Wells Fargo Bank Sold To Children's Hospital And One More Hospital Owned Home Sold

Children’s  Hospital has purchased the building that formerly housed Wells Fargo, on the 4500 block of 40th Avenue NE.

Todd Johnson, Vice President, Facilities and Supply Chain, told the Laurelhurst Blog Staff that the purchase was completed on January 12 and added:

Like the Gema Mae Apartments next door, the building will remain in essentially its current form for the foreseeable future.  We are currently working on some minor improvements to the interior and exterior and will then sign a lease for the property with an office user.

Last year Children's Hospital purchased the Gema Mae Apartments,  twelve unit fourplex apartments, built in the 1950’s. directly across from the Hospital Emergency Room and behind the old Wells Fargo location.  The Hospital made improvements to the apartments, including painting and bringing the building up to code. According to this website, it was purchased for $4,500,00.00.

At that time, the Laurelhurst Blog asked Todd if the Hospital was looking to buy the Wells Fargo Bank building, when the Bank was moving to the former Tully's location near Federal Express.

Todd said "We will investigate a purchase of the bank property because of its location so close to our campus and the Gema Mae Apartments. Like the apartments, the site is subject to existing zoning and is not included in the hospital’s MIMP."

Children’s also still owns one single family houses along NE 45^th Street, out of the eight they purchased in 2007 and 2008, during the construction of the Mary Gates Ambulatory Care building and Whale Garage. 

In 2013 five of the homes were sold. At the time, the hospital approached homeowners to sell their homes and some homeowners contacted the hospital about the sales which were purchased "at the then-market value," Todd told the Laurelhurst Blog.

Todd added that Children's did make known its willingness to purchase immediately adjacent homes.

He said: "The sales were also probably motivated by unknowns related to Children's proposed Major Institutions Master Plan and the impacts that it could have had in its pre-Laurelon Terrace state, from information given to him by Ruth Benfield, who was the "Children's executive over facilities at the time of the purchases."  

In 2013 five of the homes were sold. 

Another home was recently sold at 4323 NE 45th Street.  And the last hospital owned home Todd said is "occupied by a long term tenant and we will not be offering it for sale at this time."

Last March, Children's also purchased the Center for Spiritual Living (CSL)  for $16,992,850.  It sits on 4.4 acre s with a  50,000-square foot building and is located about a mile north of the campus on Sand Point Way NE.

The site is zoned residential but has a covenant placed on the deed limiting the uses to religious, educational and recreational purposes.

Todd told the Laurelhurst Blog Staff that Children’s will house its educational activities at the CSL location.

For more information go here.

Hospital's Hartmann Building On Sand Point Way To Be Remodeled Later This Year

The Hartmann Building, owned by Children's Hospital, where Sand Point Pediatrics previously was located, will be undergoing a remodel starting late this year.

The Hartmann Building, a one story brick building, directly across from the Hospital on Sand Point Way, is not part of the Hospital's Major Institution Master Plan, so it cannot be demolished as stated in the settlement between the Hospital and the Laurelhurst Community Club (LCC), which was jointly presented in 2010 to the City Council and formally included in the Major Institution Master Plan.

LCC stated in a release to the neighborhood in February 2010 regarding the property:

LCC and Seattle Children's Find Balance on Hospital Master Plan

Seattle Children's Hospital and the Laurelhurst Community Club announced that they have reached a settlement concerning the hospital's proposed expansion. The settlement was jointly presented this morning to the City Council as providing a path forward for City approval of Children's proposed Major Institution Master Plan.

No expansion of Children's campus across Sand Point Way: Children's Hartmann property, located across Sand Point Way, is removed from the Major Institution Master Plan. It may be re-developed separately under more limited non-institutional zoning. Children's is still committed to implementing community benefits for Hartmann such as retaining the Sequoia grove, providing landscaping screen, and building a pedestrian/bicycle access to the Burke-Gilman trail.

Fifty-year restriction on campus expansion into residential areas: For a period of 50 years, Children's agrees not to expand its boundaries into specified residential areas to the south, east, and north.

