Madison Park: If fences make good neighbors, what happens when you take one down?
The affluent Seattle neighborhood is embroiled in a controversy over whether to remove a chain-link barrier on the lake shore in a public park.
Seattle Parks and Recreation Department
In some ways, Madison Park is the ideal Seattle neighborhood: a vibrant little business district, a great beach and park, the best Starbucks in Seattle designed to please Howard Schultz, who lives nearby. There is a great little grocery store (Bert's) and a family-owned hardware store that sells everything from nuts and bolts to toys. Emmett Watson, who once lived in Madison Park (he once lived in every neighborhood in Seattle) called it the "pentagon for housing, ordinance, supplies and information." It has also great pubs and restaurants with outdoor seating near the lake.
It was designed as a streetcar resort town, a pleasure place where turn-of-the-century Seattleites vacationed by the lake, danced in the gazebo. It still is in summer: the bus brings hordes from Capitol Hill and elsewhere to the bathing beach, which seems neatly and naturally ordered into gay, singles, and family sections. People shop the shops, sit in the cafes, get ice cream from a family-owned ice cream shop.
In some ways, the place is almost to good to be true. There's a lot of money here. Before the bust, bungalows — and Madison Park is bungalow-rich — sold for up to a million dollars, and many were torn down for what I call "bungvillas," remodeled single-family homes that went multi-story to get top-floor views of the lake. Much of the housing stock is modest, except in price. A bit like Alki, the beach burb has grown up, and there's an ebb and flow of locals and seasonal visitors, outsiders and people settled here.
I say settled because, even though there is a transient population of tourists and renters, many residents are older retirees for whom this is the last stop. The final condo, the digs at the high-rise assisted living luxury of Park Shore. There are lots of affluent old people with lots of time for the Tennis Club and cafe-lounging. The archetypes seem to be tiny, birdlike former society matrons with walkers and paid companions, or white-haired men with glasses and polo shirts who look like retired doctors or dentists counting the days until they can get back to Sun Valley.
Madison Park feels like a wealthy village that can afford to have the old neighborhood amenities that all neighborhoods used to have. It has other privileges, too. One is free street parking, an abundance of it (save for the peak of summer). Another are the condo complexes that were built out over Lake Washington before they were outlawed for shoreline protection. Madison Park could easily have become a kind of damp mini Palm Beach. Those units, with fabulous, unobstructed views virtually surrounded by water, are pricey and desirable. Such a lifestyle has always been part of the place: early on, low-budget Seattleites camped on the shore or built summer houseboats of wood and canvas.
One odd thing I've noticed in the five or so years I've lived here. The line that comes to mind is: "What if they gave a walkable neighborhood and nobody came?" I live in an apartment complex that's a half-mile walk from the business district, an easy walk and even easier bus ride. Madison Valley is only a mile and a half away. And yes, there are joggers and dog walkers, but in Madison Park proper, I'm often surprised at how empty the streets are. The business district grows quiet early in the evening: this is not Mayor Mike McGinn's 24-hour city. On the residential streets, you rarely run into anyone. I often walk the whole half mile to Burt's past the tidy yards and bungvillas and will not pass anyone else. Whatever urban buzz there is doesn't get beyond the business district even during the summer. Despite its high-rises and apartments, the feel is very Kirkland, but with much less going on. Another urban enclave it reminds me of: the Marina district in San Francisco with its wide, mostly people-less residential streets.
That's easy to love, in its old Seattle kind of way. Especially in the fall with early darkness, blowing leaves, quiet homes buttoned up for the night, and just you. But there's a side to Madison Park that is pretty unpleasant. If wealth and the adaptation of old Seattle institutions into upscale amenities is part of the charm, there's also a lot of entitlement in the air. There seem to be a large number of SUVs and drivers who are loath to share the road, and too many designer dogs wearing designer outfits.
Some people also believe they have a right to a sense of exclusivity here. That is manifest in the latest neighborhood controversy. There's a small public park along 43rd Avenue East, which follows the lake shore north and south at Lake Washington's edge, just north of the Madison Park beach and business district. It is a kind of pocket park, off the beaten track a bit, though it's right on a bus line (Route 11). There's not much there, mostly lawn, a swing set, some plantings. It is just about the only stretch of public lakefront in Seattle that is fenced off: a chain link barrier covered in blackberry vines blocks access to the water.
