It is always good to end a year ending on a positive note.
And 2011 certainly succeeded. The economy appears to be ever-so-slowly rebounding off the bottom, unemployment is beginning to drop, and Christmas sales were strong and healthy.
Magnolia and Queen Anne also saw many glimmers of hope for a brighter future. The year’s biggest winner might be the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood (or is it Uptown? Talk amongst yourselves). This year saw the rebirth of the historic Uptown Theater after it was closed in 2010 and the opening of the very impressive Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation world headquarters just east of the Seattle Center. The area also saw a building boom in apartments and new businesses in South Lake Union area. Greater density is also promised for Upper Queen Anne as the completion of a new urban village took one step closer. Developments also were announced for the Magnolia Village. All this growth should be a good omen for the future.
This was a year of controversial transportation changes that will impact the Magnolia and Queen Anne communities for years to come, including, at long last, the beginning of the end for the Alaskan Way Viaduct, the construction of a future tunnel, and wholesale changes to Mercer Street. There was also plenty of discussion about the completed road diet on Dexter Avenue North and West Nickerson Street.
This was also the year that the Magnolia and Queen Anne communities sadly said ‘good bye’ to such notable citizens as Magnolia’s unofficial mayor and realtor extraordinaire Art Van der Wel. Queen Anne lost civic leader and activist Phil Irwin; trail-blazing businesswoman Jan Paolini, and beloved former teacher and free spirit James Fielder. During Christmas break, longtime Catharine Blaine K-8 teacher Karen Helweil died unexpectedly, leaving a grieving student body and community.
Other good byes of note include Dr. Philip W. Eaton, the president of Seattle Pacific University, announcing that he is retiring after 16 years at the helm of the liberal arts college.
A dizzying array of restaurants and other businesses came and went this year, including many small merchants who closed their storefronts on Lower Queen Anne due to changing economic times and new construction. In Magnolia, Around the Block and Rudy’s Restaurant closed. Magnolia’s Tully’s pulled up roots and was replaced by Uptown Espresso.
We even had a few stars in the making this year, including everyone’s favorite economic protester, 84-year-old Queen Anne resident Dori Rainey, whose pepper-sprayed face was seen around the world.
The following is a look back at some of 2011's most important stories:
Apartment building boom
At least 900 apartments were either under construction or being planned for the Magnolia Queen Anne area in 2011. The largest of the projects was a 284-unit complex being built by the Holland Partner Group at 901 Dexter Ave. N. Not far behind is the 275-unit apartment complex being built at the corner of First Avenue North and West Republican Street, next to the Seattle Center. The construction projects have disrupted many businesses, forcing some small merchants to close their doors. However, many officials believe the new projects and increased density should help rejuvenate the area.
Emerald Bay’s big plans
Emerald Bay Equity is moving forward with its developments that are helping to redefine the look of Upper Queen Anne, with their brick-front buildings, large sidewalks and urban spaces.
The developer has already completed two apartment buildings and sold them earlier this year. A third is currently under construction and its largest project, known as the Metropolitan Market development, won’t break ground until next year. When all four projects are completed, Emerald Bay will be responsible for bringing about 260 new apartments and about 75,000 square feet of new retail space to community along Queen Anne Avenue North.
Viaduct demolition
After a decade of arguments, countless debates and various ballot issues, the unstable Alaskan Way Viaduct began its multi-year process of being demolished in October. Thousands of people even took the opportunity to walk along the closed viaduct one last time before crews crushed the southern end of the raised motorway. So far, the doomsday scenarios about long traffic jams have yet to materialized.
Gates Foundation’s splashy arrival
The $500 million Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation headquarters near Seattle Center opened to plenty of regional fanfare. The impressive high-tech 12-acre campus includes a series of state-of-the-art buildings and environmentally friendly grounds that allows the foundation to house 900 employees in one location. But the impact of the foundation on the local economy is still a mystery.
Gone but not forgotten
Art Van der Wel: A Magnolia real estate broker and community leader, Van der Wel was long the benevolent leader of the Magnolia community. He died in June after a brief battle with cancer. He was always there, most often behind the scenes, helping to support activities, events and local organizations.