Todd Johnson, Vice President, Facilities and Supply Chain, told the Laurelhurst Blog Staff:

We will be remodeling the Hartmann Building to become the home of Seattle Children's Endocrinology Clinic.  This outpatient facility will serve newly diagnosed pediatric diabetics and their families, offering training and hopefully avoiding the need for hospitalization.  Our teams will provide ongoing care and conduct diabetes research as well.   

We are actively working with doctors, nurses, administrative staff and patient families to design the new space.  Because we're presenting a new care model, the design work is taking longer than normally expected.   

The exterior of the building will not change, although we will replace windows. Construction will begin later this year, and will be confined to weekdays between 7am and 5pm. I don’t believe that there will be any impact on neighbors in terms of noise, odors, dust, traffic or parking.

When the clinic is operational in late 2018, it will operate weekdays and possibly partial days on Saturdays.  We would anticipate a lower level of activity than what we saw with Virginia Mason Sand Point Pediatrics, the former occupant of the space.

In August 2012, the area in front of the Hartmann Building, underwent the first round of improvements along the stretch of Sand Point Way NE as part of the Hospital's Livable Streets Initiative, which is a mitigation plan and collaborative study completed in 2009-2010 involving the Hospital, Laurelhurst Community Club (LCC) and other NE Seattle neighborhoods

Several other projects were completed in the Initiative:

A new sidewalk in November 2012, on the north side of NE 50th Street, which includes curb bulbs on the northwest and northeast corners of the intersection with 40th Avenue NE to shorten the long crossing. The northeast curb bulb was extended to accommodate a Metro bus stop. The improvements make the crossing safer between the hospital, Ronald McDonald House and the ramp to connect to the Burke Gilman Trail, near the Hartmann Building.
 

In February 2013, a cycletrack was also completed on the east side of Sand Point Way NE running in front of the hospital between Penny Drive and the new traffic signal at 40th Avenue NE and Sand Point way.  The 10-foot wide cycletrack has separate paths for bikes and pedestrians for each direction.   The project included the large bus waiting zone at the midway point, near the Hartmann Building.

In April 2014 an ADA-accessible new link between and access ramp to the Burke-Gilman Trail at the Hartman Building.  The new path, features railings, benches, native plantings and a community information kiosk, and helped to stabilize a steep slope as well as protect a grove of three sequoia trees. 

The Hospital was required to build the connection, as part of the Intiative, and make nearly $4 million on other transportation improvements in adherence to the Master Plan over 20 years to improve bike/pedestrian connectivity throughout Northeast Seattle.

In June 2014, the Hartmann Building’s frontage along Sand Point Way was renovated, with a new sidewalk, retaining wall and landscaping. a new sidewalk, curbs, gutters, drive aprons and rock wall were installed followed by replanting – trees, shrubs and other vegetation, some of which were salvaged from the Hartmann frontage before the makeover began and others salvaged from the Laurelon Terrace Condominiums site, (136 unit condo buildings demolished in 2010) or propagated elsewhere on our campus. report Metro plans to build a new bus shelter along the Hartmann frontage. 

In January 2013 , a new traffic signal and redesigned intersection at 40th Avenue NE and Sand Point Way NE was completed making it easier to cross four lanes of traffic .

.

New Path Connecting Hospital To Neighborhood Currently Under Construction

 site of new connection at bend in road of

44th Avenue NE and NE 47th Street

 current connection to be removed



Construction on a new path linking Children's Hospital and the neighborhood in the 4800 block of 44th Avenue NE is underway for the next four weeks.  

The Hospital Construction Blog says the path, which will replace the current one, will improve safety, and is part of Seattle Children’s Major Institution Master Plan  (MIMP)."

The Hospital Construction Blog says:

During construction there will be some trucks parked nearby, for the shortest time possible to perform necessary work.  

Construction will take place from 8-4:30pm on weekdays. As much as possible, parking and construction will take place on Seattle Children’s property.  

The existing path will remain until the new one is constructed.

