Queen Anne Boulevard: Seattle's Queen Anne Neighborhood Real Estate Blog » Queen Anne Amenities

Winterfest Ice Skating at Seattle Center

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:22:22 +0000

Winterfest Ice Skating at Seattle Center

My daughter decided that for her borthday, she wanted to go ice skating and I told her that there was no where to skate around here. She of course had already done her homework and pointed out that we could ice skate practically under the Space Needle if we wanted to. Seattle Center has Winterfest going on right now and there are lots of events including…ice skating.

From the Seattle Center website:

Winterfest Ice Rink
Nov. 25 – Jan. 1, 2012
Sunday – Thursday, 11am – 8pm
Friday – Saturday, 11am – 10pm
Fisher Pavilion, Prices Vary

Glide into the season with the greatest of ease. For novice or Olympiad ice skaters, the Winterfest Ice Rink offers fun for all. Admission: $7 for adults, $5 for children ages 6– 12, $2 children ages 5 and under. Admission fee includes skate rental. Cash only. Admission is free only to patrons wanting to watch and not ice skate. Special hours: Dec. 24 closes 4pm, Dec. 25 closed, Dec. 31 closes at 11:30pm

Ice Skating at Seattle Center was something indeed! It was especially significant for my daughter who has grown up hearing stories of her great grandparents having their first dates ice skating at the Seattle Center. The Winterfest Ice Skating Rink is a in Fisher Pavilion and very crowded, but a pretty amazing winter experience overall.

Seattle Center is the heart of Seattle local events. It is a great place to explore and a wonderful part of Uptown (Lower Queen Anne). If you are interested in Queen Anne homes or other Seattle neighborhoods that are close by Seattle Center, then let me know and I will show you my favorites!

Good Eating @ 10 Mercer

Brian Olsen — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 04:02:54 +0000

Good Eating @ 10 Mercer
Ten Mercer
10 Mercer Street
Seattle, Washington 98109
telephone 206-691-3723
www.tenmercer.com

Ten Mercer is one of Seattle’s hip venues for dinner & drinks during the Summer months and beyond. Walking distance from Queen Anne and Belltown this ‘World-Class Cuisine Meets Neighborhood Scene’ destination is a must do. Ten Mercer’s proximity to Key Arena’s WNBA Seattle Storm http://www.wnba.com/storm/ basketball games and concerts is perfect. It is also within range from Safeco Field and Century Link Stadium thus offering many folks a place to unwind after an evening out. I walked with friends from the June 2011 U2 Concert at the NFL football stadium to 10 Mercer without a problem. The menu is wonderful. Lobster risotto is rich and rewarding and if that is not the correct combination then the fresh Dungeness Crab Sandwich with cilantro wasabi mayonaisse, red onion, tomato and shoestring fries is a crowd favorite.

I took this photograph from inside the restaurant and upstairs at my table. The second floor is cozy which provides a stunning platform to people watch while experiencing a Pacific Northwest sunset. Queen Anne has Ten Mercer along with so many other fine dining restaurants that the list goes on & on & on. Queen Anne is a great place to work and live!

Queen Anne Farmer’s Market Adds Delight And Color To Thursday!

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 07:20:48 +0000

Queen Anne Farmer’s Market Adds Delight And Color To Thursdays!

QUEEN ANNE AVE & WEST CROCKETT ST :

THURSDAYS 3-7:30

Runs June 2nd – October 6th

The Farmer’s Market on Queen Anne….

Just off Queen Anne Ave in Upper Queen Anne at West Crockett Street is where you can find one of the nicest farmer’s markets in Seattle. The colors are beautiful and the wide range of offerings will truly dazzle you.

In addition to the fresh fruit, veggies, and flowers you would expect to find at a farmer’s market, you will also find many other offerings at the Queen Anne Farmer’s Market.

You also might as well come hungry because some of the best freshly prepared food vendors are there, too!

Finally the weather is cooperating so the Queen Anne Farmer’s Market was an absolute delight to go to tonight!

You can find out more about the Queen Anne Farmer’s Market by visiting their website :

http://www.qafma.org

Queen Anne Living

Queen Anne in general has an excellent Walk Score and the shops and restaurants along Queen Anne Ave make this Seattle neighborhoods a top pick for many people relocating to Seattle from other areas. Add in the close proximity to Downtown Seattle, and Queen Anne Hill is worth a look. After all, Queen Anne was the choice pick for early Seattle business men from the late 1800′s and is still one of the most desirable Seattle neighborhoods.

