless developer", what option do you have?

These structures (Dennys, Sunset Bowl), are essentially urban monolithic structures that serve zero purpose. They are a magnet to garbage/waste, infestation and public health hazards.

I'm not attacking anyone for trying to profit from a property they aim to sell. Thats fine, but if you are going to be apart of the community by owning property here, you had better respect your neighbors and clean up the human excrement smeared on the side of it in a reasonable timeframe.

I guess its easier for some people to look away, perhaps because some would rather pontificate on the old days. Old Ballard, New Ballard...whats the difference? Current Ballard needs help and attention.

Why does everyone blame the Developers? The family sold their property because they wanted the money, not a business to run. There is your greed....

The only way to prevent "land-grabs" is to prevent owners from selling their assets...good luck with that. That's like telling someone not to cash in their winning lottery ticket.

I'm with you tortue, but I think we would need to use the only language the developers know: money.
How about greatly higher property tax rates on undeveloped commercial property, only returning to normal when they re-open for business.

Why isn't there a law or regulation on the books that says if you acquire land you need to be responsible for some amount of upkeep?

Specifically, how about:

1) Cut the grass. Don't let giant brushes grow.

2) Have it periodically cleaned. Basically, don't allow for mounds of garbage piles and garbage bags accumulate on the property.

3) If there is no actual business operating on the property (vacant building, as is the case with the bowling alley and Dennys), there needs to be an actual timeline as to when something is going to happen. Plus, make sure that someone (city, aldermen, planners? someone local) has to approve on the timeline. The folks who have to live with your eyesore should have some say in how long its going to be there.

Right now its just a land grab going on. Folks with money eyeball the property and seize it and do nothing with it, most likely due to the market/economic conditions not being favorable: but they have the property. Problem is, we have to live with the drama. Have you noticed these companies perform no outreach and don't even respond to reporter phone calls? They don't care. Lets show them we don't care by preventing them from acquiring the land in the first place.

Sure, I get that too. But what about the new owner who purchased the land for a "ridiculous" amount of money? What would have been the harm in keeping the place open until the wrecking ball comes?

It's just a waste to the community in it's current state of "wait"...

Also, they did not shut down because they were losing money. They shut down because the new owners offered them a ridiculous amount of money for the land.

plain and simple. greed.

boardbrown -

Not to be too picky but... Sunset Bowl closed last April, so it will have been more than a year when it's finally torn down.

Friends and I bowled our last games there two nights before closing. What a loss to the neighborhood. Had been bowling there since the mid-1980's.

Ok, so I understand the economics that forced the place to shut down...but why so early? That place closed 3 months ago, and now they won't tear it down 'till next June? What a waste of almost a whole year's worth of bowling.

The place is just a parking lot for all the folks who live out of their RV and vans. I saw some volunteers cleaning up some of the trash left by the RV/homeless folks and one of them said they found a bag of needles open & exposed just left out on the street. Real swell.

Here's to hoping the homeless stick around

Next, they'll be complaining about the Bardahl sign blinking on and off all night

Looking forward to another ugly apartment monster there. Way to go, Ballard.

I heard through the grapevine that it won't be demolished until June! At this point, it's just sad to see it in this state and I say tear it down while we still have good memories of it.

nostalgic maybe but not historic!

Sigh...will miss the place. Karaoke never sounded so good. Beer pin bottles never tasted so sweet. Thankful for the memories...