SquirePark.org

In response to the growing need to renovate the Yesler Terrace housing complex, the Seattle Housing Authority has formed the Yesler Terrace Citizens Review Committee (YTCRC) as Phase 1 of the renovation process. The YTCRC comprises representatives from several community stakeholders, including Squire Park Community Council. The committee’s objective is to establish guidelines for the renovation regarding resident capacity, green building, and social equity.

Slated to meet monthly through September 2007, the YTCRC’s meetings take place on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 5 pm at the Yesler Community Center and are open to the public.

For more information, visit http://www.seattlehousing.org/shahome.htm or contact Squire Park YTCRC representative Donya Williamson at drwmson@hotmail.com, Subject: YTCRC.

–Donya Williamson

On Wednesday, December 6, architect-developers Graham Black, Brad Khouri, and Cindy Hoover had their first formal meeting with the Department of Planning and Development’s design review board to present their design for an 11-unit mixed-use project proposed for 1818 E Yesler Way. The design suggests a row of ground floor storefronts with living space above along Yesler and an additional row of residential-only units perpendicular to 19th Avenue. The design incorporates the use of a woonerf* between these two rows of housing to maximize green space and provide a community meeting place. The design team has met with Squire Park Community Council to discuss how their project might contribute to our community vision and believes that their design is conducive to increasing vitality along E Yesler Way and in the adjacent Pratt Park.

Several Squire Park residents attended the meeting and expressed support for this project but also voiced concern about the type of mixed-use development proposed. The main concern is that the current design seems to lend itself more to office space-type use of the storefronts than retail- and restaurant-type use that would encourage foot traffic along Yesler.

*Woonerf: (Dutch word meaning, “living street”) is common space shared by pedestrians, bicyclists, and low-speed motor vehicles. Vehicles are slowed by placing trees, planters, and other obstacles in the street.

–Donya Williamson

King County Executive Ron Sims revealed, on KUOW radio, plans to expand the Seattle Housing Authority Yesler Terrace community to a much larger “campus-like” setting including sites east of 12th Avenue. The site specifically mentioned by Sims is property at 13th and Yesler, presently the site of King County archives but recently purchased by the Housing Authority. Sims did not mention the larger King County Juvenile Court parking lot site, which Squire Park neighbors have for long urged King County to turn into a development that contributes more actively to neighborhood life. King County and Seattle Housing Authority officials have been invited to the January 13 SPCC meeting to talk about these plans. Come to the meeting to learn more.

–SPCC

On January 15th, Seattle will hold its annual Martin Luther King Celebration, the largest annual MLK celebration in the country. This year’s theme, “Solidarity for Peace, Human Rights and Economic Justice,” speaks to so many issues we are facing in Seattle and across the globe. Due to construction at Garfield High School, Franklin High School will host this year’s celebration. Franklin is located at the intersection of MLK Way and Rainier Ave.

Workshops will begin at 9:30 am. Proposed workshops include: Striving for Educational Equality in Public Schools, Immigration Reform, Creating a Culture of Peace and Justice, Peace with Justice at Home and Abroad, Voting Rights Discrimination, and Construction Trade Apprenticeships, just to name a few.

The rally will take place in the Franklin gym at 11:00 am. There will be speakers and entertainment. The march will begin at noon and will wind its way to MLK Memorial park. For more information or to get involved in the planning effort, call 206.812.4940.

Come participate in one of Seattle’s great traditions.

–John Jeannot

The Goodwill site at Rainier Ave and Dearborn Street is slated for redevelopment by TRF Pacific. Goodwill has traded its 10-acre site in exchange for new facilities to be rebuilt on the site. In addition to the new Goodwill facilities, 2,300 underground parking spaces, 630,000 square feet of retail, and approximately 450 housing units will be added to the site. The project is currently going through the City planning process and has met stiff opposition from a variety of groups, including the site’s most immediate neighbors–Little Saigon and the Jackson Place Community. These two groups banded together and have added to date another 19 neighborhood groups (including the Squire Park Community), business groups (e.g., the Central Area Chamber of Commerce), and other interest groups representing affordable housing, labor, quality jobs, and transit. Collectively, these groups are known as the Dearborn Street Coalition for a Livable Neighborhood (DSCLN).