If you are interested in Queen Anne homes for sale or learning more about Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood, please feel free to get in touch with me – I am happy to show you my favorite Queen Anne hot spots and also the lovely Queen Anne real estate if you find yourself looking for Queen Anne Realtors! (courtney@cooperjacobs.com 206-850-8841)

Queen Anne Seattle Relocation – Basic Overview Of The Queen Anne Neighborhood

Sun, 23 Jan 2011 20:09:15 +0000

Queen Anne Relocation: Looking at moving to Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood?

Let us tell you about one of our favorite Seattle neighborhoods, Queen Anne. Queen Anne hill has a long historic tradition in Seattle and the estates here are filled with lovely Puget Sound views and beautiful city scapes.

Queen Anne Seattle Neighborhood Highlights-

The Queen Anne Neighborhood of Seattle is amazing from all angles – on the North slope there are lovely views of Ballard & Fremont over the canal and the Fremont Sunday Market is practically right there! To the East is Lake Union with houseboats all along Westlake, the Bigelow Ave portion of Queen Anne Boulevard, Downtown Seattle views, and more. In the Southeast, the newer QFC is just one of the factors that make this part of the neighborhood score high on WalkScore (my latest Queen Anne contract in this area has a WalkScore of 94!!!).

In the shadow of the iconic Space Needle, Lower Queen Anne or Uptown is full of restaurants, pubs, and nightlife and has the Seattle Center at its heart. West Queen Anne is perched high above Puget Sound and offers sweeping views of the sound, city, Space Needle, Mount Rainier, and pretty much anything else you want to see as it is one of Seattle’s highest hills. Upper Queen Anne is the true heart of the neighborhood and a stroll or drive along Queen Anne Ave North will show you why. This is the heart of the upper portion of Queen Anne and where you can find all of the offerings from local clubs, restaurants, and merchants. One of my personal favorites is Queen Anne Books.

Historical Queen Anne Homes and More:

Queen Anne is one of the original Seattle neighborhoods settled and the history of it is quite fascinating! A stroll around Queen Anne Boulevard is a great place to start. Old Queen Anne Boulevard is a series of streets that form a loop around the top of Queen Anne – a crown around the top of the hill. Many people don’t know about the Boulevard, but it has been around in one form or another for about a hundred years thanks to the citizens of Queen Anne at the time who pushed for it. Queen Anne Boulevard is Queen Anne’s version of the Green Lake path although it is almost a mile longer at roughly 3.7 miles and shares its surfaces with cars. Look for historical sites on the Boulevard including the Wilcox Wall on the West slope, but also notice that there are some of the city’s best views along the way!

Queen Anne Living:

This neighborhood is so livable! The streets of Queen Anne are connected by a matrix of pedestrian staircases (check out Thomas Horton’s map of them here) and sidewalks which lead to the wide array of neighborhood parks, local grocers and shops, eateries, coffee houses, and more. Transit is thoroughly incorporated into the infrastructure here with bus routes all over the hill. If you are looking for a good no car option, than Queen Anne is definitely one of my top recommendations in Seattle, but obviously, with or without a car, it is one of my favorite Seattle neighborhoods!

The Uptown Closing This Weekend:(

Sat, 27 Nov 2010 22:14:14 +0000

84 years as an anchor to Lower Queen Anne -

Since 1926 this movie theater has been going and I am very sad about it.

Our family has a long history n Queen Anne and I am sure that my childrens great grandparents went on dates here in the early years. I will have to give them a call and see if they want a last call at the Uptown which closes tomorrow 11/28/2010, according to the Seattle Times, although I found the Seattle Times article through the Theatre Historical Society Readerboard site post here: http://theatrehistoricalsociety.wordpress.com/2010/11/27/the-uptown-theater-on-lower-queen-anne-will-be-missed/.

You can read more about them and support this non profit’s 40+ year cause here:

http://www.historictheatres.org/

Backyard Cottages In Seattle

Sun, 27 Jun 2010 03:09:59 +0000

I wrote a blog earlier about Backyard Cottages in Seattle or Detatched Dwelling Units. Since then, I’ve had numerous questions about them.

Whether you are considering a Backyard Cottage on your at least 4,000 square foot lot as a rental property, for an elderly family member, or a grown child you need to know the max square footage the structure can be is 800 sq ft. This includes any carport, attached garage, or storage.

You can decide to go through a contractor and architect or get a panelized or modular fabricated design. Fabricated is the fastest, and designed much like building blocks. Panelized takes a little more time and can be more customized.

