Seattle Sun Newspaper - Vol. 8, Issue 3, March 2004
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Seattle Sun News Briefs
Green Lake Library to reopen
The newly-renovated Green Lake Library will reopen with a dedication ceremony on noon, Saturday, March 6.
Among the participants will be Mayor Greg Nickels, City Librarian Deborah Jacobs, City Council member Jan Drago, and Library Board member Linda Larson. Also in attendance will be Lulu the library book fairy and Cajun band Les Femmes d'Enfer.
The day will also include author readings by Arthur Dorros ("City Chicken," 12:30 p.m.), Bharti Kirchner ("Pastries: A Novel of Desserts and Discoveries," 1:15 p.m.) and Kathryn True ("Nature in the City: Seattle," 2 p.m.).
The $1.1 million renovation of the city landmark structure included window replacement, a new circulation desk, a new staff restroom, exterior repairs, and upgrades to mechanical systems and lighting. The 94-year-old Green Lake Branch is one of Seattle's three original Carnegie libraries. The building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was designed by W. Marbury Somervell and Joseph S. Cote.
Renovation funding was provided through the $196.4 million Libraries for All bond issue, approved by city voters in 1998. The designer for the project was Snyder Hartung Kane Strauss Architects; the contractor was W.G. Clark Construction Co. The opening ceremonies are sponsored by Starbucks and the Seattle Public Library Foundation.
For more information, call 386-4636.
Crime prevention meeting
City Council member Nick Licata and Seattle Police Department crime prevention expert Diane Horswill will be the featured speakers at a neighborhood meeting on Thursday, March 11, 7:15 p.m. at the Laurelhurst Community Center, 4554 NE 41st St. The meeting, held in response to several recent incidences of vandalism in the area, will address crime prevention techniques. A representative from the Seattle Police Department's North Precinct will also
attend.
Lake City Library closed for renovation
The Lake City Library closed at the end of the day Feb. 15 in order to commence construction on an extensive renovation project.
The existing 9,013-square-foot branch library at 12501 28th Ave. NE will be expanded to 15,289 square feet. A 5,000-square-foot Lake City neighborhood service center will be also be built on the site, along with improvements to the adjacent Albert Davis Park, and the construction of a 62-car parking garage topped with a public plaza. The combined project, known as the Lake City Civic Core, is expected to be completed by mid-2005.
In order to maintain service levels for Northeast Seattle residents, additional staff will be added at the Broadview, Northgate, and University library branches. The Broadview Library has added Sunday hours (1-5 p.m.). Also, the renovated Green Lake Library is expected to reopen during the first quarter of 2004 and the expanded North East Library in the Wedgwood/View Ridge area will be reopen by summer.
The Lake City Library was built in 1965 and is a designated City of Seattle landmark structure. The renovation will preserve the entrance courtyard and the bronze gates designed by Seattle sculptor George Tsutakawa, while adding new artwork by Linda Haworth and Jane Grafton.
Construction funding for the $3.8 million Lake City Library expansion project is provided through the 1998 Libraries for All bond issue; the Lake City neighborhood service center construction will be funded through the 1999 Seattle Center/Community Centers levy.
Design drawings for the Lake City Civic Core project can be viewed online at www.spl.org/lfa/neighborhoodlibs/lakecity/lcydesigns.html.
The Broadview Library is located at 12755 Greenwood Ave. N (phone: 684-7519), the University Library is located at 5009 Roosevelt Way NE (684-4063), and the Northgate Temporary Service Site is located at 10548 Fifth Ave. NE (386-1980).
Goodhue site for sale again
The sixth and final parcel of Seattle Public Schools' major surplus property is now on the block for a minimum bid of $2.4 million.
The District's former North End Annex at 13720 Roosevelt Way (at the intersection of Roosevelt, Meridian Ave. and 137th St.) is a 3.23-acre site zoned single-family residential, which allows for 28 to 34 home sites.
Opened in the 1930s as the Nellie Goodhue School, the Haller Lake neighborhood building was converted to office and warehouse space in the early 1960s.
"Custom homebuilders love blank in-city canvasses," said Jim Norman of Sage Real Estate Strategies, advisers to the District on disposition of surplus schools. "We expect the same high level of interest that there was for the Briarcliff and Maple Leaf elementary school sites sold last year."
Detailed information about the North End Annex is available on the District's Web site at www.seattleschools.org. Deadline for offer submission is 2 p.m., March 4. All offers must be proposed on the District's Standard Form of Submittal, which is available from Christine Payne, Seattle Public Schools Contracting Services. She can be reached by calling 252-0571.
Northgate library hearing
A Seattle City Council public hearing on two proposed development standard waivers for the proposed Northgate public library and community center, 10548 5th Avenue NE, will be held Thursday, April 1 at 9:30 a.m. in Council Chambers, 600 4th Ave, 2nd floor. The waivers would allow the library to be built with no principal entrance with access directly from the sidewalk and would allow vehicular access from a major pedestrian street. For details, call DPD land-use planner Jess Harris at 684-7744.
Lake City Mini Park open house
An open house to discuss improvements to the Lake City Mini Park will be held on Wednesday, March 3, 7 p.m. at the Lake City Community Center, 12531 28th Ave. NE. Revised designs for improvements to the 1/5th of an acre park will be presented for discussion. The project is designed to improve sightlines into the park, which is located at NE 125th Street and Lake City Way NE. The budget for the project is $340,000, with the money provided through the 2000 Pro Parks levy.
For details, call David Goldberg at 684-8414.