Loved by many, Van der Wel was famous for his passion for selling real estate and his ability to enjoy life. Those who knew him best said he had a gift for making everyone around him a better person.
James Fielder: a teacher and author, Fielder was known for his infectious enjoyment of nature, love of animals and unique view of the world around him.
He died from a fire in his Queen Anne home in December. More than one former student described Fielder as one of the best teachers they ever had who was never quite able to follow society’s rules.
Karen Helweil: a beloved teacher at Catharine Blaine K-8 for more than 20 years, Helweil died unexpectedly at the end of December. She was known for her love of her students and the love she felt for the school and teaching.
Phil Irwin: An active member of the Queen Anne community, Irwin worked on various projects for the Queen Anne Community Council. He died unexpectedly in June. Irwin had been a leader in the push to increase the hours of operation at the Queen Anne Community Center and had worked with business leaders to try and raise money to pay for extending the center’s hours.
Jan Paolini: The former Omak rodeo queen who founded the Queen Anne Mail and Dispatch was known as a trailblazer, entrepreneur and a true original. She died in October after a bout with cancer. Paolini loved big eyeglasses and big hats and never met a stranger. Anyone who needed a hot meal, a place to sleep and some guidance was always welcome at her home.
SIFF saves the Uptown Theater
After being closed for about one year, the Uptown Theater, which first opened in 1926, was the star of Lower Queen Anne once again in October. The Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) bought and refurbished the location.
The nonprofit movie organization is showing first-run films, classics and cult films at the theater. SIFF also plans to use the theater and its multiple screens as a center point for its world-famous film festivals. The move not only boosts the economy by reviving the heart of the neighborhood, but it also ensures the area will be a major cinema center for years to come.
Queen Anne Elementary returns home
After spending the former school year in a site in Wallingford, Queen Anne Elementary returns in the fall of 2011 to take over the former John Hay Elementary School building on the north end of Queen Anne. The location boasts new playground equipment, a vegetable garden and lots of technology. Principal David Elliott said technology is a crucial part of educating students today and he wants to experiment in the best ways to use the equipment.
Fame finds Dorli Rainey
The face of Queen Anne’s 84-year-old Dorli Rainey may be indelibly linked to the Occupy Seattle movement for years to come after she was pepper sprayed during a downtown protest in November and the picture of her face became a viral sensation. The incident made her an immediate celebrity. The sweet, but tenacious activist said her run-in with the police was the best thing that could have happened to the protest movement.
Baseball trip of a lifetime
Five baseball fanatics got the high school graduation present of a lifetime in June when they took off on a nearly 14,000-mile, 54-day trip around North America to visit every major league ballpark. The tech-savvy teens got corporate sponsors and donations to pay for the trip and they kept their fans aware of their exploits through their website, Facebook page and twitter account.
They survived breakdowns, strange experiences and Detroit to fulfill their dreams. They even remained friends. Rumors have it that their parents are nervous about what they might do when they graduate from college?
Magnolia loses Around the Block and Tully’s, gains velvet foam
Magnolia’s Jane Bolton closed her Around The Block interior design store in August after being in business for 22 years. The iconic Tully’s coffee shop, with its famed fireplace also left the village in September and was replaced by Uptown Espresso, home of the velvet foam.
Farmers markets survive turbulent year
It may have seemed a bit dicey at times, but the Queen Anne Farmers Market and the Magnolia Farmers Market both survived 2011 and end the year in better shape than most expected. Also making a debut was the Interbay Farmers Market.
The Queen Anne market survived management upheavals to poste one of its best years. Magnolia’s market, which was under severe financial pressures, found that shrinking in size and moving closer to the village center helped rejuvenate their financial prospects.
Area roads go on a diet
Both Dexter Avenue North and West Nickerson Street debuted their latest road diets, aimed at slowing traffic down and making more room available for cyclists.
Local residents and businesses grumble that the roadway is too congested and even more dangerous for cyclists in certain areas. However, city officials say they have proof that the roadways are saving lives and slowing traffic.
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