Beauty only skin deep

Here we see some typical glue-and-sawdust tenement townhouses going up in the formerly nice neighborhood of Phinney Ridge.  These units will likely be priced in excess of $400K per unit.  Look at that build quality!

Here's an almost-finished tenement block directly across from the west entrance of the Woodland Park Zoo.  The lot is one of the better locations in the city, facing the park and the Zoo on one side, and the Olympics and the Sound off to the west.  It's fair to guess that these will be some of the pricier townhouses in the city.  The builder at least included some windows in his design for once.

Oh no!  We see that even these high-end boxes have a dirty little secret!

"Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return ..."

Car camping cluster on Phinney Ridge

I walk to work from Crown Hill to downtown 3 times a week, a distance of 6.5 to 7 miles, depending on the route.  As a dedicated hiker, I can put up 30+ mile days routinely, it's what I love to do.

In 2006, I noticed a lot of campers and vans parked in the industrial strip off Ballard, the "Free-Lard" region near 8th and south of Market.  Ballard noticed this, and kicked them out.  Now I see a cluster of them on Phinney Ridge:

This is near the north entrance of the zoo, along Phinney Ave.

These vehicles are all inhabited, and clustered close together.  Of course, there is plenty of broken glass in the parking areas nearby.  I'm not saying that these people are breaking into cars, but I wouldn't put it past them.

The camping clusters in Ballard were eventually broken up because of the drug use and crime that accompanied them.  Concerned citizens and residents of Phinney Ridge would do well to do the same.  Send them to Portland!

Phinney Ridge goes downhill

What is the matter with Phinney Ridge?  I had thought it was a nice neighborhood, with real craftsman SFHs, decent shops, good bars.  The new housing up there is horrid!

Let's start with the Fini condos.  This is what they deem worthy to sit on the top of the ridge.  This faux-facade cutesy neighborhood look makes me think of Celebration, FL.  "Oooh, is this what cities look like?"

Continuing south, in what should be a nice neighborhood, we find some more townhouses.  Same standard design.  Did someone publish the design for these things in Popular Science as a gift to the world?  Same design, but with different finishes outside and in.  That's what differentiates them.  So what is the name for this disaster?  "Lukewarm Ovaltine"?

The rocks above the sidewalk signify that these are highly refined, dignified townhouses, well worth the money.  Remember, townhouses are made for people who can't afford condo dues.

The tour is not over yet.  Remember, same design, different finishes.  I ask, if there is a God who loves us, why does he allow this to exist? 

All units are for sale!  You can have the privilege of living in townhouse luxury in one of Seattle's better neighborhoods.

The use of slate tiles for exterior decoration will be like 1970s avocado linoleum or wood panelling.  It seemed like a good idea at the time, now we're just so embarrassed by it all.