Olympic Athletic Club

Olympic Athletic Club turns 30

michaelh — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:07:25 +0000

michaelh Tue, 12/22/2009 - 3:07pm

Fitness buffs at the Olympic Athletic Club have looked out onto a changing Ballard Avenue for the past three decades from one of the historic gathering places in the community.

Michael Harthorne

In the first part of the 20th Century, the large, nearly block-size building on Ballard Avenue and Northwest Vernon Place housed a serious of saloons.

During Prohibition, it became the Dexter-Horton Bank. The vault still remains in the lower levels of the building.

The building served as Ballard's post office during the 1940s. Some Ballard old-timers remember congregating around it to hear news of friends and family fighting overseas.

For the past 30 years this January, the Olympic Athletic Club has called the building home and carried on its tradition as a neighborhood meeting and gathering place.

"The club really has a life of its own," said Jim Riggle, who owns the club along with his wife Debra. "People just like to be here. It's been a great business since the day it opened."

Riggle had heard stories of Snoose Junction from his grandfather, who talked of fishing in the area and dining at a place called Hattie's Hat.

Riggle said he never realized his grandfather's Snoose Junction and Ballard were the same place until he bought the building from the Elks Club in 1980. Hattie's Hat sits right across the street.

He said he did not purchase the building with the intention of turning it into an athletic club, but the building ended up lending itself to that purpose.

The Olympic Athletic Club was the first in the new wave of gyms in the area, Riggle said. It was the right idea at the right time he said.

As occupant of the largest historical building on Ballard Avenue, Riggle said it has been neat to be a part of the rebirth of the area while maintaining the style and feel of old Ballard.

When he purchased the building, the windows were boarded up as a remnant of Prohibition's blue laws and the building was an ugly duckling, now it is beautiful again, he said.

"It has a unique spot in the city's history," Riggle said. "We're just lucky enough to be a part of it."

Mark Durall, general manager of the Olympic Athletic Club, said the Riggles are invested in preserving what makes old Ballard unique.

They had an opportunity to demolish a building across the street that Jim Riggle owns, but he decided to preserve and remodel the building despite the higher cost, Durall said.

Durall said it is the interior preservation of the historical building that has given the Olympic Athletic Club some of its enduring success.

The club does not look like the modern big-box gyms, he said. He said people, especially women, feel like they are working out in a fishbowl in other gyms. In the Olympic Athletic Club's smaller rooms, they are not on display.

"There's always a place in the club where people feel comfortable, where they feel at home," Durall said.

Fremont resident Debbie Mitchell, a member of the club since July, said the size of the venue and the use of its space makes it attractive to her.

"There's something for everyone here," she said.

In addition, the Olympic Athletic Club has maintained the community-centric feel that has kept the building a gathering place for more than 100 years, Durall said.

He said the club is multigenerational – everyone from children to seniors uses it.

"We have people who learned how to swim here, and now their children are learning how to swim here," he said.

Some of the members have been with the Olympic Club for all of its 30 years, and some of the employees have been there for two decades, Durall said.

He said the club stays involved in the community through charities and school auctions.

This year's holiday giving tree was more successful than he could have anticipated, requiring two trips to haul away all the donated gifts, he said.

"Ever year, I'm just blown away by how giving and thoughtful our members are," Durall said.

Erika Graef has been a member of the club for more than fours years and an employee there for the past two years. She said the fact that it is a local, family-owned business is really important to Ballard residents.

Riggle said the three-decades-old club will not be resting on its laurels in the coming years.

"When we opened, I never thought we would be open 30 years later," he said. "It has a life bigger than me. I'm so excited to be able to take it one step further."

Riggle said he hopes to start on the expansion of the Olympic Athletic Club, a plan that has been in the works for a number of years but delayed because of financing, in the coming year or two.

The plan is for the Olympic Athletic Club to open a four-story, 29-room boutique hotel, Ballard's first, next door. The hotel would include retail space, a restaurant and underground parking. It would also include expanding the athletic club space by 15,000 square feet.

The plan has received positive reactions from the city and Ballard residents and will get underway as soon as financing is secured, Riggle said.