DSCLN has several issues with the project as it is currently proposed but do not see themselves as anti-development. These issues include the project’s commercial aspects (e.g., the project being weighted far too heavily toward big box and national chain stores), that it lacks a good mix of affordable and family housing, that it does not tie in to the character and culture of the International and Central Districts, that the majority of the jobs produced will be retail clerk jobs that often do not pay a living wage or provide benefits such as health care, and that it may have a variety of negative impacts on the Little Saigon community.
These issues have been raised with the City Council, who have been receptive to DSCLN’s concerns. In fact, the Council is urging the developer to work with DSCLN to address these issues. The developer has agreed that the project vision defined by DSCLN is good, but to date is unwilling to make significant changes to the project. DSCLN hopes to use the broad opposition to the project along with the Council’s influence to get the developer to make the desired changes and agree to a formal settlement agreement called a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA). The CBA will ensure that the project will meet the community’s goals and provide a legal mechanism to enforce the agreement over time.

CBAs are new to Seattle but are becoming more prevalent in California as a means to ensure that development is responsible to all of the stakeholders. Often projects favor the developer at the expense of the surrounding communities. DSCLN is hoping that the Goodwill project will be a test case for responsible neighborhood development in Seattle. Already there is interest from other neighborhood groups around the Seattle in this project. For more information about the Goodwill site redevelopment, go to http://www.cityofseattle.net/BAN/development.htm.

–Bill Bradburd

Concerned about public safety issues in Squire Park? The East Precinct Crime Prevention Coalition meets on the fourth Thursday of each month from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm at the Seattle Vocational Institute, 2120 South Jackson, Room 212. All are welcome to attend to discuss safety-related issues with neighbors and police officers from the East Precinct.

–Susan Minogue

Casa Latina, a service and advocacy organization for immigrants, has announced plans to move its offices from Belltown to a location at the northwest corner of Jackson Street and 17th Avenue. The building on that site, most recently a dentist’s office, would be remodeled to house the offices of Casa Latina. The organization’s staff would work there, classes would take place there, and day laborers would be dispatched from the site.

Casa Latina director Hilary Stern and board member Yvonne Sanchez have attended dozens of community meetings and get-togethers to inform and listen to those concerned about the organization’s proposed move. As Casa Latina is asking for financial support from the City of Seattle, it has requested letters from community groups. The following is an excerpt from the letter written by the Squire Park Community Council: (For the full text of the letter, see www.squirepark.net, for more about Casa Latina, see www.casa-latina.org

The Squire Park Community Council board believes that Casa Latina performs many essential services and that the presence of Casa Latina in our community could be a positive addition.

We are concerned, however, that the stated plans of Casa Latina would not fully use the capacity of the Jackson Street site to further the goals of the Central Area Neighborhood Plan. The Neighborhood Plan envisions a future in which the neighborhood will be “one of the most lively and diverse residential and commercial communities in the City of Seattle,” with increased housing units and a “vital business district (which) will combine its colorful historical background with innovative, well-designed, pedestrian-oriented development geared toward both local residents, the workforce, and visitors … .”

… One of the enduring problems of the Central Area is the underdevelopment of key sites.

We would hope that Casa Latina would consider partnering with others who might have the ability to develop the site with housing and active street-front uses along Jackson Street. We believe that some of the programs of Casa Latina can be excellent additions to the vitality of the street, however, it appears that you intend to maintain only a single story building on the east portion of the site and you do not intend to develop the west portion of the site any time in the foreseeable future.

We welcome the presence of Casa Latina in our neighborhood and believe that your classes and programs of assistance to day laborers and immigrant families are important to Central Area residents and the City of Seattle. We are also impressed by your commitment to supporting visual arts and your suggestion that you may be able to provide a location for all in the neighborhood to enjoy art.

However … (o)ur neighborhood needs more housing and more active uses on Jackson Street. If Casa Latina is not able by itself to provide this, we ask that you seek partners to participate in appropriate development.

