White Center Now: The blog about White Center

White Center Now got a great behind-the-scenes tour this afternoon at White Center Square, where construction’s been under way for 10 months (here’s our coverage of the groundbreaking last May). We’re told the construction is back on schedule, after a little difficulty during the soggiest heart of winter, and that means a July grand opening is still planned. In addition to the new 11,000-square-foot Vong’s market (beneath the sign that’s being framed in the photo you see above), several of the storefronts are now leased. We’ll have full details, and the story behind the programs that made the dream reality, in a story you’ll see here tomorrow.

ORIGINAL 7:31 PM REPORT: That’s the scene a short time ago inside the Triangle Pub (owner Geoffrey “Mac” McElroy at left, White Center Chamber of Commerce president Mark Ufkes at right) as a White Center Business Forum event was convened to deal with “chronic, homeless alcoholics” in the area. Along with about a dozen business and community participants, there are reps from King County Sheriff’s Office and Seattle Police (including Southwest Precinct Operations Lt. Norm James, as well as three state Liquor Control Board agents. We’ll have details soon on what was discussed and what happens next.

ADDED 1:26 AM: Here’s the rest of the story, with more photos: Read the rest of this entry »

Geoffrey “Mac” McElroy, one of five candidates so far for State House Position 2 in the 34th District, is planning to kick off a “West Seattle Listening Tour” – first stop, though, is in White Center, not far from his Triangle Pub. He’ll be at Full Tilt Ice Cream, 9629 16th SW, 7-9 pm, on Tuesday, April 6.

Just listened in on the King County Courthouse hearing in which the Hang Around Bar and Grill operators (see earlier coverage) challenged the property owner’s attempt to evict them immediately. They won a bit of a victory – while the owner and her lawyer contended that they had no landlord-tenant relationship with the Hang Around, court commissioner Carlos Velategui said the fact that the landlord had taken a rent check from operators Joe and Glennis proved otherwise. However, he found no evidence that they had a lease – just a month-to-month relationship – which means, as he vigorously noted several times, they can be given a 20-day notice to get out, provided they pay the March rent; if they don’t pay that rent, they can be given a 3-day notice to vacate. Given the owner’s repeated insistence that she wants them out, Velategui said, he wasn’t quite sure why the case had come before him, but the couple contended they were hopeful that community support might convince the landlord to let them stay. The landlord’s lawyer told the couple’s lawyer, standing before the judge, he didn’t care what the community thought, his client wants them out. We’ll be checking to see what happens next.

ADDED SATURDAY: Joe posted this today in the comment section following our original story:

THANK YOU !!! Everyone for your support and your Friendship that i never expected from such a great community. SPECIAL THANKS TO… Traci, Heidi, Bob,Richard (Papa’s Pub),Mac (Triangle Pub), Liz (CDA) and especially Gerald Robison (our Gracious and most professional attorney). WE hope and pray that this comes to a good resolution and we continue to stay in White Center. I know this is just the first step, but i was told by Glennis for me to step back as SHE will now handle this (with the women in the community). when i saw them gathering last night at the Hang Around in the Dart room, i was even afraid to go in there as they were meeting about the court and landlord situation. So, again, Thank you, Heidi, Liz and Glennis. (The Women took over and im not gonna go near that! Just to show that the Women in the community is not to be recon with. (smiles and grins). Thank you everyone for your help and friendship.

Joe & Glennis

We brought you the story Wednesday of the Hang Around Bar and Grill‘s owner Joe saying he’s getting the boot after just a few months. He’s going to court to challenge it, and is requesting support:

My lawyer asked me to ask our friends and public to appear in court for us Tomorrow [Friday] at 3 pm to tell the judge and her lawyer that what you feel about us there. The court proceeding is to STOP the eviction process and have the Attorney, landlord and the Judge [know] that we are NOT bad people and the public opinion is very important.

EXPARTE / King County Court WEST COURT ROOM 3rd Floor at 3 pm tomorrow (FRIDAY) please attend.
THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH!!!