Todd M. Johnson, Vice President, Facilities and Supply Chain, told the Laurelhurst Blog about the new connection:

Generally, the old path, which the Hospital internally refers to as the "Hobbit Hole," was too narrow and too steep, so it needs to be replaced with an ADA compliant ramp.  

The new pedestrian entry will be to the south of the existing entry at the bend that 44th Avenue NE takes toward NE 47th Street.  

This was called out in the City Council-approved Major Institution Master Plan as a point of pedestrian entry to the campus. It allows our patient families and workforce who live in Laurelhurst to enter the campus. It also allows pedestrians to gain access to Penny Drive and the Sand Point Way sidewalk and cycle track which lead to the Burke Gilman Trail connection.  

The construction will take up to four weeks because we must first relocate plant material, then do some minor excavation work which entails digging the pathway down far enough to put in a new base of compacted soil and a drain along side the pathway. Then the path will be paved and landscaped.  

The new path will look much like the landscaped buffer that’s there now. The intent is to plant back enough for the hospital to not be visible at any point on the public sidewalk. 

The old path will be planted solid like the rest of the landscape buffer. Three shrubs will be reused from the current path, however much of what is being taken out is dead or not survivable. 

The only temporary impacts will be a truck or two occasionally on the street side and some noise during the day.

About 135 plants of about 18 different species will be planted according to the plant list sent to the Laurelhurst Blog by a Seneca Group representative, overseeing the project. Other than the 3 relocated plants, the rest will be new, and many of the plants will come from the Hospital plant nursery and only a few plants may need to be purchased.

For more information go here.  For questions or concerns, email construction@seattlechildrens.org.

 

 

 

All About The Electronic Traffic Board Near Safeway On NE 45th Street

 



The Laurelhurst Blog has received inquiries about the electronic traffic board, called a Dynamic Message Sign (DMS), located in the middle of NE 45th Street facing southbound,, near Safeway. 
 
As the Laurelhurst Blog reported in April 2013, the DMS is part of Children's Hospital's Livable Streets Initiative., required by the City of Seattle as part of the mitigation of the Major Institution Master Plan, in which Children's is required to contribute nearly $4 million on transportation improvements in NE Seattle. 
 
The main purpose of the sign is to alert drivers about incidents, events, and closures 

and reduce congestion by allowing drivers to avoid traffic jams and openings of the Montlake Bridge and choose the best route by displaying both Montlake Boulevard travel time and Montlake bridge status.

Specific travel times are posted using information from traffic cameras and new traffic detectors were installed along NE 45^th and Montlake Boulevard.  Traffic data is also posted on the City of Seattle Travelers’ Information Map, an online traffic map.
 

Recently SDOT provided additional information about the sign to the Laurelhurst Blog Staff:

Travel times are posted during the AM (5:45 AM to 9AM ) and PM (2:45 PM to 7PM) peak periods. Currently these travel times are only posted in real time and when data is available.   

SDOT will also post on this DMS when there are incidents, special events or construction that may affect traffic, especially on 520 (when we are made aware).  

SDOT doesn't provide eastbound SR 520 travel times on the bridge itself, only travel times on Seattle surface streets.  

Travel times are recorded using WSDOT License Plate Readers (LPRs) and are timed from one point to the next. When these readers don’t have sufficient data collected (i.e. such as when a license plate is tracked at point A and doesn’t show up at point B to complete the tracking) then the travel times can’t be calculated and thus, are not posted.  

Incidents that occur on state routes such as SR 520 are monitored by WSDOT. If WSDOT notifies us of blocking incidents on SR 520, we will put up messaging accordingly.  

Besides the 520 Ramp travel times, the only other existing travel time provided is to I-5 via NE 45^th Street. These were selected based on availability of the LPRs provided by WSDOT.  The DMS does provide travel times to the SR 520 ramps.

The Blog received several comments from commuters:

Do you know why the giant electronic reader board on NE 45th near Safeway rarely gives actual traffic info? I often travel to UW Medical Center and when Montlake is slow it would be very helpful to know if NE 45th is also slow. Do you know who is in charge of it or puts info up?