"Whether this year or next year, it will be built," he said. "We've been here 30 years, and I'm not going anywhere."

Olympic Athletic Club

Hotels on hold

michaelh — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 08:00:00 +0000

michaelh Mon, 01/12/2009 - 12:00am

Ballard may have to wait a little longer than planned for its first hotel. Two long-planned projects meant to start construction before the end of 2008 have been pushed back.

Chris Weymouth, an owner of the future Point Hotel at Salmon Bay, said in July that construction on the hotel to be built on Shilshole Avenue on the land housing the Yankee Diner would most likely break ground in October.

As of January, construction on the project had not begun.

The Point Hotel's second owner Don Schwartz said construction was on hold while the city and the architects communicated over final details, such as building codes.

Once that is completed, the owners can finish financing for the project and began construction starting in February, Schwartz said.

The Olympic Athletic Club has put Ballard's second hotel on indefinite hold due to the current economic recession said Jim Riggle, owner of the club.

Mark Durall, general manager of the Olympic Athletic Club, said in July that construction would hopefully begin by the end of the year, but that has not happened.

Riggle said he has the money and the permits to get the hotel off the ground, but this is a huge project and now seems like a good time to sit back and watch what happens with the economy.

"I'm not in any big hurry," he said.

Riggle said the community is anxious for them to start construction, but while he could get the loans necessary to start, it would take more effort than he is willing to exert at the moment.

The Olympic Athletic Club has four years left on the permits, so Riggle said he sees no reason to set a strict timeline for the project.

Michael Harthorne can be reacehd at 783-1244 or michaelh@robinsonnews.com.

Olympic Athletic Club

Burglar arrested on warrant

michaelh — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 08:00:00 +0000

michaelh Fri, 01/02/2009 - 12:00am

CAUGHT ON TAPE: The image of a man suspected of stealing from numerous Ballard businesses hangs in Cugini Cafe. The image was taken from Cugini's security camera Dec. 28 and circulated around the neighborhood. Police arrested the man Dec. 31 in Ballard.

Photo by Michael Harthorne

A 46-year-old man suspected of stealing from numerous businesses in Ballard in the past few weeks was arrested Dec. 31 near 20th Avenue Northwest and Market Street for an outstanding warrant in Missouri.

According to victims, the man is suspected of entering businesses on Market Street and Ballard Avenue during business hours and taking money from back offices, safes and employee's purses.

The man is suspected of entering, attempting to enter or stealing from Lucca, Kitchen N Things, Romanza, Portalis, Cugini Cafe, the Olympic Athletic Club, Hattie's Hat, Greener Lifestyles and Dish D'lish, among others.

The suspect was caught on a security camera as he left Cugini Cafe during the Farmers Market Dec. 28 and his image was circulated throughout the neighborhood.

At 3:51 p.m. Dec. 31, the police received calls from many community members who noticed the man walking around the neighborhood.

The man was booked into King County Jail for investigation of a fugitive, but detectives are investigating the crimes in Ballard before deciding to press further charges.

Michael Harthorne can be reached at michaelh@robinsonnews.com.

Olympic Athletic Club

Noise complaints start already

michaelh — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 07:00:00 +0000

michaelh Tue, 09/02/2008 - 12:00am

HOTEL PLAN, BARS MAY CONFLICT. Hattie's Hat and other establishments may create noise for new neighboring hotels like the one planned by the Olympic Athletic Club. Photo by Steve Shay

Residents only moved into the Ballard Landmark senior living facility on Leary Way Aug. 15, and already there has been a complaint from a resident about late-night noise coming from Ballard Avenue, which runs by the back rooms of the facility.

Mary Shepard, executive director of the Ballard Landmark, said a resident called the police at 2:30 a.m. because the noise from Ballard Avenue, site of a large number of the neighborhood's bars and music venues, was keeping her awake.

"Now she wants to switch rooms - which is going to be a problem," Shepard said.