The park is set between two of the now-banned condo developments built out over the lake. The swatch of land is valued because it gives unobstructed views of the lake: no one's going to block your view on that public property. As a result, single-family homes have disappeared across the street from it and small, expensive, multi-million-dollar condos have popped up. You can see the lake, the Cascades, and lights of 520. It's a very pretty view of the lake from across the street or out on the private piers.
The fence first went up in the 1940s, not long after a child drowned nearby. The Parks Department wants to take it down. Many of the neighbors object. Some cite safety reasons: children might topple off the rip-rap. The water can get rough in there, as waves driven by the winds rebound from 520's south side and slosh around in the gap between the condos. A recent meeting of the parks board to take public comment drew many Madison Park speakers who opposed removing the fence. While some expressed the worries about safety, other concerns were that taking it down would attract more people. One resident frankly stated that she didn't want just anyone coming to the neighborhood, which would make it like any other Seattle neighborhood. She wanted Madison Park to retain its exclusivity. She gets points for honesty, at least.
Others worried about the property values going down if the park became popular, still others worried about the disappearance in the high season of street parking, another worried that the park was on a "dead end" street (it's not), but the implication seemed to be that trouble would collect in a kind of cul de sac. One of those speaking at the meeting seemed to feel the need to clarify that she was talking about rip-rap, not riff-raff, but just the fact that she brought that up made it uncomfortably clear that part of what is giving this debate its charge is what the fence means about Madison Park: it symbolizes embattled privilege.
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Comments:
Posted Mon, Nov 14, 7:41 a.m. Inappropriate
Never trust a neighborhood that can't support a bookstore or a library
Posted Mon, Nov 14, 8:04 a.m. Inappropriate
It is difficult to find many of the street ends/beaches/pocket parks along Lake Washington as the entitled neighbours try to create plant barriers so that us non-residents are discouraged from venturing down what, at first glance, appear to be driveways. And, while McGilvra Elementary is a public school, over the years many of its parents have treated it as a private school successfully opposing changes that many other elementaries were required to make. Entitlement knows no bounds.
Posted Mon, Nov 14, 8:29 a.m. Inappropriate
I'm thinking of some new locations for the Occupy movement to hang out.
Posted Mon, Nov 14, 8:55 a.m. Inappropriate
I agree with you about how unfortunate it is that park is closed and I think you might have spoken a lot more bluntly about the political and human dynamics. I was the City's very first staffer to work on Shoreline Management -- we are talking1971 -- and I remember suggesting that the park was underused and should be opened up etc etc. The response from my superiors was of rolling of the eyes.
But as to walking around Madison Park -- I lived there for about 15 years and my recollection is that the streets were full of walkers and jiggers. So surprised to hear you suggest otherwise. Further, while Madison Park is not a 24- hour city, it can't be. Seattle simply diesn't have the numbers of people to support a 24-hour city even in the heart of the Seattle CBD. In fact I believe that the 24-hour bit has been dropped and the meme is "18-hour" city (and we'll be lucky to get that unless we have better policing.)
Posted Mon, Nov 14, 9:12 a.m. Inappropriate
the fences between social classes are built from the inside out. tearing down the physical fence won't change that.
"...because they had stars, all the Star-bellied Sneetches
would brag, "We're the best kind of Sneetch on the beaches."
With their snoots in the air, they would sniff and they'd snort, "
We'll have nothing to do with the plain-bellied sort."
The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss
Posted Mon, Nov 14, 9:29 a.m. Inappropriate
Not as unbalanced of a piece as I would expect from someone who so obviously telegraphs his liberal views - many of which I share. But the lack of walkers/joggers was either an obligatory jab to please the bike crowd who will be happy to poke Madison Park or Mr. Berger is walking in the dead of night. I live 3 blocks from retail core and my sidewalks see bikes, strollers, dogs, joggers,etc. non-stop throughout the day, year round. It is one of the things that makes Madison Park a great place to live.