This is one of my hot buttons. The message sign  by Safeway is among the biggest jokes and wastes of taxpayer money ever.  It is another example of the City spending money foolishly.  It serves very little purpose and often is not active during bad traffic.  

The sign doesn't help when traveling southbound on 25th Avenue NE, because by the time you get to NE 45th Street, drives are already caught in the back-up with no way to get on another route SDOT traffic cams are not helpful either, such as the one southbound on the NE 45th overpass, as well as having its view blocked by trees and the pedestrian overpass from the UW E6 parking lot. When it appears that Montlake is clear, once past the UW E6 parking lot there could be a back-up.  Also we wish there was a better notification system for Ship Canal bridge openings, unless you listen to the NOAA radio, otherwise it's very long delays. 

I don't believe that the sign is a waste of taxpayer money.  I only wish that it was active more often. I commute into the UW on Montlake and, when the sign is active (I'd say about 50% of the time during my morning commute), it almost always provides me with useful information. For folks heading to UW Medical Center or the University, there are several alternate routes to take if Montlake is swamped. My young son, also appreciates spending a few fewer minutes stuck in traffic when we can make informed decisions.

 

 

 

New Proposed Hospital Entrance On Narrow 40th Avenue NE Draws Serious Safety And Traffic Flow Concerns

Last month, the SAC (Standing Advisory Committee), made up of representatives of Children’s  and Hospital and City representatives held a meeting on  issues related to the design and construction of new buildings and other projects under the City approved Children’s Hospital Major Institution Master Plan.

The meeting focused on the design of upcoming construction of the 293,000 sq.ft building, named the Forest B Building, which will be located on the existing surface parking lot at an angle to Building Hope, recently completed. 

The front entrance will be on the narrower street, 40th Avenue NE instead of Sand Point Way, of which SAC members brought up their concerns.

Three floors of parking (241 stalls) will be added under the new building. The helistop will move to Building Hope temporarily and then to the roof of the new building.

The Laurelhurst Community Club (LCC) published this information in their recent newsletter:

New Children’s Hospital’s  Parking and Entrance Proposals

Seattle Children’s Hospital’s proposed Forest Building B, slated for construction 2017-2019, will add 293,000 square feet. This is allowable under their current Major Institution Master Plan and its phasing.

However, plans for a new underground garage and a shift of the hospital’s main entrance, both accessed from 40th Avenue NE, present serious concerns. Page 10 of the Design Guidelines under “Parking and Vehicle Access,” addresses entrances in the MIMP.

Neighbors and the Standing Advisory Committee already have noted that relocating the main entrance from Sand Point Way to 40th Avenue NE is of major concern. Backups already occur both on this short street and at the NE 45th Street stop light when buses and shuttles turn in either direction off/onto 40th Avenue NE. This street often queues up throughout the day, and can require several light cycles to crossing through it.

SCH Phase 2 proposes to add more cars from the new parking garage entrance/exit, exacerbating the existing tight conditions. In addition to patient drop offs, extra delivery trucks will supply the relocated cafeteria.

All of these new entrances/exits for additional functions would impact the capacity and efficiency of 40th Avenue NE for all other users. This street was originally designed as a residential street along the now-demolished Laurelon Terrace condominiums.

40th Avenue NE has a capacity about the length of 12 vehicles. It is already heavily used by SCH for access to: the main Emergency entrance for patients and ambulances, an ED parking lot, primary truck deliveries, and the SCH employee shuttle system.

Sandwiched between Sand Point Way NE and NE 45th Street., 40th Avenue NE, is a main access street to Laurelhurst Elementary and Villa Academy students, staff, and faculty. This short street also serves the residential neighborhood as a major crossing to the Fire Station on 40th Avenue NE /NE 55th Street, access to the northeast businesses (such as the Metropolitan Market), and is controlled by a long stoplight.

