West Woodland and Whittier Heights Neighborhoods of Ballard

After a week in Santa Fe, I have a fresh appreciation for Seattle's flora and water. Santa Fe has its own beauty but Seattle is green!

Today, I walked streets I had not already walked between 11th and 15th Avenues NW from Market to 77th Street.

Market and 15th are busy, commercial streets. 14th and 15th Avenues have a lot of multifamily housing but the further I walked from 15th and Market, the more single family homes I saw. Many are older but more and more they are being replaced by newer, larger homes.

14th has a median strip which has a walkway in some area but parking in most others. I saw a sign proposing to convert the strip into green space and a bike lane, eliminating much of the parking. There is an ongoing debate between those who want green space and those who want parking.

After observing all the building going on near Market Street, I do wonder where all the new residents will park.

This is a good walking neighborhood with sidewalks and curbs. There are many lovely gardens and parking strips but trees are neither as tall nor as plentiful as in some neighborhoods I have walked.

This area is home to Ballard High School,

Whittier Elementary School,

Saint Alphonsus Catholic School



and Church,

Saint Paul's United Church of Christ,

Ballard Church and the Ballard Market.

I spotted a Henry mural on the side of a Dive Shop, a Century Link building, an Ivar's, Zip Car parking, palm trees,

a tattoo gallery in a well kept Craftsman house, a psychic shop in a Bavarian type cottage, a building painted like a lady bug,

an old fashioned barber shop,

a memorial in the 14th Avenue median strip, sculptures outside a nearby glass shop

and one of the largest rhodies I'd ever seen.

It was great to be back walking in Seattle.