Just got word from Joe, owner of the Hang Around Bar and Grill in the former home of The Wall in the heart of downtown White Center: He says their landlord has told us they have to get out by Friday, because the building will be closed. They say they got what they call “eviction papers” yesterday. It’s only been a few months since they opened, and Joe says they are in shock. He wrote in part:

We just totally established the place, put our hearts and love into it, and been tossed out like garbage. YES, the rent was paid every month. Im asking the community for help now. We always have had support from the community, the local shops welcomed us and we felt like part of the Family in White Center. Now we have to pack up and leave. What kind of people are they to do this? A lot of you people know us and i hope you can make a difference for us to stay here. all we did was love the community and love our business.This has saddened us and we did not see this coming. now 7 people have to be laid off who served the community with love and respect and helped kept the area clean of the Riff Raff.I hope and pray that someone can help us. PLEASE!

We’re working to find out more about what kind of help he’s looking for, among other aspects of the story, and will update when we get more information.

These are excerpts from this week’s e-newsletter from the City of Burien:

City Census Under Way in N. Highline Annexation Area
The City currently is conducting a house-to-house census in the North Highline annexation area. Households are being visited by a census worker wearing a City of Burien identification badge between March 12 and April 25. Information from the special census will ensure that the City receives a full share of state funds for essential public services. Households are only asked to provide the number of people living there and their names. The southern segment of North Highline officially becomes part of the City of Burien on April 1. This special annexation census is in addition to the U.S. Census being conducted by the federal Census Bureau this spring.

…City Reaches Out to North Highline Businesses
The City recently sent a letter to approximately 1,250 business entities located or working in the North Highline annexation area to provide the newly annexed businesses with an overview of some of the opportunities available in Burien, such as the Taking Aim at Graffiti (TAG) program or the “pre-submittal meetings” offered by Community Development. The letter also provided businesses with notice of some of their responsibilities, such as getting a business license and updating their tax code on Department of Revenue forms.

NOTE: Comcast subscribers in the annexation area should be able to view Burien Channel 21 and Puget Sound Access on Channel 77.

Not on the city e-newsletter list, but want to be? Sign up here.

Just checked back on the King County Public Health Food Establishment Closures website, and it looks like Del Rio in White Center was cleared to reopen as of Monday afternoon. As we first reported here last Friday, inspectors closed them for a variety of issues, but the clearance to reopen is confirmation those issues have been resolved.

Thanks to Heidi for forwarding word that the former Brewsky’s is now under new management as Papa’s Pub. The announcement says, “The pub is going through renovations in stages. Our number one priority is commitment to providing a safe and fun environment for patriots in our community. TK’s kitchen is now open too and provides appetizers and meals inside Papa’s Pub. We look forward to hosting live music venues with local artist in the near future as we are currently working on our stage area, please contact us if you would like to perform at Papa’s Pub. We will start booking in the first week of May 2010.”

By Randall G. Hauk
Reporting for White Center Now

Change and transition were the dominant themes of last night’s meeting of the White Center/South Delridge Community Safey Coalition as the group discussed ideas for how they can continue to foster improvements in the safety of the area though activities targeting community building.

The main thing accomplished in that direction was agreeing to feature a local business on a monthly basis, with the thought being that local business owners and residents will each benefit greatly from improving the overall safety of the community by curbing crime and providing the sort of environment families feel safe visiting.

“We’re transitioning from doing a lot of weeding,” said coalition chair Sean Healy. “Things feel safer. Now we are trying to build on that.”

Coalition members were encouraged to keep track of their positive experiences with local businesses and share them with Healy via e-mail. The group’s goal is to then select a business to be featured and invited to speak to the group in beginning to build a bridge between community leaders and business owners.

The group also discussed hopes to build a website, which would then have a ‘spotlight’ area to help promote the selected establishment, while also hopefully
helping to change the image of White Center to that of a place to shop and dine. Speaking of which:

New Restaurant and Bar coming to White Center:

One of last night’s attendees, Jesse Lovell, hopes to help contribute to the continued growth of the dining scene in the White Center area, having secured a lease at 9608 16th Avenue, where he is working hard to open a new restaurant and bar called “Company.” Although renovation of the space is in extremely preliminary stages, Lovell did say he hopes to focus on locally sourced meat and produce and to provide a safe place that will “bring a different demographic to the area to show what White Center can have to offer.”