It’s no secret adding a Backyard Cottage on your property can add extra monthly income. However there are some costs involved. Here is a link to a handy worksheet that breaks down Hard Costs and Soft Costs. Example of a Hard Cost is demolition or site preparation. A Soft Cost is a mortgage, or fees for utility hookups. Which aren’t cheap, by the way! Seattle City Light recommends separate electricity meters. This will save you way more money in the long run.

Make sure you save room for a parking space for your Backyard Cottage – this is a requirement!

For more information regarding Backyard Cottages and self help steps to diagrams, permits, and more – this site wins, hands down.

Check back frequently to www.cooperjacobs.com for our Backyard Cottage listings in Seattle City Limits.

Queen Anne Boulevard: Buying a Home Along Queen Anne’s Boulevard

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 01:31:40 +0000

Queen Anne Boulevard: Buying a Home Along Queen Anne’s Boulevard. I have been writing about the various highlights along Queen Anne Boulevard on Queen Anne’s crown, but it is amazing how many people I show Queen Anne homes to that have not heard of this 80 plus year old loop around the top of Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood.

Queen Anne Boulevard has been the source for much love and hate through the years and a big part of that involves the fact that very little people moving into the area have even heard of it. It is now largely marked by trees and various signage you might miss if you sneeze, but Queen Anne locals know all about it…hopefully.

The trees are gorgeous, but what do you really need to check for when it is time to buy a home along Queen Anne Boulevard? Buying a Home Along Queen Anne’s Boulevard. It is important to really look at that title report you get when you are buying Queen Anne real estate along the Boulevard so that you know exactly what you are getting. The city condemned sometimes as much as 16 or 17 feet on either side in some places as part of public lands turned over to the parks department. Many Queen Anne residents have gone through the years not knowing that half their front yard is fact not theirs at all. Many Queen Anne home buyers have been quite surprised to find out that they bought a home along a Boulevard they had not heard of and that they don’t own part of their property.

If you are interested in reading more about this great neighborhood, QueenAnneBoulevard.com is a funQueen Anne Blog! Let us know if you have something to post or if you have had an experience with real estate along Queen Anne Boulevard!

Queen Anne Elementary Is The New Name For Old John Hay

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 01:34:19 +0000

Queen Anne Blog: Queen Anne Seattle School Update:

The Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle just had Old John Hay renamed to Queen Anne Elementary as reported by the Seattle Times. According to the Times, Queen Anne Elementary will reopen as an option school. The school originally opened in 1905 and has a long history in the Queen Anne neighborhood. It is one of Seattle’s oldest schools and luckily got some love and care after falling into complete disrepair. Today, it is a gorgeous focal point in the neighborhood – you can find it at 411 Boston St. on Queen Anne Hill.

Want more info on Queen Anne in Seattle?

Queen Anne Blog:

QueenAnneBoulevard.com is a Queen Anne Blog with a focus on real estate and living in the Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle.

Queen Anne Real Estate:

You can find Queen Anne real estate on the Cooper Jacobs website:

Queen Anne View Homes

West Queen Anne Real Estate

East Queen Anne Real Estate

Upper Queen Anne Homes

Lower Queen Anne Real Estate (Uptown)

Seattle’s Missing Ghost Hill: Denny Hill Regrade

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:49:58 +0000

Seattle City of Seven Hills: In the late 1800′s real estate developers decided to make Seattle be the city of seven hills similar to Rome and there have been varying theories through out the years ever since as to what are those seven hills? The fact of the matter is Seattle is full of hills and slopes and steep bluffs, so picking just seven will always be a challenge.

We can probably all agree that Queen Anne Hill, Capitol Hill, and First Hill surely qualify, but Magnolia is pretty high up there, too, and no one ever mentions Maple Leaf which to me is very high… The debate will go on, but one of those hills is lost forever: Denny Hill. In 1900, the city decided to basically eliminate a whole hill which covered 62 city blocks. They did it in two parts, but literally razed the hill.

This can not be good environmentally, I am thinking and I have to wonder what the area North of Pine Street would look like with a big hill covering it…. Today it is part of Old Belltown and South of the Space Needle. The landscape would be quite different if the hill was still around! Here is a view towards Downtown from the South slope of Denny Hill in 1886 (photo courtesy of Seattle Municipal Archives Item # 2869):

Denny Hill height: Look how high that hill must have been! The removed over 6 million cubic yards of earth to get rid of it!

According to NWDA:

“Before the regrade, Second Avenue rose 190 feet in the twelve blocks between Pioneer Square and Lenora Avenue, causing traffic and transportation problems in the area. The project began by flattening First Avenue between Pine Street and Denny Way. “

190 feet???? So Denny Park would have been pretty high and full of Puget Sound and mountain views back then, but instead is a flat park with huge sweeping views of nothing. One man wants to change that: Denny Park plan to restore the view given to Seattle’s first park back to the citizens. It is a little nuts, but he does have a point.

