Welcome to Our Town, West Seattle.

This group exists to connect people in the West Seattle community and beyond who are concerned about the quality of life we have come to enjoy in West Seattle.

The impetus to create this group is the proposed redevelopment at the intersection of California Ave. SW and SW Charlestown. The site currently is home to the Charlestown Cafe, a beloved neighborhood institution. The property owner, in conjuction with a developer and national pet store retailer, have proposed to replace the Charlestown Cafe with a large, single-story commercial building with a surface parking lot.

To be clear, this group is not "anti-development". The only thing we're sure of, in fact, is that things will change. Change can bring positive, beneficial things to a community, like new opportunities for neighborhood-scale retail and new housing options. The proposed project, however, doesn't accomplish either of those things.

We don't want to see the Charlestown Cafe go, and we definitely don't want it to be replaced with a large, national retailer in a big concrete box who may not bring the same level of community spirit to our neighborhood. There are several ways our community can respond to this proposed redevelopment, from writing letters to the owner and developer, to voicing our opinion of the situation, to just getting out and getting involved!

Check back often to see the latest news about this project. Check the "Files" section for important documents and notices. Sign up to receive emails sent to the group. It is within our power, as involved neighbors, to work for positive change in our community. After all...

This is our town, West Seattle.