(click lower left of image to play slideshow, which includes audio)
By NICK FELDMAN
UW News Lab

“It’s a picture of my son,” the man in the chair said in Spanish. “Enrique is his name. When I came to the United States, I left him when he was 2 months old. It’s to have him with me all the time, to have a memory of him, because I don’t know if I’ll be able to see him again.”

Francisco Antonio Flores-Renteria came to the U.S. three years ago. When looking for a place to have the portrait done — his second tattoo — he looked no further than Dzul Studio — a place that was clean, where he trusted the quality of the art, and where he was able to converse in his own language.

The studio, run by brothers Alejandro (“Alex”) and Jacob (“Smiley”) as well as piercing-artist sisters Catalina and Elizabeth, takes the family name to heart: Dzul is a Mayan word meaning master or leader, one who stands above others in character or reputation. And that reputation has been built up over the last decade.

“I started to draw at an early age,” said Smiley, “and my friends from my neighborhood knew that I knew how to draw, so they were the ones who actually got me into it.” He sports seven tattoos himself: on his legs, right arm, collarbone, each shoulder, and his mother’s name on his back — his first, at age 16. “That’s how I started, just doing names for (friends) and their mom’s names and initials.”

After four years of doing airbrush art at weekend swap meets and homemade tattoos for friends on the side — and discovering fairs like Bite of Seattle, Bumbershoot, Hempfest and Portland’s Cinco de Mayo celebration — the brothers had amassed enough capital to open a studio.

“When we first moved out to the Northwest, there wasn’t a lot of art put out with our perspective or flavor,” said Alex. “We’re from the Southwest, and when we came in there were a lot of people who wanted art but they weren’t getting it. That’s one of the places where we come in and really shine, because we have a very unique style.”

Smiley, the studio’s resident tattoo expert, is a master of the more urban black-and-gray tattoo style, but is also a talented tribal and color artist. About 80 percent of the art done at Dzul is original, and while the brothers have “flash” designs premade — reusable and template art — they’ve found that people are more interested in art that speaks directly to them, and that both parties are often more excited to do unique work.

While the Dzuls cater to their culture, only 30 percent to 40 percent of their clientele is Hispanic. Instead, they draw on the many ethnic and age demographics that tattoo culture has infiltrated, as well as their clients from places as far away as Everett and Vancouver, B.C., who travel specifically to visit the White Center studio.

“A lot of people who speak Spanish feel good to be understood, but the population in Seattle is not heavily Hispanic,” said Alex. “We’re really pretty diverse when it comes to who walks through our doors. “

The siblings, all Queen Anne residents, are currently looking to either move or expand to a location somewhere closer to the center of Seattle. One of their main reasons for originally choosing the shop’s location was its affordability for young artist-entrepreneurs.

In addition to massive updates to the studio’s Web site — including an education-focused FAQ section — within the next year, Dzul also plans to launch a clothing line and sponsor an art exhibition with a Day of the Dead theme featuring original art, tattooing and photography.

“People come through, they get their work, it’s original,” said Alex. “They have a perspective and we just help them to make it look good. I thought it would be good to do portraits of them and their tattoos to tell their stories.”

In the words of Alex, who studied graphic design at the Art Institute of Seattle, artists always need a community of other people who share their passion. And, luckily for these four siblings, that artistic community is also blood.

“If there’s anyone you can trust the most,” Smiley said, “it’s your family.”

——————————————————————————————–
(NICK FELDMAN is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory.)

You’ve probably noticed the signs in the window in recent months – now it’s time to open the doors. It’s grand opening weekend this Saturday and Sunday for Dubsea Coffee in Greenbridge. We had the pleasure of meeting its proprietor Sibelle earlier this year; she plans for her coffee shop to be not just a place to get espresso, but also a place to enjoy local art — with a local artist serving as Dubsea’s curator — and a place for youth to gather in a safe space. Dubsea is just a few doors down from the Greenbridge Y/Library complex, at 9910 8th SW. According to the Dubsea website and invitations that have been sent out, the shop will be open 7 am to 7 pm as it swings open its doors on Saturday. ADDED THURSDAY NIGHT: Commenters wondered, and Dubsea responded – Stumptown is the coffee they’ll be using. See you there!