Posted Mon, Nov 14, 10:18 a.m. Inappropriate
The history of pocket parks on Lake Washington is important, most notably in my memory, the String of Pearls project by civic Leschians. I volunteered for a cleanup of one of those, only to have a rather large boulder thrown at me provocatively by an upset member of the 1%.
There's also that small, unnamed park on Lake Washington Blvd at 36th or 37th, the Madrona/Madison Park Boundary - the perfect place to 'occupy' the memory of Kurt Cobain...
Posted Mon, Nov 14, 4:45 p.m. Inappropriate
Walk, bike or drive about two miles south of Madison Park and you'll find the epitomy of a great beach front Seattle park; Madrona Park. The wealthy, middle class, and everyone else of every race, creed, and color mingle for swimming, sun baking, dog walking, jogging, etc. in a rich muddle of life. As a close nearby resident I can attest to the summer afternoon and evening joy experessed by all that humanity within a neighborhood thankful for such a gem and with only a rare comaplaint about after hours noise.
Posted Mon, Nov 14, 5:25 p.m. Inappropriate
Similar history with the MOHAI and the Shelby-Hamlin and Montlake neighborhoods who have wanted to kick the museum out for decades. It attracted too many outsiders to the area. How fortunate that part of the current termination plan for 520 was also a fait accompli for this problem.
Posted Wed, Nov 16, 12:06 a.m. Inappropriate
'Exclusivity' does not keep people from wanting to walk. Being elderly does. Having children you are running from one activity to the next does. Having a recession means people may be walking - just not to the shops and restaurants.
If you build a 'walkable' neighborhood, and you don't see people walking 24/7, that's because, in a true neighborhood, people are living a normal life, and not out for a stroll because their dinky apartment gives no outdoor space.
Posted Wed, Nov 16, 9:13 p.m. Inappropriate
Douglas: Are you speaking of Viretta Park? It's between 39th Avenue E. and Lake Washington Boulevard E., at the foot of E. John Street. It's directly south of Kurt Cobain's old house. As I recall, Howard Schultz, who lived on the 39th Avenue side of the park, had his driveway partially on park property.
Posted Sat, Nov 19, 5:14 p.m. Inappropriate
The fence should be torn down, the blackberries removed. But let's be real: the park does not offer a safe swimming beach, with sharp boulders (the rip rap) and choppy waters. Unlikely the city could or would spring for creating a swimming beach and staffing the park with lifeguards.
So what to do? Create the ammenity (an overlook deck, akin to the viewing platforms on Foster and Marsh Islands?, a kayak pull out?, a fishing pier?) and hope that people are civil and safe? Hope that buzzed high school kids don't climb over the rocks on a warm summer night and fall and crack their heads?
Unfortunately, a small minority behave in public places as if they are the only ones who matter. Exhibit A: the little beach park south of Madison Park that has become the summer hangout of seemingly unemployed middle-aged men who insist on their right to not wear clothing in public parks. Although very near my house, I gave up going there a couple of summers ago after years of trying to be big-hearted, open-minded and gracious. It just got too nasty, the naked men too rude and militant, and my kids, our babysitters, relatives and neighbors now avoid the park in the summer like the plague.
Our civic challenge: let's get rid of the rip rap, but please, can the "riff raff" please TRY to be a little more considerate? Let's try this: if you wouldn't want your mom to see you do it, then maybe you shouldn't do it in a public park. Then perhaps the denizens of Madison Park wouldn't be so nervous.
Posted Sun, Nov 20, 3:32 p.m. Inappropriate
There's certainly more to public shoreline than swimming, as the entirety of our Puget Sound/Elliott Bay waterfront demonstrates. Personally, I don't think there needs to be a swimming beach there. But I would like to be able to get closer to the water. A deck, a pullout, a pier — all good ideas. I don't think opening it up is likely to lead to more incidents.
Posted Thu, Nov 24, 10:18 a.m. Inappropriate
Skip,
Thanks for the thoughtful column. I would uge folks to email the Park Board in support of removing the fence from this park.
