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Wallingford gets new benches

Walkers and shoppers in Wallingford can now relax on new public benches installed along the 45th Street retail corridor.

The forest green benches and coordinated trash cans are the result of an amenities project identified during neighborhood planning, and funded by a grant from the City of Seattle's Office of Economic Development Neighborhood Business District Program. The Wallingford Chamber of Commerce was project manager for the effort.

There are eight benches in the four-block area between Bagley and Densmore avenues. Benches are on both sides of N. 45th Street, primarily at corners where the wide sidewalks of the north/south streets provide ample space. One of the benches located at the intersection of Wallingford Avenue and 45th overlooks the boulevard and city view.

Because Wallingford is known for its "walkability," the benches are expected to be a popular feature of the streetscape.

This project is considered a pilot for the retail district. If people like the benches, the Chamber plans to add more along 45th Street and in other commercial areas of the neighborhood.

For more information, contact: Karen Buschow of the Wallingford Chamber at 632-0461.

RNA to get update on Roosevelt QFC project

The Roosevelt Neighborhood Association will meet Tuesday, June 28, to listen to a developer's proposed plans to build a QFC supermarket immediately south of Roosevelt High School. Bruce Lorig will be on hand to present his company's plans for the QFC project.

"This is an opportunity for us to hear about the project and make comments," stated Andrea Wilson of the Roosevelt Neighborhood Association in an e-mail sent to the Seattle Sun. "This is very important because the project will impact Roosevelt High School, especially where it concerns traffic patterns and the massing of the new buildings."

Wilson added that the latest plans show that the proposed entrance to the new parking structure would be right across the street from the entrance to Roosevelt High.

The meeting will be held from 7:30-9 p.m. at Roosevelt High, Room 235.

Linden Orchard update

Friends of Linden Orchard, a citizens group that is working to develop a new community park at the northwest corner of Linden Avenue N and N. 68th Street, has selected Scott Woodcock of The Berger Partnership as the landscape architect for the project.

The site is designated as a potential P-Patch in the Green Lake Neighborhood Plan and was included in the 2000 Pro Parks Levy as a pocket park and P-Patch.

For more information regarding the project, call MaryAnn Davis at 783-6094 or visit the group's Web site under Community Links at www.phinneycenter.org.

Northgate streetscape plan

The City Council's transportation committee will be presented with a briefing on June 4 of the recently completed report on recommended streetscape design plan for 5th Avenue NE in the Northgate area. The plan, which was developed with the help of suggestions gathered from area residents and merchants last year, is intended to reflect the community's vision for transforming 5th Avenue NE, from NE 100th to NE 112th, into a pedestrian corridor. To obtain a copy of the Final Report and Executive Summary brochure for the 5th Avenue Streetscape Design Plan, call 684-8080.