Three More Mayor Mondays, Jessyn Farrell on July 28th

Posted on July 25, 2021 by Ryan

Mayor Mondays, where Victory Heights invites the various candidates for Seattle Mayor to meet us and make a presentation (via Zoom) concludes with three more before the August 3rd primary.

On Monday, July 26th, Dr. Bliss will be joining us starting at 6 PM. Then on a special Wednesday night session on July 28th, Jessyn Farrell (rescheduled from an earlier date). And finally, on Monday, August 2, Casey Sixkiller. Then it will be time to fill out your primary ballots and have them postmarked by the 3rd. To get Zoom credentials to join in, write to our email: victoryheights.seattle@gmail.com.

Read the entire minutes of the Victory Heights Community Council meeting.

In other Victory Heights news, the parks department is going to look at the large weeds that have mainly replaced the grass in the field. However, they won’t fix the wooden fence that runs alongside the east side of the park next to 19th Avenue NE: if they city were to replace it would be with an ugly metal highway barrier. Bleah!

On July 4th, a car took out one of the new art utility boxes on 23rd Avenue NE. Comcast replaced it with a temporary box but as they don’t need it any more, instead it will be permanently replaced with a flush cap. We will attempt to reuse the artwork on a future project.

Neighborhood Night Out is coming Tuesday, August 3rd. Get together with folks on your block so you can know your neighbors and be better ready for disaster preparedness (or just general safety).

Food Truck Fridays continue at the park each Friday from 11 AM to 2 PM. And don’t forget the Lake City Farmers Market by the library every Thursday afternoon.

Coming soon: The Silly Walk!

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Seattle Skeleton House Moving To Denver

Posted on July 18, 2021 by Ryan

The Seattle Skeleton House with its clever front yard displays on 20th Avenue NE for the past few years is leaving Victory Heights for Denver. In a sign posted on Saturday, the Brauns announced, “Bye Neighbors! 🙁 The Skeletons are moving to Denver. Thanks for all the memories! Follow their adventure on IG @SeattleSkeletonHouse. We’re packing up + moving! We’re going to miss you all! –Skeleton House.”

The two skeletons have been delighting neighbors who would check every few days to see what they would be up to. In a fitting final tableaux they are packing their boxes:

Check out previous images on our Skeleton House page. Thanks for the memories! The neighborhood won’t be the same without your ghoulish humor.

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Northgate Pedestrian Bridge Erected, And Other Area News

Posted on June 20, 2021 by Ryan
Looking west at North Seattle College, the new span crosses over the southbound lanes of I-5

The long-gestating bike/pedestrian bridge across Interstate 5 that will connect the new Link Light Rail station with North Seattle College finally had its final piece assembled last night. Building a bridge over an active freeway is always a challenge, and the contractors built the forms in the medians and then with two early Sunday-morning freeway closures, were able to hoist them into position.

Looking north towards the new span of the bike/pedestrian bridge over I-5

When the light rail station opens in October 2021, the new bridge will allow pedestrians and bicyclists from the west side of I-5 to easily cross and either directly enter the station or take a ramp down to 1st Avenue NE.

Sound Transit hosted many, many open houses over the years featuring many different design specs, but funding was always a problem, and it wasn’t assured there would be a bridge built at all by the time the first trains began running.

The Northgate Link Light Rail Station opens October 2nd, 2021

In other news, the Victory Heights Community Council announced the huge success of the neighborhood-wide yard sale last weekend, with 40 houses participating and perfect weather in an otherwise wet weekend.

Read the entire minutes of the June Victory Heights Community Council.

The Lake City Farmers Market is back in 2021, starting every Thursday beginning July 1st next to the Lake City Library from 3 PM to 7 PM.

Food Truck Fridays continue each week in Victory Heights Park from 11 AM to 2 PM. See our Facebook page for vendor details each week.

Mayor Mondays keeps adding more candidates which will take us up to the eve of Primary Day in August. 6 PM on Zoom each Monday with a new candidate. Lance Randall will be appearing on June 21st.