Emails should be sent to: sandy.brooks@seattle.gov. Deadline for public comment is next Friday, Dec. 2nd. The Park Board is expected to vote on this at their Dec. 8th meeting.
Keep up the fight for Seattle's parks to be open and inviting to ALL of Seattle's citizens. Happy Thanksgiving
-Kenan Block
Posted Mon, Nov 28, 4:42 p.m. Inappropriate
I have lived in Madison Park for 25 years, and agree that it's residents can seem smug and insular. I just believe that copping an attitude about that attitude has no place in the discussion of whether or not to tear down the fence that runs between Swing Set Park and the water.
The park as it exists is not "closed" to the public or in any way secret: it is there for anyone who wants to be on the water and enjoy the views. The fact that it doesn't offer a bathing beach seems a pretty lame litmus test for whether it qualifies as a public park, especially since there are already two bathing beaches within 2.5 miles. (Maybe there could be a park for those of us who aren't so lovely to look at in a bathing suit anymore!)
I have suggested in testimony to the Parks Board that a plan that provides access to the water via a child-proof opening onto the shore would accomplish the goal of the kayak-launchers while keeping the park a safe place for children.
This doesn't have to be an "Us vs. Them" win/lose confrontation. We're all people trying our best to live humanely in an increasingly dense urban area.
Posted Mon, Nov 28, 6:08 p.m. Inappropriate
Concerning Knute’s piece and its corresponding comments.
The comments were less outrageous than an earlier writing in the Stranger. Too often, they were without a clear understanding of the neighborhood or of the nature of this park.
It is a large open stretch of grass/play area. It is sandwiched between Lake Washington and 43rd. Avenue East. It has a swing set and benches to sit and take in the water views for the Seattle public.
Its grassy hillside in the summer hosts sunbathers and family BBQ’s. With its removal would come much more piece and quite. The screaming kids and their yelling coaches would be gone. As would be gone the fence that is an eyesore for everyone. Left would still be the great breath of space it provides to us here on the water. Moreover, without the ugly fence that may improve OUR property values.
However, taking down the ugly, eyesore of a fence does not expand its use. It does just the opposite. Know that the neighbors very much support keeping the long fence so that the park is an active and well use amenity to Seattle’s waterfront.
Kenan Block, a neighbor, “made an impassioned, rational appeal for reminding Madison Park that this park was public, for everyone's use. Seattle's waterfront neighborhoods sometimes need this reminder. The fight for getting Seattle's street-ends — the "string of pearls" — back into public access was considerable, and there are some gems (somewhat hidden) in Madison Park. He is right about both parks, which are different from each other in their nature and character; they are only similar in their proximity to the water.
He is right that, “But Madison Park is also a place —and many people get this — that ought to be shared, both for its benefits and on principle. Its public places like this park have more potential for legitimate uses.”
However, he is wrong about this park and his notice to us, “Madison Park, tear down that wall.”
Posted Mon, Nov 28, 6:50 p.m. Inappropriate
Since I have been a resident of Madison Park and a local taxpayer for over 35 years now I feel I have a reasonable right to weigh in on this topic. I live in Madison Park because it is one of the most wonderful areas of Seattle to live in for all the many reasons other commenters to this post have mentioned. I came to Seattle with nothing and earned my way into the home I live in in Madison Park. Virtually everyone I know in Madison Park earned their right to live here the hard way, by hard work and diligent saving of their earnings to purchase a good home in a good neighborhood in Seattle. I do not see my friends in Madison Park as elitists. They are hardworking fellow citizens.
We contribute to the city with our taxes and our volunteer work. I have not heard one other resident of Madison Park tell me they thought removing the fence at the north Madison Park waterfront was a good idea. The only people who want to change this quiet waterfront area are people from outside the area who could care less about the impact it will have on those of us who live here and who have made Madison Park what it is today for everyone to enjoy. It says a lot that we see threats from the Occupy crowd in this blog. What value have they ever added to anything they have touched? I appreciate the opportunity to express my views in a local journal like yours. Thanks from an old Madison Park resident.
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