Best Neighborhoods 2009: Recession Proof Nabes
| By Seattle magazine staff |
ShareThis Some Seattle-area residents might just be pinching themselves. Whether they had remarkable foresight or just luck, they bought into neighborhoods with homes that have held their value, even in these tough times. These enclaves, each with tangible and intangible qualities—good schools, excellent freeway access, big views and plain old quality of life—actually showed gains from 2006 through 2008
Vashon Island
Vashon Island residents love to say their island is a state of mind as much as a physical destination with a devoted organic farming culture, salt-water beaches and ferry access. The arts are also a big draw, says resident Lauri Hennessey. “There’s a real active community theater, with drama and a ton of musicals and productions throughout the year, and a lot of live music.” Hennessey, a writer and columnist for the local paper, is a mother who loves what she says are excellent schools. Local farms are also a draw. "We have farms where people pick berries in the summer, and lots of beaches.” A Saturday and Wednesday farmers’ market showcases the bounty grown on this island. In addition to theater, beach and market, you’ll find locals gathering at the Hardware Store restaurant eating brick-oven-baked barbecued-chicken lahvosh “pizza,” or tucking into some bourbon pecan chicken at the intimate Gusto Girls restaurant. “It’s a very safe area, and many people don’t even lock their doors,” says Hennessey. “It’s like living in Petticoat Junction.”
Montlake
Tree-lined streets with some of the cutest Tudors and bungalows around are reason enough to find the Montlake neighborhood attractive. Throw in unparalleled access to downtown (via I-5 or city streets) and the Eastside (via 520) and the University of Washington, and, well, it’s easy to see why this neighborhood remains perpetually popular—and why real estate values are holding steady. And did we mention great spots like Fuel Coffee and Montlake Bicycle Shop, a local institution? Residents don’t have to stroll far to hit the Washington Park Arboretum and trails that run through Foster Island and along the Montlake Cut.
“It’s the people, the neighbors, the trees,” says resident Patrice Fogg, who moved to the neighborhood with her husband in 2001. The couple, who have three children, love the convenience to downtown and the Eastside. Fogg says it takes her husband just 15 minutes to get to his Pioneer Square office; it takes her 25 minutes to get to her Bellevue job. The nearby parks also appeal to the couple. “We have five parks within walking distance of our house,” she says.
View Ridge
Big views are a huge draw for this North Seattle area, where a look east down 51st Avenue NE toward Lake Washington on a sky-blue day explains the name. Large ramblers, contemporaries and ’50s-era houses—many nicely updated—line the street, most carefully aligned to take full advantage of the magnificent views. The quintessential Northwest shrub—the rhododendron—is on frequent display in the many yards with mature gardens. While there’s little commercial development in this highly residential neighborhood, plenty of businesses are an easy drive away. Another benefit is the proximity of the Burke-Gilman recreational trail, says View Ridge resident Chris Haynes, a Windermere agent and dedicated cyclist. “It’s kind of like the [German] autobahn,” Haynes says. “It connects so many areas, from Gas Works Park all the way along and through the Sammamish Slough.”
Duane LaViolette, 86, moved to View Ridge in 1954 and until recently was an officer with the View Ridge Community Council (dating back to the 1940s, it’s one of the oldest community organizations in Seattle, which speaks volumes about the longevity of this neighborhood). “I walk about a mile every day; the people all know me by name and talk to me,” he says of the daily jaunts he takes with his black Pomeranian, Nicky. “We have our choice of three grocery stores nearby. But it’s really very quiet here compared to the rest of town, stuck off to one side like we are. We have a feeling of community here.” That’s enhanced by the mix of ages, he says—moms with strollers, retirees and couples drawn by the view.
Vashon Island
Vashon Island residents love to say their island is a state of mind as much as a physical destination with a devoted organic farming culture, salt-water beaches and ferry access. The arts are also a big draw, says resident Lauri Hennessey. “There’s a real active community theater, with drama and a ton of musicals and productions throughout the year, and a lot of live music.” Hennessey, a writer and columnist for the local paper, is a mother who loves what she says are excellent schools. Local farms are also a draw. "We have farms where people pick berries in the summer, and lots of beaches.” A Saturday and Wednesday farmers’ market showcases the bounty grown on this island. In addition to theater, beach and market, you’ll find locals gathering at the Hardware Store restaurant eating brick-oven-baked barbecued-chicken lahvosh “pizza,” or tucking into some bourbon pecan chicken at the intimate Gusto Girls restaurant. “It’s a very safe area, and many people don’t even lock their doors,” says Hennessey. “It’s like living in Petticoat Junction.”
Montlake
Tree-lined streets with some of the cutest Tudors and bungalows around are reason enough to find the Montlake neighborhood attractive. Throw in unparalleled access to downtown (via I-5 or city streets) and the Eastside (via 520) and the University of Washington, and, well, it’s easy to see why this neighborhood remains perpetually popular—and why real estate values are holding steady. And did we mention great spots like Fuel Coffee and Montlake Bicycle Shop, a local institution? Residents don’t have to stroll far to hit the Washington Park Arboretum and trails that run through Foster Island and along the Montlake Cut.
“It’s the people, the neighbors, the trees,” says resident Patrice Fogg, who moved to the neighborhood with her husband in 2001. The couple, who have three children, love the convenience to downtown and the Eastside. Fogg says it takes her husband just 15 minutes to get to his Pioneer Square office; it takes her 25 minutes to get to her Bellevue job. The nearby parks also appeal to the couple. “We have five parks within walking distance of our house,” she says.
View Ridge
Big views are a huge draw for this North Seattle area, where a look east down 51st Avenue NE toward Lake Washington on a sky-blue day explains the name. Large ramblers, contemporaries and ’50s-era houses—many nicely updated—line the street, most carefully aligned to take full advantage of the magnificent views. The quintessential Northwest shrub—the rhododendron—is on frequent display in the many yards with mature gardens. While there’s little commercial development in this highly residential neighborhood, plenty of businesses are an easy drive away. Another benefit is the proximity of the Burke-Gilman recreational trail, says View Ridge resident Chris Haynes, a Windermere agent and dedicated cyclist. “It’s kind of like the [German] autobahn,” Haynes says. “It connects so many areas, from Gas Works Park all the way along and through the Sammamish Slough.”
Duane LaViolette, 86, moved to View Ridge in 1954 and until recently was an officer with the View Ridge Community Council (dating back to the 1940s, it’s one of the oldest community organizations in Seattle, which speaks volumes about the longevity of this neighborhood). “I walk about a mile every day; the people all know me by name and talk to me,” he says of the daily jaunts he takes with his black Pomeranian, Nicky. “We have our choice of three grocery stores nearby. But it’s really very quiet here compared to the rest of town, stuck off to one side like we are. We have a feeling of community here.” That’s enhanced by the mix of ages, he says—moms with strollers, retirees and couples drawn by the view.
1 | 2 NEXT PAGE
link
email
print
Most Popular Articles