The Potluck/Ice Cream Social is tentatively scheduled this year for July 20th from 6-8 PM on NE 106th Street next to Victory Heights Park. At this moment officially the city isn’t allowing groups larger than 50 to congregate but all that is set to change on June 30th when all pandemic restrictions are due to be lifted in King County, and we hope to obtain a permit from the city to close the street and have our large gathering.

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Scavenger Hunt This Sunday May 23rd

Posted on May 19, 2021 by Ryan
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The Victory Heights Community Council is helping sponsor the Pinehurst/Victory Heights Scavenger Hunt this Sunday, May 23rd.

Read the complete minutes of the May meeting.

There are 40 items to locate throughout our two neighborhoods. Come by either the Pinehurst Pocket Park or Victory Heights Park starting at 1 PM on Sunday for instructions and a question and answer sheet. Volunteers will be there until 4 PM to give you help. There are no prizes, this is meant to be “fun and low-key, a very family-friendly” event. And not one you necessarily have to do on that Sunday either, you can do it yourself in your own time later.

In other news, we decided against doing an event on the 4th of July, owing to the city not issuing permits, and a lot of folks taking advantage of a long holiday weekend to get out of town. Plans are in the works for another potluck/ice cream social in July.

Please fill out the Victory Heights Neighborhood Survey. We want to hear from you about what you’d like us to be doing!

Meanwhile, Food Truck Fridays continue in the park each Friday between 11 AM and 2 PM with two different trucks each week (May 21st will be Street Treats and El Gran Taco).

Mayor Mondays continues each Monday at 6 PM with a new candidate running to be Seattle’s next mayor. Rodney Holt is next up on May 24th. Join our Facebook group or email list to find out how to join these Zoom chats.

Are you someone who needs yard or handy work done but it’s getting too hard for you to do it yourself? Call Neighbor Labor, volunteers who will come and do it for you. Contact us to put in a request.

The next (virtual) meeting of the Community Council will be Tuesday, June 15th. Get involved!

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Utility Art Box Tour

Posted on May 16, 2021 by Ryan

On Saturday, May 15th, with beautiful weather, the Victory Heights Utility Art Boxes were revealed to the public with an open house that also featured three food trucks at Victory Heights Park.

Artists were on hand including Linda McClamrock (at left) showing the cut-outs she used to create her piece (right) located on NE 106th Street just east of 15th Avenue NE.

Other boxes are located on 23rd Avenue NE (left) and along Northgate Way (below).

Original artwork was on display at the park and available for auction.

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Utility Box Artwork Unveils Saturday the 15th

Posted on May 12, 2021 by Ryan
This Saturday, May 15 at 4 p.m. set off on a self-guided walking tour of our eight new utility box artworks, located at: NE Northgate Way at 15th, 17th, 19th, and 24th Avenues NE; 1509 NE 106th St.; 10547 23rd Ave. NE; 23rd Ave. NE and NE 107th St.

Plan Your Afternoon!
4 p.m. – 7 p.m.:  Bid on four of the original artworks!
4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.: Meet several of the artists at their artworks!
5 p.m. – 7 p.m.: Pick up dinner at the Playground from Here and There, El Gran Taco, and Kathmandu MoMoCha food trucks!
The live auction of the artwork will take place at the Victory Heights Playground (look for the canopy), and all proceeds will go directly to the artists. Can’t make it to the park, but want to bid? Email VHArtBox@Gmail.com between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday to check current bids and to place your bids live!

Email VHArtBox@Gmail.com, and RSVP to the event on Facebook, to get the latest updates!
“Little Cat,” by Angelina Villalobos, set for NE Northgate Way and 15th Ave. NE. The 11″ x 14″ acrylic on canvas will open with a bid of $150.00.
“A Retrospective,” by Mike Brown, set for NE Northgate Way and 24th Ave. NE. The 24″ x 36″ framed print will open with a bid of $250.00.
“Merlin,” by Aksana Vashkevich, set for NE Northgate Way and 17th Ave. NE. The 20″ x 16″ acrylic on canvas will open with a bid of $300.00.
“Beach Magic,” by Linda McClamrock, the artist at 1509 NE 106th St. The 9″ x 12″ mixed media collage on wood panel will open with a bid of $75.00.
“Ascension,” by Odette Allen, the artist at 10547 23rd Ave. NE. The 12″ x 12″ acrylic on wood panel will open with a bid of $150.00.
After a year of hard work and hope, we can’t wait to celebrate the completion of this public artwork initiative with you this Saturday! A BIG thank you to all of our volunteers and incredible artists!
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Fall Bus Changes Retain Direct Rush Hour Service Downtown

