Developers have plans to replace the old Ballard Library (5711 24th Avenue NW) with a multi-use building. The building across from the new QFC has sat empty since Abraxus Books moved out in June of last year. Two months later the property owners put a fence around what some neighbors called an eyesore with graffiti and abandoned shopping carts.
The Department of Planning and Development has announced an Early Design Guidance Meeting for the property. Plans call for a “commercial, live-work and apartment building with below-grade parking,” the meeting notice states.
More details on the development will be available at the meeting on August 9th at 6:30 p.m. at the Ballard High School library (1418 NW 65th St).
Do you remember last year at this time? It was one year ago today that Seattlites experienced the hottest day in Seattle’s history. Golden Gardens on July 29, 2009.
With the mercury topping out at 103 degrees, many people headed to the beach at Golden Gardens to take a nice, refreshing dip in the water.
Today things are much different. The forecast calls for “cloudy with local drizzle this morning… becoming mostly sunny in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 70s. Southwest wind to 10 MPH.” Golden Gardens on July 29, 2010.
We headed back down to Golden Gardens and it was quite the juxtaposition. Only a few people were at the beach and they wore long pants and jackets, not swimsuits and sunblock.
A week ago, six people were displaced after a fire destroyed the four-plex at NW 67th St. near 23 Ave. NW. Two of the residents were injured. One jumped out a window, another ran through the fire to escape.
Ballard Realty is the property management company for the building and has set up an emergency fund for the victims. All funds donated will go towards medical expenses and helping the tenants find new homes.
You can donate to the emergency fund at:
Ballard Realty
1702 NW Market St.
or
Viking Bank
2237 NW 57th St
Account number: #1016041137
Several people have emailed us about the yellow helicopter that’s been flying over Ballard for the last few months. Turns out it’s Seattle Helitours, which takes people on aerial tours of major attractions in the city – including the Ballard Locks and the Ship Canal. We spoke with Amanda at Seattle Helitours who says the company has been around since the ’80s and they operate both the yellow helicopter and the blue/white one that flies the same route. Thanks to recent Groupon and Living Social promotions, they sold more than 900 tours, which means they’ve been pretty busy this summer. (Photo courtesy Seattle Helitours. Thanks to MyWallingford.com for tracking this down!)
This evening is the annual Greenwood Seafair Parade which means that traffic in the area will be affected. A float celebrating Leif Erikson at last year’s parade.
Beginning at 4:15 p.m. Greenwood Ave N between N 95th St and N 105th St will close for staging. Then at 5:30 p.m., Greenwood Ave between N 85th St to N 105th St will close.
The parade route runs along Greenwood Avenue North from North 95th Street to North 85th Street, then turns west on 85th to 6th Avenue Northwest. The entire route will be closed until after 8:30 p.m.
Three Metro Transit bus routes serving the Greenwood area will be rerouted from approximately 4 to 8:30 p.m. for the parade. For details about service on routes 5, 48 and 355. Click here for details on the bus changes.
Here are details on the parade from our sister site PhinneyWood.com.
The Museum of History and Industry is dedicated to the history of Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. One of their offerings is called the “Mohai Minute” which focuses on a specific event or building in the area. In this Mohai Minute, learn the history of the Ballard Fire Station #18, which is now the Hi-Life restaurant.
The Seattle Department of Transportation has pushed the construction slated for 28th Ave NW until next month.
Crews will be adding curbs on both sides of 28th Ave between NW 56th and 57th and one-half block just south of NW 56th on the east side of the street to create a safer walking environment for pedestrians.. Marybeth Turner with SDOT says, “The paving crews now expect to begin this project on 28th NW during the first or second weeks of August. This work was rescheduled because work on other projects preceding this one are taking longer than expected.”
Sounders FC star Kasey Keller is making a stop in Ballard this Thursday. The 40-year-old goalkeeper will be signing autographs at the Ballard QFC (5700 24th Ave NW) from 4 to 6 p.m. Keller is one of the Sounders captains and has played in three World Cups, but not the most recent one in South Africa. According to our news partners, the Seattle Times, Keller has been named an inactive member of the 2010 All-Stars team. (Thanks Robby for the tip!)
In an effort to be closer to their clients, Magnolia’s Dish it up! is expanding to Ballard. “They [customers] are hip foodies and we thought we should be right in the heart of where they shop – one of the best year round Farmer’s Markets in the Northwest – The Ballard Sunday Market,” owner Andrea Reith tells us. The space is right next to the new bar, Noble Fir, on Ballard Avenue.
Dish it up! offers things the at-home cook wants including cooking classes, skills classes, kitchen gadgets and an assortment of culinary gear. The new space is larger than the current one in Magnolia and the “cooking class stage will be twice as large and feature two completely decked out Viking Kitchens for side by side cook-off competitions and throwdowns,” Reith says. The events offered at Dish it up! include “a great line up of Sunday mini market cooking classes, regular evening & daytime cooking classes, kids cooking classes, technique classes plus book signings, winemakers events and more.”
The second arm of the business, Urban Kitchen Company, will also be in this space, featuring several model kitchens for people looking to remodel the kitchen in their small, older home or condo.
Traffic note: The right curb lane heading in the northbound direction of the Ballard Bridge will be closed on Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. so Seattle Department of Transportation crews can repair a damaged water line.
That overdue library book may soon cost you a little more. The Seattle Public Library is considering a hike in fines to help offset its budget woes. Here’s a look at some of the proposed fines:
The daily fine for an overdue book, CD, or DVD would change from 15 cents a day to 25 cents a day.
The daily fine for an overdue interlibrary loan (an item borrowed from outside The Seattle Public Library) would change from 25 cents a day to $1 a day.
The daily fine for an overdue reference resource would change from 15 cents a day to $1 a day.
The Library Board will take public comment on the proposed changes at its 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 25 meeting at the Central Library on 4th Avenue.
During this week’s “Tuesdays in Ballard,” the InBallard Merchants Association is throwing its first-ever Grub ‘N Pub Crawl and 39 shops, restaurants, coffee shops, and bars in Ballard are participating.
2) Show the Passport Card on 7/27 for one round of specially priced items at each participating location.
3) Enter to win. Crawl through Ballard on 7/27 and have your passport stamped at 4 locations to be entered into a drawing for more food & drink prizes!
(Disclosure: MyBallard is a member of the InBallard Merchants Association; the IBMA is a sponsor of MyBallard.)
Several people have emailed us about the yellow helicopter that’s been flying over Ballard for the last few months. Turns out it’s 