City council member Sally Clark said there are conflicts over noise between bars and clubs and new residences, such as condos, in all areas of the city. With new condos, a hotel and the senior living facility moving into Ballard's downtown core, there seems to be the potential for Ballard to become a hotspot for that conflict.

"When they sold off all that property from the old car dealership (on Leary), I think everybody saw the writing on the wall that there were going to be more residences," Clark said. "Hopefully, people moving into those residences will realize they are moving into what has been an entertainment strip."

Amee Shepard is the bar manager at Hattie's Hat on Ballard Avenue. The bar and restaurant is located directly across the street from the site for the planned Olympic Athletic Club hotel.

People moving in need to expect noise and people and recognize that they aren't moving into a rural area, she said.

Jim Riggle, owner of the Olympic Athletic Club, said he thought about the noise issue early on and is not concerned about it. He said places like the Tractor Tavern may actually draw people to the hotel, unlike the senior living facility, because they are there to see the city.

In order to address the noise issue, Mary Shepard said the Ballard Landmark installed state-of-the-art windows to reduce noise. However, those windows have not had a chance to work because they have been kept open during the summer months.

She said she hopes the windows will help keep residents' rooms quieter once the weather turns cool.

Clark said the city, under a new nightlife ordinance, is doing what it can to help ease the conflict between residences and bars and clubs.

Last year, noise regulations changed from a subjective idea - noise at an inappropriate level - to a quantifiable measurement.

Though what the measurement is has not been decided yet, Clark said the city plans on having staff members who can show up to settle complaints with noise meters.

"My hope is that it will help us get out of the finger-pointing conflict," she said. "You've got to have something you can point to so you aren't just pointing at each other."

At the moment, noise complaints are, understandably, far down on the police's list of priorities, Clark said.

Mary Shepard said she plans on continuing to call the police if there are complaints about late-night noise from Ballard Avenue because she does not know what else to do.

For her part, Amee Shepard said she hopes residents at the Ballard Landmark, down the street from Hattie's, are moving into Ballard because they recognize it is a hip neighborhood.

"I'm hoping they aren't the golf-course retirees," she said. "I'm hoping they're more the Manhattan martini-type people."

Michael Harthorne may be reached at 783.1244 or michaelh@robinsonnews.com

Olympic Athletic Club

Ballard

Bars/Restaurants

Robinson Papers

Two hotels still coming

michaelh — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 07:00:00 +0000

michaelh Mon, 07/28/2008 - 12:00am

HOTELS COMING. After financial trouble, owners of Olympic Athletic Club are moving forward with plans to build a $14 million hotel adjoining the business. Another stalld hotel project is to be built along Shilshole Avenue geared toward industry clientele. Photo Courtesy of Olympic Athletic Club

Plans for the Olympic Athletic Club to turn adjacent property on Ballard Avenue into a $14 million, 29-room boutique hotel are back underway after trouble with financing the project caused delays.

Construction for the hotel was originally meant to begin in October 2007, but the recent mortgage crisis prevented the owners of the club from acquiring all the funding necessary, said Mark Durall, general manager and part owner of the club.

Durall said he is hoping for construction to get underway this year and the club is currently accepting bids from contractors.

The two other owners, Jim and Debera Riggle, sold their home in order to finance part of the project, Durall said.

"This is their vision and they are committed to making this happen," he said.

Durall said the club has so far spent $300,000 on architectural, environmental, engineering and permit fees.

This month the club demolished one of the buildings on the two pieces of property it acquired for $3 million in February 2007. Durall said the club plans to demolish the other building, currently being used for parking, in September.

The new hotel will be four stories and 65,000 square feet and will include retail space, a restaurant and three levels of underground parking.

Durall said the athletic club itself would expand by 15,000 square feet with the construction of the new hotel to accommodate a new Pilates studio and additional racquetball courts, among other features.

In June, the Olympic Athletic Club had come into conflict with the Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board over the replacement of a sign that had been stolen from its property, but Durall said the board has approved of all plans for the new hotel.

He said the owners of the club met with the board before coming up with a proposal and included the board in the design process.

"[The Riggles] wanted to construct the hotel in a way that would accurately reflect the old-world charm and history of Ballard," Durall said.