–SPCC

The Central District Panthers ended the 2006 football season on a high note: all five Panthers’ teams made the playoffs! While the Panthers Peewees, Eighty-Niners and Bantams lost in the first round and the Panthers Seniors lost the championship game to Burien 28 – 18, the Juniors won and are the champions of the South King County League Junior Division. Juniors’ and long-time coach Bubba (Robert Smith) is making a habit of coaching championship teams.

On December 9, the Panthers held their banquet at Garfield Community Center. The CD Panthers Board members made welcoming remarks and congratulated the teams, coaches, and parents for their outstanding efforts during the season. After dinner, the head coaches made remarks and thanked the parents for their support and then presented individual trophies to their players. Some players received special trophies for exceptional contributions. The Seniors were awarded a big trophy for taking second place. The Juniors received a huge trophy for winning the Championship.

It was wonderful to see the nice turnout and support for the teams. Way to go, Panthers!

–Willie Woods

The Rotary Boys and Girls Club, located at the corner of 19th Ave and E. Spruce Street is alive with art in the form of dance, music, karate, and visual arts. Classes are tailored to the skill and interest levels of Club members and every age group has several classes from which to choose. In this age of portable electronic games, computers, television, and portable music players, today’s students have fewer avenues of self-expression than ever before. The art classes offered at Rotary allow members of all ages ways to express their creativity and imagination physically with dance and karate, visually with ceramics and mosaics, as well as musically through drum and guitar lessons.

Instructors for some of the classes come to the Club through the Nature Consortium, (http://www.naturec.org/)and the Ewajo Dance Workshop (http://cominguptaller.org/profile/pr83dancehuman.htm), both non-profit organizations that bring art to after-school programs in Seattle.

Nature Consortium teachers bring simple art projects from around the world, such as puppet making and origami, to first and second graders. The Club’s younger members find this class one of the most exciting of the day. Second and third grade members incorporate African drumming, songs, and dancing in their music classes. Every member is involved in creating the music, dance steps, or beautiful songs.

Older club members learn the basics of drum and guitar playing. These two classes have been full since their inception, and most members have quickly caught on to the basics very quickly. They are now playing simple songs together and are having a ton of fun; it’s apparent that the instructor enjoys the class very much, too.

Karate classes are also offered to members in the fourth grade and older. Members learn basic moves, such as head locks, round-offs, special kicks, and punches. The members enjoy and always look forward to the class. While the class teaches students the fundamentals of karate, the instructor also touches on the importance of stretching before doing physical activities and overall health.

Club members in the sixth grade and above may take ceramic classes. Students make coil pots, figures, bowls, plates, or any ceramic project they like. The instructor then takes the pieces to her kiln for firing. After firing, the pieces are brought back to the Club for painting and decorating. This class is a big hit with the teens, who have created many amazing art pieces.

Mosaic classes are also available for older Club members, who are making mosaic coaster sets or art. The goal at the beginning of this class was to make a piece for the 2006 Club’s auction held in October. The members made a Native American Mask design that was placed in a frame. The members did an amazing job on this project and it was a hit at the auction!

Ewajo Dance Workshop offers dance lessons to all members of the Club. The first project for this group was to perform at the 2006 Donor Appreciation
Celebration. Members, who ranged in age from six to 12, put on a fifties dance routine that involved the audience and was wonderful. Another performance was given at the Club’s holiday party. An additional performance will also take place in March at Seattle University. Members are learning dance styles such as ballet, jazz, step, and ballroom.

Programs like The Rotary Boys and Girls Club’s art and music programs help students achieve in academics and in life. If you would like to make a donation or volunteer or for more information about the Rotary Boys and Girls Club, contact Jennifer Marshall, Operations Director, at 206.324.7317 ext.102 or jmarshall@positiveplace.org.

–Amy Greenberg

Squire Park residents formed four working groups– land use, youth, vision statement, and energizing your block–at SPCC’s October quarterly meeting. Each of the four groups plans to meet separately from Squire Park Community Council meetings to discuss goals and projects and then report back to the community. Here is a quick update on the Energize Your Block and Land Use groups. If you are interested in participating in any of these groups, please join us at the January 13 SPCC meeting for more information.