The corner intersections are also very dangerous points for pedestrians and bicyclists. Vehicular traffic is coming fast down the steep NE 45th St. hill, as well as along 40th Avenue NE off Sand Point Way NE.

LCC had voiced concerns about the safety of the intersection of 40th Avenue NE and NE 45th Street before the Master Plan was approved. LCC had met with both SDOT and SCH to discuss the intersection in the planning process of the first phase.

LCC’s Settlement Agreement with SCH (before the Major Institution Master Plan) required SCH to avoid excess use of 40th Avenue NE.

Looking from a wider perspective, LCC is concerned about the cumulative effects of traffic volume and congestion on the neighborhood’s transportation needs and its access to major roads and highways. The neighborhood is essentially surrounded by Sand Point Way NE / NE 45th Street and Montlake Boulevard. The ability to move along these routes is essential.

Those additional impacts on transportation include:

• The University of Washington’s 20-year expansion plan of 12.9 million new square feet. Student/faculty/staff are expected to increase by 20 percent over the next 20 years.
• The University District Upzone, which could triple the U-District population over the next 20 years.
• The planned University Village expansion, which will bring increased numbers of shoppers and diners to an already busy area.

All of this projected growth will have a cumulative effect on traffic through Montlake Boulevard, Pacific Avenue, 25th Avenue NE, NE 45th Street, Sand Point Way, and the surrounding streets. 

LCC wants a new, comprehensive traffic study – including all of the projected growth along this corridor over the next 10 to 20 years – conducted by Seattle Children’s Hospital and the Seattle Department of Transportation. The study should be done as soon as possible so that new data are available before considering the addition of more vehicular traffic on 40th Avenue NE, as proposed.

To support the new services offered by SCH in Phase 2, better transportation access for patients, families, medical professionals, and staff need to be addressed, along with the requirement to preserve access for adjacent neighborhoods and local businesses in Laurelhurst and Bryant.

Seattle Children’s Hospital will present its plan to the Laurelhurst Community in January. Details of the meeting date and time will be announced in the Laurelhurst Blog and through LCC’s Constant Contact network.

To comment now on SCH Phase 2 plans or impact concerns, please email: todd.johnson@seattlechlidrens.org, with a cc to schcomments@gmail.com. 

Bike Fair At Children's On Saturday Celebrating Phase 1 Projects Of Livable Streets Initiative

 

On Saturday from 10-2pm, Children's Hospital is having a bike fair and Livable Streets Celebration of the completion of the Phase 1 neighborhood projects.

The Livable Streets Initiative, is a mitigation plan and collaborative study completed in 2009-2010 involving Children's Hospital, Laurelhurst Community Club (LCC) and other NE Seattle neighborhoods

In March a new signal at Sand Point Way and 52nd Avenue NE was Project number 7 as part of the Livable Streets Initiative, included in the Major Institutions Master Plan, which is a 20 year plan for improving bike/pedestrian connectivity throughout Northeast Seattle.  The goal of the initiative is to "create projects to improve safety, health, flow of transportation and livability around the hospital," their website says.

Some of the other improvements noted on the hospital website include crosswalk improvements at 40th Avenue NE and NE 52nd Streets, the Cycle Track on Sand Point Way, the Greenway on 39th Avenue NE, and the recently completed connection to the Burke Gilman Trail behind the Hartman Building (old Sandpoint Pediatrics location) on Sand Point Way.

The website says:

The new link between the Burke-Gilman Trail and Seattle Children’s is open next to the Hartmann Building on Sand Point Way. The link is direct, beautiful and – best of all – it’s safe for bikers, walkers, skateboarders and everyone else who uses the trail.

If you haven’t used the trail in the past, this is a great opportunity to check it out. Take a lunchtime walk on the trail, picnic at a bench or post a message the community message board at the trailhead on Sand Point Way. 

With the trail link complete, Children’s has finished all the projects in Phase 1 of our Livable Streets Initiative, which aims to make the neighborhood a better place to bike and walk for people of all ages and abilities. 

 

"Taken together these improvements make it safer and more convenient to families and people of all ages to connect to parks, schools, bus lines, and opportunities to exercise." the website says.