Durall said the owners want to build a hotel in part to fill a service gap in the Ballard area.

"The comment we've gotten from our members for years is, 'We want a hotel,'" he said.

But there is another hotel in Ballard's near future.

Chris Weymouth, a member of the family that owns the Silver Cloud Inn chain, said construction on the Point Hotel at Salmon Bay will most likely break ground in October after a number of delays.

Weymouth and Don Schwartz, owners of the future hotel that will open on the lot currently housing the closed Yankee Diner, will operate it independently of the Silver Cloud chain.

Though construction has not yet gotten underway, Weymouth said the Point Hotel has already donated $30,000 to improve the road where 24th Avenue meets Shilshole Avenue by adding curbs, benches and landscaping.

Weymouth said he's not concerned about competition with the Olympic Athletic Club's hotel because the two will serve different clientele. The $25-million Point Hotel will be larger than the Olympic Athletic Club's hotel and will seek to serve the industrial workers in the area, part of the city of Seattle's requirement for building lodging on industrial zoned land.

Durall as well said there's no concern about inter-hotel competition because there is a large enough need for hotels in the area, as well as the difference in a target customer base.

The club's hotel will cater to people looking for a four-star experience and will include a swimming pool, spa and room service from a new restaurant from the owners of Volterra on Ballard Avenue that will be located in the building, he said.

Michael Harthorne may be reached via bnteditor@robinsonnews.com.

Olympic Athletic Club

Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board

Master griller Aakervik on duty for 33 years

dean_wong — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 07:00:00 +0000

dean_wong Mon, 07/21/2008 - 12:00am

SEAFOODFESTING WITH FRIENDS. Ballard Oil president Warren Aakervik is the masters of ceremony for the traditional salmon barbecue at the SeafoodFest. During both days his popular salmon meal brings old friends who visit. Photo by Cynthia Payne

The biggest party of the year, the Ballard SeafoodFest, is this weekend and thousands of people are expected to come enjoy the entertainment, children's events, booths and the famous salmon barbecue.

Warren Aakervik, president of Ballard Oil has been the master griller behind the salmon meals for the last 33 years.

"It's great. All the old friends come by. It's a great community and family event," said Aakervik.

A few weeks ago, Aakervik and his grandson went to Granite Falls to cut alder wood for the two day cookout.

"He likes it (wood) green and smoky. He even drives the forklifts and big rigs," said Beth Williamson Miller, executive director of the Ballard Chamber of Commerce.

Miller credits Aakervik for his years of community service and says no one else can put together a barbecue like him. "People like Warren have been doing it forever. He believes in the community and supports the chamber. He is the fiber and foundation of Ballard," said Miller.

Trident Seafood donates about 2,000 pounds of salmon each year.

The wood Aakervik chopped up will be used to bake, not grill, the salmon in a 250-degree oven he said. The salmon fillets take 30 to 45 minutes before they are done.

"The real secret is to monitor it closely," said Aakervik, who will be assisted by his friends from Pacific Fisherman.

The Great Harvest Bread Company provides 400 loaves of country French bread with garlic butter. The store started with 250 loaves in 1999 and the sales at the festival have grown.

"The barbecue has gotten bigger. It's the chamber's main money making venture of the year," said Bob Carleson, who owns Great Harvest Bread Company with his wife Crystal.

The meal, along with cole slaw, is $8, $7 for seniors. All proceeds from salmon sales benefit the Ballard Chamber of Commerce.

This year's poster and program features the Leif Erikson statue at Shilshole Marina with a cardboard sign "Will Pillage for Seafood." Jay Dotson took the photo.

Twenty-three food vendors will give visitors plenty of other choices when they get hungry. The food ranges from shrimp and crab melts, fruit smoothies, east Indian, Hawaiian shaved ice, gyros and more.

Main Stage musical acts on Saturday include: HB Radke and the Jet City Swingers, noon; the Weavils, 1:30 p.m.; Chuck Prophet and Mission Express, 3:15 p.m.; Joey Kline Band, 5:15 p.m.; and Big World Breaks, 6:45 p.m.