Energize Your Block

One of the working groups formed is a group that aims to energize the neighborhood using a block by block strategy. The block group met and discussed the following strategies and theories: Homeowners tend to take more of an interest in their neighborhoods, which was countered by the fact that half the attendees of the meeting were renters; food is a great motivator, and if meetings include food neighbors would show up; some of the meeting attendees would like to go on a “walk-about” with the folks of the 500th block of 19th to see how they do their work; crime and fear seem to motivate neighbors to action, so how do we motivate neighbors to action in the absence of a crime wave; and, we should call “Sustainable Ballard” to find out how they motivated their neighborhood to create a social movement in the absence of crime.

Our first meeting was successful. Everyone offered ideas for energizing our blocks. A group member contacted “Sustainable Ballard” to ask about their motivation strategies. Here is what we found out: Sustainable Ballard (SB) started out of concern over the war in Iraq, uses of energy, and global warming. SB recommends we read books to learn about other concerned people, especially Great Turning by Myles Horton. SB prefers to call themselves an “effect” not a group. SB suggests we find out what interests people and motivate around things that are fun. The SB website is: http://sustainableballard.org/ The energize your block group plans to meet early in 2007, but no specific date has been set.

Land Use

One of the working groups formed at the last SPCC quarterly meeting is a group to consider and address land use issues in the neighborhood. One of the most important issues affecting most Squire Park residents is the proposal by the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) to change the Land Use Code as it affects multiple family zones. (See SPCC Newsletter for October, 2006). SPCC wrote to DPD expressing concerns particular to several issues in this neighborhood. (See the Squire Park Web site for a copy of the letter: www.squirepark.net.)

Mike Podowski of DPD says that his department is considering our comments and those from others and the next version of the proposed changes will be put out next month. The SPCC land use committee will meet to work on our response to that version as soon as it’s available.

We are also monitoring the notices of Land Use actions published twice weekly by DPD, such as the proposed developments at 17th and Yesler and 17th and Jackson discussed elsewhere in this newsletter. If you have issues you would like to help the SPCC land use group work on, attend the next SPCC meeting, or contact a board member. Notices of future land use group meetings also will be posted on the Web site and the list serv.

–Abil, Bill Zosel

Pratt Park, located at the corner of E. Yesler Way and 20th Ave is a gem in Squire Park. Pratt Park encompasses 5.6 acres and sports a children’s play area, basketball hoops, a wading pool, and an atmosphere that can’t be beat on a hot summer night. The park’s namesake, Edwin T. Pratt, came to Seattle in 1956 as the Community Relations Secretary for the Seattle Urban League and would later become its director. He was a member of the Central Area Civil Rights Organization and was the voice of calm in the fight for integrated housing and education in Seattle. Unfortunately, Pratt’s struggle for justice ended when he was gunned down outside his home in 1969. It is important to remember as we enjoy Pratt Park that people have fought, and still do fight, even to the death, to make our neighborhood and the world a better place.

Sources: historylink.org and seattle.gov/parks

–Peter Burns

Squire Park is home to three wonderful art and activities facilities: The Rotary Boys and Girls Club, Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center, and Pratt Fine Arts Center. All provide outstanding classes that are open to the neighborhood. Scholarships are also available to encourage our youth to participate in programs that support fun and learning beyond the classroom.

These neighborhood programs offer the expansion of self and mind by offering classes in acting, painting, struggles of growing up, singing, glassblowing, exploring and writing hip hop, being a parent, dancing, etc. Access to arts and life skills programs is a priority for our city and our neighborhood. Give your children the advantage of participating in the interesting and exciting programs our neighborhood arts facilities have to offer. If you need financial help, some scholarships are available but remember that some scholarships have specific due dates; contact the facility for more information. Many scholarships go unused so don’t hesitate to inquire about them. I hope to see you and your family in our neighborhood’s artful mix!

Contact information:
Rotary Boys and Girls Club (See also the article Arts Come to the Rotary) is located at 201-19th Ave. Contact Jennifer Marshall at (206) 324-7317 or jmarshall@positiveplace.org.

Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center is located at 104-17th Ave S. You may pick up a Winter Classes catalog at the Center or check out its Web site at: www.seattle.gov/parks/centers/langston.htm.

Pratt Fine Arts Center is located at 1902 S. Main St. Check out its Web site at www.pratt.org.

–Tenaya