Bicyle Sunday 2012 has started and will continue through the summer. Sponsored by Seattle Parks and Recreation and the Cascade Bicycle Club, Lake Washington Boulevard will be closed to automobiles from 10 AM to 6 PM on several Sundays through September. Bicycle or walk along Lake Washington Boulevard South from Mount Baker Beach to Seward Park.
| Dates: |
| May 6, 13, 20 |
| June 3, 24 |
| July 1, 8, 15 |
| August 12,26 |
| September 2, 23 |
The Atlantic neighborhood in Seattle, nestled in between Beacon Hill and Mt Baker is gaining popularity with younger home buyers and renters in recent months due to it’s convenient location, and up and coming amenities. 
Not even five years ago, we remember when this neighborhood was experiencing mass redevelopment and construction of the 2nd I-90 bridge, leaving the Atlantic area is rubble, covered in a film of dirt. Left in the midst was abandoned housing, sky high dirt mounds and 23rd Ave S was closed to traffic. Today the neighborhood is home to trendy bars and restaurants like Dallas BBQ Soul Food & Catering and Farestart Cafe, has a light rail stop, is in close proximity to downtown and the Eastside, and has several trails for bikers and runners; even has it’s own dog park! The neighborhood started looking promising to buyers and renters a decade ago and today affordable pricing plays a huge role in the deciding factor. According to the Seattle Times, in February this year the median value of all single family homes was estimated at $284,200, down 2.2% from the previous year. The median cost of rent in the neighborhood for a single family home was estimated at $1,674/mo, while apartments were estimated at $1,521/mo; up from the previous year, but significantly less than other areas around the city. If you’d like more information on for sale listings around the area visit Ewing & Clark, and find rentals around the neighborhood here.
The Easter Bunny has been heavily sought out, and spotted at several locations around Seattle, such as the Westfield Mall, Northgate Mall, Bellevue Square, and even Yuen Lui! Spring has finally snuck up on us, and with the beginning of the season comes a heavy influx of pastel cardigans, and alot of tooth aches from too much jelly beans, and impulse cadbury egg purchases. We all love watching the little ones run around filling up their baskets with eggs on a wild goose chase, but here is a hand full of activities for the whole family to partake this Easter weekend. 
Snohomish Easter Parade
The Parade kicks off at 11am, with ample time for church goers to stop by on their way home.
Egg Hunt at Woodland Park Zoo’s Bunny Bounce
9:30-2pm, Along with the egg hunt, there will be Easter arts & crafts, events are free with Zoo admission, or membership. Guests can also watch zoo animals receive their own Easter basket of treats!
West Coast swingers will be flocking to the spring Easter swing dance event this weekend, filled with dancing, $20,000 in prizes, and private lessons!
A Seattle Times editorial heavily criticizes Mt Baker Neighborhood’s State House Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos (Democrat) while praising Mount Baker’s State House Representative Eric Pettigrew (Democrat) for their stances on how to fix the state’s school system. The Seattle Times editorial said Santos along with her counterpart in the State Senate blocked even a vote on educational reform involving both teacher evaluations and charter schools.
In stopping the votes, Santos was at odds with Pettigrew who shares her Seattle district which includes Mt Baker, Seward Park, and other Seattle neighborhoods. Pettigrew wrote a bill to add limited charter schools to the state, but it never came up for a vote even after Pettigrew spoke at a house hearing about his academic struggles while growing up with a single parent and going to school in South Central L.A.
If you have an opinion on this matter, you can click on the links above to either Santos’ or Pettigrew’s bios. Once on either of their bios you can click “email” and after adding your Mount Baker (or surrounding Seattle neighborhood) address you can contact your Representative. If you check the box on your email then it will go to all three of your State Representatives.
According to King 5, a body was found floating in Lake Washington Tuesday morning off the dock in the 2300 block of Lake Washington Boulevard South in the Mount Baker neighborhood. The only dock that it could be is the public dock at the Mount Baker Beach at the bottom of Coleman Park and Mount Baker Park. There is no information other than the body was of an adult male. Seattle Police are actively investigating the death.
A student was arrested for bringing a BB gun to Franklin High School. A Seattle police officer was flagged down by a person on the 3000 block of Mt Baker Boulevard. The officer found the student, but the teen ran into the school and got away until the officer was able to identify him by his yearbook photo. The student was found in class. When confronted the student lead the officer to the BB gun that he hid in the trash. The boy was booked into the Youth Services Center for investigation of bringing a dangerous weapon to school.
Nordstrom is experimenting with same day delivery to several Seattle neighborhoods including Mount Baker and Seward Park. If you order an item by noon and the item is in stock, Nordstrom will have it to your Mount Baker or Seward Park residence by 6 PM. While there is no minimum purchase, the service does cost $10 which is not too bad when you figure parking at Pacific Place will likely cost $6. The Nordstrom service, which is available 7 days a week, is also being tested in Bellevue and La Jolla, CA.
Mount Baker was the “Neighborhood of the Week” in the Seattle Times Real Estate section in the Sunday paper. It was an interesting article going over things such as the history of Mt Baker, some of Mt Baker past and present residents, the border of the neighborhood (which I would agree with: S. Genesee St. – debatable by some), the values of Mount Baker real estate, the turbulent 60′s and 70′s, and events like Seafair. The article also had pictures of the Mount Baker parks, Mt Baker homes, map of the area, and Mioposto.
The Mt Baker neighborhood will have a Halloween Celebration in Bradner Gardens Park on Sunday, October 30th from 2 to 4 PM. Kids and adults alike are encourage to wear their Halloween costumes and enjoy fun activities including cake, treats and apple press to make juice – bring apples and a container to take home some delicious juice. The annual event is sponsored by the Seattle City park and the Mt Baker Preschool. The Mount Baker park is located at 29th Avenue South and South Grand Street.
There are several other Halloween events in the general area, for example, both Madison Park and Madrona have trick or treating in their business districts on different dates and St Therese has a Halloween Carnival on October 29th.
I came across this article awhile back in the Seattle Times about the local giant trees that would have dwarfed the trees in the Redwood Forest. One of the tallest was reportedly near Mount Baker in Whatcom County. That tree was said to be 465 feet. The tallest living tree is 379 feet (Redwood Forest), while the observation deck at the Space Needle is 520 feet. Amazing we had trees in the area that tall, even if by the other Mount Baker.
Looking to buy or sell a home in Mount Baker? Click link below to contact Kristine Losh.
Kristine Losh
Broker at Ewing & Clark, Inc. – “Ask me about real estate when you see me in the neighborhood!”
