University District

The weather was beautiful, today, as I took a 7 mile walk through the western edge of the University District. I walked streets between Campus Parkway and NE 55th Street from I-5 to Brooklyn Avenue NE.

Walking north along Roosevelt, I stopped to read the sign of the Portage Bay Grange Feed and Mercantile after noticing its chicken coop.

Near 45th and 11th, I saw large murals on the side of the Mac store.

The old University Baptist Church building is now the Mars Hill Church.

There is some kind of gaming lounge in an old tire store.

University Playground holds many wonders

from the items and quotes embedded in the entry pillars

to the gremlin in the kiddie area.

This area is home to the Seven Gables Theater,

Fire Station No. 17,

the University Family Y,

Mossy Bottom Records, a tattoo parlor, a comedy club,

an organic produce store, Trader Joe's, Half Price Books, Cinema Books,

the University Branch of the Seattle Public Library (much more traditional inside and out than the Montlake branch I visited yesterday),

Scarecrow Video,

the Friendly Foam Shop (with some interesting art in its windows),

Kirsten Gallery (and its lovely back yard),

Blessed Sacrament Church (which was open so I stopped to admire the interior),

University Child Development Center, Metro Cinema and

some interesting gardening and fence designs.

This neighborhood is a real mix of high density population and single family homes. It has sidewalks, curbs and, probably, parking problems. I saw a proposed land use action sign requesting permits to knock down two houses and one retail building and replace them with a 57 unit apartment building.