First we spotted the listing online here. Since it said “West Seattle” but its description left us stumped, we took it to the forums on our partner site West Seattle Blog, and asked whether anyone recognized the pool tables in the listing photo. Consensus – it’s The Wall, and now that we think about it, we’ve seen The Wall publicize live music shows as “West Seattle” rather than “White Center.”

Two quick notes tonight: First, Full Tilt Ice Cream reports a TV crew will be there to do a story next Tuesday (October 20th) around 3 pm, and they’d love to have customers there for the occasion. Second: This may or may not be new, but it’s the first time I’ve happened onto it – Brewsky’s is listed for sale.

Given that White Center, Boulevard Park and surrounding areas are governed directly by King County, the choice of King County Executive should be taken very seriously.  The two candidates are Susan Hutchison and Dow Constantine.  Constantine is a fixture of West Seattle and White Center politics, so he is a known commodity.  Not so, Susan Hutchison, who hails from the East Side of the County.  Candidate Hutchison has run a “feel good” campaign, emphasizing her position to “bring people together.”  Her website’s issues page contains four short paragraphs, with the following priorities:

Jobs & the Economy:

Susan will help give small businesses the tools they need to create jobs…

Improve Transportation:

Susan will quickly implement simple changes to encourage transit ridership…

Budget Reform:

Susan will identify waste and restructure the budget to ensure our tax dollars are being spent effectively.

Protect Our Environment.

Susan will forge partnerships between environmental, labor and business groups as we work toward our common goal…

That’s it folks, Susan Hutchison’s platform for managing one of the biggest governmental entities in the country. In her defense, it might be said that she is offering as much detail as the two lightweights who are currently vying to be Seattle’s next mayor.  But then, that’s not much of a complement.

I will forthrightly state that I do not like Ms. Hutchison’s right-wing politics and that on that basis alone, she should be disqualified for the position.  Seattle and King County residents are a tolerant, liberal community.  To have a George Bush conservative speaking for us, just does not sit well.  But what about her competence?

Ms. Hutchison has never held public office.  She has never had to struggle with the political realities of governing a complex political entity whose ambits include not only roads and sewers but social services, neighborhoods and law enforcement.  It is difficult to see how her experience on the board of the Seattle Symphony prepared her, in the slightest way, for such a weighty role.

I often disagreed with former King County Executive, Ron Sims, but I found him thoughtful, intelligent and most importantly, quite knowledgeable on any issue relating to his role as Executive of the very large and expansive King County.  On the issue of affordable housing, we know nothing as to where Hutchison stands?  Does she support the Greenbridge and High Point housing/community developments?  If so, on what basis?  If not, why not?  Where does she stand on the issue of incorporation which raises the hackles of so many of White Center’s residents?

And what of her experience dealing with communities of color or economically distressed areas?  How does her “bringing people together” chirp really address the many challenges that White Center faces?  The fact is, nothing in her background begins to give her a serious understanding of White Center or similar communities.  There is no on-the-job training for such issues.  And Ms. Hutchison has given no indication that she even remotely cares about such issues.  In the end, Hutchison is what she was in her prior role as newscaster, a pretty face with a vacuous resume.

Teachers from the Highline School District alternative programs get ready to shop.

Last week World Vision teamed up with the Westwood Village Target to help out some local teachers and families. Everyone was given a $100 gift card then let loose in the store; families bought school clothes and teachers stocked up on school supplies. Considering that teachers spend on average $500 of their own money on school supplies each year, this was a much appreciated big deal.