Sunday groups include: Etouffee, noon; The Buckaroosters, 1:15 p.m.; Juan Barco y Su Conjunto, 2:45 p.m.; Carrie Akre, 4:15 p.m.; and Laura Love with Harper's Ferry 5:30 p.m.

A Ballard institution performs on the Community Stage on Saturday, 11 a.m. and Sunday, noon, when Stan Boreson, the "King of Scandinavian Humor" appears.

Volunteers from the Nordic Heritage Museum are the emcees for the Community Stage this year and all but one of the acts is Scandinavian.

"We're trying to hold onto the Scandinavian past and what we still have of it. We want to keep that tradition alive in our community," said Miller.

Other Community Stage entertainment include: Nordiska Folkdancers, noon; the always fun Lutefisk Eating Contest, 1:20 p.m.; Watermelon Eating Contest, 2 p.m.; Whateverly Brothers, 3 p.m.; The Pickled Herring Band, 4 p.m.; and Peter and Viki, 5 p.m.

Sunday features: Svea Trio, 1 p.m.; the eighth Annual Slotky Memorial Couture Coverall Contest sponsored by the Ballard News-Tribune, 2 p.m.; Mad Fiddlu, 3 p.m.; Seattle Spielsmanslag, 4 p.m.; and SUS, 5 p.m.

The Ballard Commons Park will be the site of the Family Stage. The Saturday lineup includes: Welcome Marionettes, 11 and 1 p.m.; Deano the Clown, noon and 3 p.m.; Clay Martin's Puppets, 2 and 4 p.m.; Alleyoops Maritime Show 5 p.m.; and Seth Franco, former Harlem Globetrotter basketball great, 6 p.m.

Sunday's family entertainment continues with: Mario the Funny Man, 11 and 1 p.m.; Clay Martin's Puppets, noon and 2 p.m.; Alleyoops Musical Games, 3 p.m.; Mary Shavers Marionettes, 4 p.m. Alleyoops Maritime Show 5 p.m.

For the adults, there's the La Senioritas Beer Garden and the Ballard Rotary Wine Garden. Money from the wine garden goes towards the Ballard Food Bank.

Learn how to live a greener life to save the environment at this year's festival.

The Sustainable Living Lounge offers demonstrations and information by experts, along with "mocktail" samplings from local restaurants.

UnDriving Ballard is signing up people to get out of their cars to explore alternative transportation.

Ann Scheerer, Green Scene and Standard Biodiesel are holding the Seafood Fest Recycling Challenge to try and recycle more than half of all festival waste products.

A Solar Stage at Ballard Commons is going to be powered entirely by the sun.

The Ballard Lions are bringing the Lions Health Screening van for two days of vision, hearing, blood pressure, glaucoma and diabetes tests. People are being asked to bring their unused eyeglasses for recycling.

"It's well attended always. We provide services free of charge to everyone," said Bill Damon, Lions Club member.

Swedish Hospital's Ballard Campus is offering free health screens in their own van.

He public is encouraged to support the event. Look for the donation fishes, where volunteers will be collecting money for the festival.

The festival depends on their volunteers to make the SeafoodFest happen. "It's really a big collaboration that is making the event successful. The community is embracing it," said Miller.

The Ballard SeafoodFest hours are 11 a.m.-8 p.m. on Saturday, July 26 and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sunday, July 27.

Starting on July 24 through July 27, area businesses are holding the annual Sidewalk Sale. The hours are: Thursday Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.- 6 p.m.

Over at the St. Alphonsus School parking lot, Michael Johnson's Hoopaholics organization and the Olympic Athletic Club are holding a 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament on Saturday and Sunday. Team registration is $90. Visit http://www.hoopaholics.com. Johnson can be reached at 235-5195 or michael23johnson@hoopaholics.com. Other tournament sponsors include Anchor Environmental and Home Realty.

The highlight sponsor for the Ballard SeafoodFest is Ballard Market. Other main sponsors include: Swedish Medical Center; American Family Insurance; Boeing Employees Credit Union; Chen's Accupuncture; Crown Hill Chiropractic; Maritime Pacific; PEMCO Mutual Insurance. Starbucks; and Sterling Savings Bank.