Paulo told us a few months ago:

With the completion of this project and the access ramp to the Burke-Gilman Trail at the Hartman Building, we will have completed all of the phase one Livable Streets Initiative projects. The Initiative is intended to follow all phases of hospital expansion until the 2030 Master Plan is completed. When a new phase of development is approved, the LSI will pick up again with addition funds and new projects.

Some of the activities at the Open House will be:

• Bike to School Awards presented by Cascade Bicycle Club

• Walk and ride the newly completed connection to the Burke Gilman Trail

• Walk and bike tours of the Greenway and improved connections

• Bike rodeo for kids

• Free helmet and fittings for kids

• Food

 

Parking is available in Lot 1 off of Penny Drive.

For more about the Livibale Street Initiatieve go here or email LivableStreets@SeattleChildrens.org.

New Sand Point Way Signal Crossing Now Activated At 52nd Avenue NE



new signal at Sand Point Way and 52nd Avenue NE



 

 

The new signal at Sand Point Way and 52nd Avenue NE is now operational, Paul Elliott with the 

Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) told us.

 

Last week drivers may have noticed that the signal was put into a testing flash mode, with flashing yellow on both streets, which also helps introduce motorists to the presence of the light, Paul said.

Construction on the light began late last year which included demolition, grading and site preparation followed by framing, concerte pouring and finish work.

 

The signal is part of Children's Hospital's traffic mitigation plan called the Livable Streets Initiative, included in the Major Institutions Master Plan, which is a 20 year plan for improving bike/pedestrian connectivity throughout Northeast Seattle.  The goal of the initiative is to "create projects to improve safety, health, flow of transportation and livability around the hospital," their website says.
 
The signal is project number 7 of the Livable Street Initiative, Paulo Nunes-Ueno, Children's Director of Transportation and Sustainability, told us. He added that the project "was identified from community input in 2010 and paid for with a combination of Seattle Children’s Livable Streets funds and Neighborhood Matching Grant Funds.  
 
Paulo added:

With the completion of this project and the access ramp to the Burke-Gilman Trail at the Hartman Building, we will have completed all of the phase one Livable Streets Initiative projects. The Initiative is intended to follow all phases of hospital expansion until the 2030 Master Plan is completed. When a new phase of development is approved, the LSI will pick up again with addition funds and new projects.

Cary, a Laurelhurst resident who worked on the project, told us the original recommendation for a crossing at this location came from the Sand Point Way Pedestrian Study and was requested by LCC and the NE District Council who participated in the original study.

"Adding a crossing signal will allow transit riders, pedestrians and cyclists a safer crossing. It also serves as a safe route to Laurelhurst Elementary school and access to the Burke Gilman Trail.," Cary told us.

 

NE 50^th Street was not deemed a good candidate for a signalized control because of its proximity to the Penny Drive signal.
 

For more information go here or email LivableStreets@SeattleChildrens.org.

 

 

View And Give Input On Proposed Burke-Gilman Connection Trail Options From Behind Hartmann Building



Children's Hospital has just posted 2 options (one pictured above) for a new trail link that will provide access to the Burke-Gilman from the  Hartmann property where Sand Point Pediatrics is located. 

Ideas and comments for the new trail connection were collected at an open house last month for the new connection and as we posted about yesterday the options will be shown and discussed at tomorrow's open house in Gould Hall at the University of Washington from 10-2pm..

Children's is required to build the connection in adherence to the Master Plan adopted by the City Council in 2010. The trail should be complete by late this year.

All ages are welcome and kids’ activities will be provided, including free bike helmets with complimentary fitting and free kids bike safety inspections.

The new connection will:

• provide ADA access to new Sand Point intersection at 40th Avenue NE
• remove diseased trees with new native trees
• remove invasive non-native species from the property (public and that owned by the Hospital)
• provide ongoing maintenance of Hartmann building connection with the trail (currently maintained by Friends of Burke-Gilman Trail)

Go here for more information on the Livable Streets Project.