Posted on May 4, 2021 by Ryan

Even after a bus re-organization this October announced by Metro transit, Victory Heights will still have direct service downtown during commuter hours. With the opening of new Link Light Stations at Northgate and Roosevelt starting October 2nd, a great deal of new bus routes are designed to get riders to stations rather than provide direct no-transfer rides downtown, which has generally been the rule until now. But two new routes, the 320 and 322 (replacing the 312) will run between Kenmore and downtown Seattle during rush hours, with stops at various Light Rail stations along the way.

The new route 320 will serve Northgate Way and the Light Rail Station at Northgate before getting on the freeway for downtown service. There will be 15 inbound trips in the morning between 5 and 9 AM, and 16 outbound trips in afternoons from 3 PM to 7:30.

The new 322 will travel down Lake City Way and then Roosevelt Way to serve the Roosevelt Light Rail station, with freeway travel between there and downtown. There will be 16 inbound trips between 4:40 AM and 9 AM, and 21 outbound trips from 3 to 7:40 PM.

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Victory Heights House Sells For $1,150,000

Posted on April 29, 2021 by Ryan

A single-family house, built in the mid-60s and updated for three living spaces, has a sale pending for a whopping $1,150,000. The house, near Thornton Creek on NE 104th Street, was originally listed for $1.2 million, and then dropped the asking price by $50,000. It probably sets a record for a sale in our neighborhood that isn’t a new construction.

Seattle homeowners, and prospective buyers, know that housing prices have been steadily climbing here for several years, frequently the hottest market in the nation (though recently it ranked third). For long-time residents, who probably purchased their houses decades ago in the low six-figures, seeing prices top a million dollars is enough to make their heads spin in our modest middle-class neighborhood.

Redfin estimated that monthly mortgage payments on the house would be $3,826, plus an annual property tax of $7,596.

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Join Our Growing Community

Posted on April 21, 2021 by Ryan

The Victory Heights Community Council has been working hard on growing our community with many events and activities.

Read the entire minutes of the April Community Council Meeting.

Our consolidated Facebook Group, Victory Heights Seattle, has 355 members now, and a great way to stay in touch with our community. “Like” and follow today.

Food Truck Fridays have been a big success the first three weeks. Two trucks per week park next to the co-op preschool building in Victory Heights Park each Friday between 11 AM and 2 PM. Order ahead and have your food ready when you arrive. New trucks every Friday through September, see our Facebook group for participating trucks each Thursday.

Neighbor Labor is a group of volunteers that have been gathering to help clean out debris and those annoying Himalayan blackberries, starting with a neighbor’s yard, then the park, and down on NE 106th Street east of 15th Avenue. They’ll be out there again on Sunday the 25th.

The Utility Art Box project is humming along, all the permits are in, the artwork is being prepared, and soon will be covering each of the boxes around the neighborhood.

Mayor Monday kicks off on May 3rd with the first of 11 (so far) out of the 15 announced candidates for Seattle Mayor scheduled, one per week, to join us for a zoom chat starting at 6 PM, giving us a 30 minute presentation (i.e. a speech), and then open the door for us to provide feedback and questions. Join our mailing list to find out more.

The Spring Craft Fair last weekend was a bit success, especially because of the nice weather. Upcoming events include a Scavenger Hunt starting in the park on Sunday May 23rd, and a community-wide Yard Sale on Saturday, June 12th.

The next meeting of the Victory Heights Community Council will be Tuesday, May 18th at 7 PM via Zoom. Join our Facebook group, or mailing list, to learn more.

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