El Paisano

GOOD NEWS! El Paisano Rosticeria Restaurant has re-opened.  We, who had loved the wonderful roast chickens and other wonderful foods from El Paisano, were aghast when it suddently closed up.  Rumours abounded that the business was not doing well, that internecine family battles had led to closure, that the place was being remodelled, that the mafia was asking for it’s investment back (ok that is not true).  But my colleague, Justin of Full Tilt Ice Cream and I were heartbroken.  We love this place.  We loved it so much we offered free coffees and ice creams to encourage people to patronize El Paisano.  To say, that we are happy, thrilled and completely elated that our favorite Rosticeria is mild understatement.  Chicken tacos, barbacoa and carne asada burritos for everyone.  And yes, we’ll take the Negra Modelos as well. Herein is a part of Full Tilt’s review of El Paisano:

El Paisano at 15th Ave. SW and Roxbury SW

The area I grew up in LA was predominantly Mexican, and poor. MY parents, and I swear this is true, would open up a paper when it was time for a new apartment, and just pick the cheapest place. We lived in Compton, Silver lake, Echo Park (before it was trendy), Santa Ana, even when we moved to Huntington Beach it was in the Hispanic area that was known as Slater Slums. In all those neighborhoods I became familiar with Rosticerias, even if it was an EL Pollo Loco. See, my parents are from the midwest, and if is anything they know well, it is their way around a yard bird and pork. We ate at all of the local chicken joints. Cesars on Atlantic and 65, Pablo’s on Alameda, Pollo Macho on  Wilshire, even Rosco’s ( which is not Mexican, but makes a mean fried chicken and waffle platter). When I first moved to Seattle, one of the things I missed most was Mexican food. I craved El Pollo Loco,  the bottom of the barrel in LA. Mama’s in Belltown, and Bimbo’s on the hill is crap food. Not just not authentic, just crap food. I was amazed when I found White Center. So much good food, in one little area, and the rest of Seattle had no idea it even existed. Rosticeria y Cocina El Paisano is the best in chicken. It is owned by the butcher shop two doors down. Sure, the carnitas is better at Del Rio. I can get an equal burrito at the bus for less. As far as chicken goes, Paisano is king.

Marinated in an adobe chili mix, and then flame roasted. Crsipy skin, and a juicy bird. The sides are simple, and plentiful. Rice, beans and a simple salad. Shining right next to that crispy bird is the house made salsas. Most Mexican places in Seattle seem to have a can opener as their main tool is salsa prep. Not these guys. I have become leery of Salsa Verde since moving to Seattle, but Paisano’s have nailed it. Flamed roasted tomatillos and just the right amount of chili heat from the peppers to compliment the food. They are now serving Breakfast as well as lunch and dinner, so the next time you venture out to eat, stop by this place.

LOCATION:  El Paisano is located at 9615 -15th Ave. SW, Seattle 98106  They are just off the intersection of 15th Ave. SW and Roxbury (across the street from Bartell Drugs).

Phone:  (206) 763-0368

Don’t take our opinion for it (although we are best qualified to judge R from West Texas and J from Southern Cali)

http://www.seattleweekly.com/locations/rosticeria-y-cocina-el-paisano-358083/

http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/1/1421316/restaurant/West-Seattle/Rosticeria-y-Cocina-El-Paisano-Seattle

http://srs.mediawebconnect.com/Rosticeria%20y%20Cocina%20El%20Paisano/10453

Show them some love and you will happier for it.

El Paisano Rosticeria

Two elderly ladies walk into Cafe Rozella gushing about the cafe.  Unprompted, one of them says, “we love White Center.  We tell people we live in West Seattle, because of White Center, not in spite of it.”  I relate this anecdote, because despite it’s ragged edges, White Center is a place of vibrancy and life.

Years ago, I used to have an office job in downtown Tacoma.  If we wanted to get something to eat, we would troop into our cars and head to Old Town or the Tacoma waterfront.  The downtown core was desolate.  As one of my colleagues used to say, “you can’t buy an Aspirin in downtown Tacoma.”  Sadly, he was right, there was nary a Bartells, Walgreeens or even a small Asian grocery store to buy anything essential.  Coffee shops were nonexistent and the hilltop area was still a war zone.  I relate this, not to knock Tacoma, after all, it has really improved, but it has improved in ways far different than White Center.

Most of Tacoma’s improvement has been the subject of heavy top-down government investment and tax incentives.  While the Greenbridge Project on the west side of White Center might be considered similarly, “top down,” it is but a small part of what makes the area a better place.  White Center has always had a community and a functioning business core.  Many White Center businesses, (Center Tool Rental, White Center Glass), have been there for decades.  Nonetheless, there was a time, not too long ago, when the walk on 16th Avenue SW, south of Roxbury, was undertaken with trepidation and certainly never after dark.   Today, White Center is a different place.