What the heck was the city of Seattle doing? It was apparently a infrastructure nightmare to have this beautiful hill smack dab in the middle of the city so they just got rid of it and dumped the dirt into Elliot Bay or used it to fill in the soggy streets of Downtown Seattle. Wow.

Denny Hill would have sloped right down North practically to the Space Needle if it were still here and might not make the needle rise up so obviously although the space needle height is a little over 600 feet.

The Denny Hill regrade was done in two phases. I found a really cool before and after shot from the second phase which then adds the Space Needle after that to give you an idea. I am still amazed that they would knock Denny Hill down. It was so beautiful!

Besides the fact that the city’s first park was basically lowered to flat acerage with no view, one of the truly most amazing things to me about the city’s decision to raze Denny Hill was the loss of Denny Hotel (later called Washington Hotel). Theodore Roosevelt slept in this hotel and they knocked it down to lower the hill.

This picture shows what was left of Denny Hill at the beginning of the second phase of the regrade in 1928 then after the regrade in 1936 and then again after the addition of the Space Needle to Seattle’s skyline in 1964 (Picture Courtesy of Seattle Municipal Archives item # 28958).

So I went to the SDOT site and found a list of highest elevations in Seattle:

“NAVD88 stands for North American Vertical Datum

High Point above sea level, 6 parcels south of watertower at 35th Ave SW and SW Myrtle Street – 520 feet – NAVD88

Near Bitter Lake, on N 145th St just east of Greenwood Ave – 493 feet – NAVD88

NE 92nd ST and Roosevelt Way NE – 466 feet – NAVD88

Queen Anne Hill, at First Ave N and Lee Street – 456 feet – NAVD88

Highest point in Volunteer Park – 453 feet – NAVD88″

This list is interesting to me – Queen Anne and Capitol Hill seem to dominate here, but I was definitely right about Maple Leaf – it is in there! Let us know if you are interested in learning more about a particular Seattle neighborhood history!

Queen Anne Yesteryears Revisited…

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:53:57 +0000

Yesterday we visited two sets of great grandparents on Bainbridge Island and I got the chance to talk to my husband’s Grandfather about growing up on Queen Anne. It is funny because the two houses he grew up in are on the historic registry and his gandfather’s house is also on the historic registry. Unfortunately, his “Uncle Joe’s” Queen Anne house hadn’t gotten there yet before the disaster when it was knocked down a few years ago on a long holiday weekend to make way for the new buyer’s “new home”. Now it is the the site of a planned townhome community (google the JC Black house sometime if you want to hear more about that one).

West Queen Anne Love: I recently wrote a post on Betty Bowen Viewpoint and was completely drawn to a particular house right across the street. That shouldn’t be too surprising because West Queen Anne is full of gorgeous homes, but this one really brought me in and while I normally would take the time to take a picture of a house so that it looked good on my blog or website, I just snapped a quick photo of this house because I LOVED IT.

I was completely taken in and drawn to this house. I will go ahead and show you the photo I took, but it really doesn’t do the house justice:

It turns out that this very house was my husband’s grandfather’s house when he was 17 and his parents had it built especially for them! I could not believe it!

The house is something like 6 beds and an unheard of 3 car garage in Queen Anne. My husband’s great grandfather had it custom built in 1939-1940 and they moved into it when his grandfather was 17 from their home a few blocks over on West Prospect which they had lived in for the first 17 years of his life. The West Highland house was built for my husband’s great grandfather and mother and the name on the historic registry is the Lyman H & Marion Black Home.

This house on West Highland is only a couple blocks South of my husband’s great great grandfather’s house, the CH Black house on Lee Street which takes up an entire city block. It is also right across the street from Betty Bowen Viewpoint and the West Queen Anne Walls. In listening to my husband’s grandfather’s stories yesterday, he said his dad used to have a light he would switch on in the 1940s whenever couples were hanging out at the Viewpoint for too long after dark. He remembers that his parents would always know he came home safely because he would come in and play Moonlight Sonata at the Grand Piano after a fun night out. He KNEW Betty Bowen!

I had heard the piano story before but it was so amazing to find out that this particular house that I obviously did not photograph for any purpose except that I loved it happened to be the house where all this happened. I also find it amazing that not one, but at least four of their family homes are on the historic registry in family names – even if one other is gone now.

If you are interested in West Queen Anne real estate or other Queen Anne real estate, please feel free to get in touch with me. Queen Anne has a rich history and I would love to share with you some of my favorite spots!