hahaha, wedgewood and character!

i remember there being 2 places there worth going, when I lived in RAvenna. now that i live on Bellevue Ave, there is no reason.

Hey, they have that giant, kickass rock! Now that's character.

I just wish they would add an 'e' to their name. "Wedgwood" is just weird-looking. ("Wed-gwood"? "Wedg-wood"? "Wed-g-wood"?)

We're just glad to be on a list!

Wow! Seattle's just a big Ann Arbor!

Who do they think is going to move into these condos, meth dealers? Even that far north, they'll still sell in the $400s and up. Many of the new residents will still be single families, just ones who are slightly less rich. Is it that big a deal? And don't you want more retail near your house, so you can stroll up the road to get a bagel instead of firing up the Hummer? I'll never understand why house-dominated neighborhoods get so freaked out by this stuff. Hey Wedgwood people: A condo development won't ruin your neighborhood. It just means people want to live there, but can't afford to live in a house like you. They're so desperate to live in your neighborhood, they'll accept being in a condo. This means you live somewhere nice. It's a good thing. Really! I promise!

Be glad they're not building storage facilities and car dealerships, like where I live.

@5: Follow the money. It's about property values. If you have a mid-rise condo building towering over your house, blocking the sun, in theory it makes your property less valuable. Likewise, the extra traffic from all those new residents and businesses won't help either.

I don't have much sympathy, but I'm sure that's what's underlying this.

i live in wedGwood/view ridge, and these NIMBYs can suck it. 35th NEEDS URBANIZATION, and better a 4-story condo than more 8-pack ghetto-of-the-future townhomes wedged onto L4 lots. the 1-story development that just went up at 35th & 72nd (new starbucks) is a tragic waste of potential. it could have been 3 stories & not blocked any views from 34th.

now, the 6000SF, 2.3 million $ fugly megahouse that just went up & blocked my view of the cascades the same year that our property valuation went up 99K? that's some bullshit - it DID lower the value of our house.

I said it before, and will stand by it. Wedgwood it the new Queen Anne. Just wait a few years.

Why is Seattlest on the enemies list?

#4 - I remember visiting Ann Arbor when we lived on Grosse Isle.

Wedgewood is not Ann Arbor.

You didn't quote it here, but this is what caused Seattlest to lose all credibility with me:

Early in our stay, spurred by all the Republican bumper stickers we noticed, we described it as a piece of the east side dropped into Seattle city limits, and nothing much happened to change that opinion.

Total and utter horse shit. Wedgwood is as blue as any neighborhood in the city.

Wedgwood, no "e" kids, is ready for some density along 35th and other place. I was disappointed that Top Pot donuts built such a suburban designed building with all that parking and no apartments above.

@10--I should clarify, Will. A decent portion of vocal Ann Arbor residents don't want any buildings constructed that are over 4 stories tall--in the downtown area. DOWNTOWN! And the idea of anything over 3 stories or apartments in single-family home neighborhoods makes some people here really, really angry.

the e is in there for a reason. a slap in the face to people that live there and pride themselves on a spelling.

Yum, Top Pot. SUCK IT, WEDGWOOD.

@12:

Top Pot is in a REMODELED GAS STATION.

they didn't built that.

Total and utter horse shit. Wedgwood is as blue as any neighborhood in the city.

Right now it would be hard to find a Bush bumper sticker anywhere in Seattle, but when I delivered pizzas in Wedgwood around 1999-2002 there were PLENTY of proud republicans driving their SUV's down 35th ave.

Look at the 2004 campaign contributions for 98115. There's a loooot of red in there.

@12: What @16 said. If they built a new building, it would still being worked on. It took them at least a year to do that remodel.

I only pray that whatever goes into the new condo complex includes a good restaurant. The new Starbucks building teased me for so long: 'Desert Sun'! Could it be a taqueria? Oh, crap, no, it's just a tanning salon. But the last space is empty, we have a chance. Oh, crap, it's another upscale antiques/junk store. Follow Roseanne's lead (the former occupant of the Top Pot building) and take it to UVillage, folks.

Pizza Spy @ 17

98115 is a huge zip code stretching north to NE 103rd, south to NE 54th, west to Greenlake and east to Lake Washington. Wedgwood makes up maybe 10% of that.

Don't forget that there are some very affluent neighborhoods around Wedgwood: View Ridge, Hawthorne Hills, Laurelhurst, Windermere, etc. My guess is that those neighborhoods are more red than most of Seattle, but it's not fair to lump Wedgwood in with them, just because you see Republican bumper sticker on cars on 35th.

I've lived in two locations in Wedgwood for over 15 years. I know the people and they're overwhelmingly blue.

Greg @ 18

But the last space is empty, we have a chance. Oh, crap, it's another upscale antiques/junk store. Follow Roseanne's lead (the former occupant of the Top Pot building) and take it to UVillage, folks.

Greg, it's a terrific boutique called Fresh. It is not an antiques/junk shop. It's got a great mix of women's apparel, housewares, jewelry, gifts, baby, etc.

BTW, the reaction to Fresh has been phenomenal. There's nothing else like it in Wedgwood and it fills a huge void.

http://www.seattlechic.com/2007/08/09/a-fresh-new-boutique/

http://blog.nwsource.com/shopping/archives/daily_find/082407_wedgwood.html

Anybody who understands property values knows that the place to add an e is on the end of your name.

Wedgwoode = class.

ATTENTION REPUBLICANS OF WEDGWOOD: Donating money to the Republican Party from Wedgwood addresses does NOT prove that you exist.

Please assemble at the Wedgwood Rock Sunday at 7am for ID checks and radio-tagging.

Sincerely,

David In Wedgwood

Whatever Seth...

@13 - that's a result of zoning. That can be changed.

It's still not Ann Arbor.

I live in Wedgewood (just a block from Starbucks...sacred coffe blessed caffine momma I worship thee!)

And Wedgewood needs A HELL OF A LOT MORE OF THIS SORT OF DEVELOPEMENT!!! The closest sort of retail we have is University Village and the two little stips of 75th and 35th then further north around 85th and 35th. WE NEED MUCH more deveopement. Hell, a couple of gay night clubs would be perfect!!!

Keep right on building that place up!!

We like to complain about progress.
Anyone remember the 1999 debacle about Matthew's Red Apple Market and QFC?

The Times article that is linked here refers to a report by the Planning Commission. I went to their website and found the report. It's really good and easy to read. Check it out: http://www.cityofseattle.net/planningcommission/

Hey, this has always bothered me: what the hell is with the "enemies" list? I mean, most of the entries are obvious, but do you really have something against Daniel Schorr?

never mind, i'm an idiot. (he was on nixon's list. slow wikipedia screwed me again!)

Did you read the article??? It says that Wedgwood can and should take density. Wedgwood needs better retail. Duh. I bought a house here because, at the time, I could not afford to buy in a hip and swank neighborhood. I still can't but am thankful for the house I have. HOWEVER, the issue is how to absorb growth and density while improving neighborhoods and keeping some existing charm and character is a city-wide issue -- unless you think all neighborhoods should look like the bland rebuild of Lake City. Look around at what is proposed in Greenwood, Ravenna, Dearborn and Maple Leaf before throwing rocks at people trying to have an intelligent conversation about the future of where we all live.

Down with single family neighborhoods!

Down with neighbors who try to exert control over developers!

They shall be ruthlessly excoriated on our little Stranger-wannabe Web site!