Immigrants from all parts of the world have opened businesses throughout the White Cener business core. This is organic growth, from the roots up.  Projects such as Greenbridge seek to encourage such growth.  As well, there are businesses opening from locals who want in on a dynamic area.  Cafe Rozella is but one, there is also Full Tilt Ice Cream, Proletarian Pizza and word of a couple of other new businesses.  These are businesses operated by young people who are dynamic and future-oriented.  Tolerant and educated, they are what social scientist, Richard Florida would call the creative class.  Rather than berate the lack of a McDonalds, we celebrate the Pho shops, the Salvadorean pupusas and the Guyamas Burritos amongst many other great eating establishments.

So next time you have friends visiting from out-of-town, do the Space Needle but bring them to White Center and invite them to take in the rich melting of cultures inherent in this corner of the world.  And, if by chance, one of your guest gets a headache and, if you want to buy an Aspirin there is the Super-Walgreens and the local Bartells.  But I suspect a custom ice cream cone from Full Tilt or an Americano from Cafe Rozella would work just as well.   Cheers!

That’s our first photo from the groundbreaking less than an hour ago at the site of White Center Square; members of the Vong family, whose supermarket will anchor the new shopping center, participated along with contractors, architects, the head of King County Economic Development, and King County Council Chair Dow Constantine. We also spoke at the site with Soona Vili from White Center Community Development Association, who agreed it’s a “great day” for White Center. Rika Vong explained today was chosen for the groundbreaking because it has good feng shui – though the actual construction itself, according to the contractors, won’t start until sometime next month. Before the shovels turned dirt, the site was blessed with incense:

Here’s video:

ADDED 12:49 PM: Our video of Constantine’s remarks:

Others who spoke at the event included Rika Vong (that’s not her in the screengrab but she’s the first person you’ll see if you hit “play”):

We talked on the sidelines with the contractors, who are from Bellevue-based Buchanan; they also worked on Meridian Station, with the same architect. And we spoke with a member of the Mullen family, which owned the property for a century before selling to the Vongs; they’re just happy to see something finally being done with the land. ADDED THURSDAY NIGHT: Here’s the official news release from King County:

Ground broken at White Center Square

$11 million project uses public funding, will create 60 jobs

The revitalization of the White Center community received a major boost this morning with the groundbreaking for an $11 million retail plaza in the neighborhood’s business district that utilizes a $6.25 million federal loan.

“There is very tight competition for these federal funds. This project won support from a review panel that includes representatives from across King County—and for several good reasons,” said Metropolitan King County Council Chair Dow Constantine, who represents the White Center neighborhood. “This project will create new retail space and new jobs, while providing a new home for a longtime community business, the Vong family’s Asian market.”

This retail project will bring 60 new jobs to White Center.

Legislation approved by the King County Council in March authorizes the Executive to borrow $6.25 million from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and re-lend those funds to the White Center Investment Fund, LLC. The legislation also pledges the County’s Community Development Block Grants funds as additional security for the loans. The White Center Square project will also benefit from a federal tax credit.

The investment Fund will use the loan to leverage the additional funding needed to complete a new 26,500 square foot retail/office plaza near Greenbridge. Greenbridge is a mixed-income community built on the site of the former Park Lake Homes, the King County Housing Authority’s oldest and largest public housing development

“We have seen major public investments nearby—most notably in the form of Greenbridge project, White Center Heights Elementary School, and White Center Heights Park,” said Constantine. “King County has been a big part of this effort. I am proud to celebrate another step forward for the White Center neighborhood.”

The monthly public safety meeting will be held tonight (Thursday) at 6 p.m.  If you want to learn what is being done to make this community safer or have concerns regarding same, attend and make your voice heard.  I for one would like to see more action to rid the White Center business district of creeps like these, drinking malt liquor on the side of a grocery store, happy as pigs in sh*t.

Chronic alcoholics and other miscreants