Olympic Athletic Club

Nordic Heritage Museum

Festivals/Annual Events

Robinson Papers

Board wrestles over new Olympic Athletic sign

camille_villanueva — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 07:00:00 +0000

camille_villanueva Mon, 06/23/2008 - 12:00am

The Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board considered changes in appearance of local establishments with an iron fist.

A few local business owners came before the District Board last week to discuss various changes they wanted to make to their establishments.

The majority of the meeting was spent in heated discussion over the restoration of the Olympic Athletic Club sign on Ballard Avenue. The athletic club's general manager, Mark Durall, wants to replace the arrow that was stolen in February and restore the sign, but replace the face with the Olympic Athletic Club logo and colors.

"There are a lot of people who for the past 30 or 40 years have looked up at that sign every day. It's a part of Ballard," Durall said. "We just want to replace the face of the sign so we can use it again."

Conflict arose over the definition of restoration.

"Your proposal looks like a completely different sign," board coordinator Heather McAuliffe said. "If you want to do a sign that ties in with your logo just make a proposal for a new sign."

Unfortunately for Durall, the Ballard Avenue Landmark District Guidelines leave few options for new signs. These restrictions prohibit the erection of backlit signs and cabinet signs because they are internally illuminated, and discourage the use of neon light.

Although blade signs, double-faced projecting signs that hang perpendicular to the building, are encouraged, they must not exceed eight square feet in size. Durall's plans are considerably larger at over 22 square feet.

"Yes, we could get your approval and restore the sign exactly like it was before," Durall said. "But I don't think it would look very good."

The sign, which was installed in the 1930's, originally was a backlit sign with white panels and tracks for plain black lettering.

"The color is where the problem comes in," board member Linda Day said. "I would be more comfortable with the white background and black letters. Color may leave too much of an impact on Ballard."

The discussion ended with no resolution. Durall will be creating a proposal and presenting it to the board in July.

Mike Leifer, the manager of King's Hardware, attended the board meeting to get retroactive approval for a mural sign that was painted on the south wall of the restaurant.

The board unanimously opposed the request because the mural was done on unpainted brick, which is in conflict with the district guidelines.

"I'm very disappointed that someone in the historic district would go ahead and do this before getting the approval of the board," Day said. "Now there is the issue of removal of the mural."

Other issues on the meeting agenda were the approval for a blade sign and planters in front of Pulp Inc., a marketing and design services company, which was approved.

A representative was also present for La Carta de Oaxaca, a Mexican restaurant, to get final approval on finish colors to be applied to the outdoor deck at the rear of the building. Grey was approved for the wood on the sides, and a terra cotta shade for the deck.

The meeting closed with the announcement that after six years of service Day was leaving the board, and board Chair Elaine Wine's term was ending in July.

Separately, the board announced the results of Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board. James Riggle was elected in position one and Richard Hiner was elected for position two.

Camille Villanueva may be reached at camillev@robinsonnews.con

Olympic Athletic Club

Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board

Basketball

sportsarchive — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 07:00:00 +0000

sportsarchive Mon, 06/23/2008 - 12:00am

GOT GAME? Liam Jernudd, 14, shows off his best basketball form in front of a banner promoting the 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament July 26 and 27. He plays for Lakeside Middle School and a Ballard Boys and Girls Club team. Photo by Dean Wong

3 on 3 tourney to be at Seafood Fest

By Dean Wong

Local players are invited to form teams for the first 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament July 26 and 27, during the same weekend as the Ballard SeafoodFest.

The tournament is presented by Michael Johnson's Hoopaholics organization and the Olympic Athletic Club at St. Alphonsus School.

Johnson, who was a star player at Ballard High School and the University of Washington, said he hopes the tournament could be an annual event that continues to grow.

"This is going to be a fun event. We will get a big turnout from Ballard kids," said Johnson. Players from around the city are expected to enter teams.

"We're pleased to work with Michael (Johnson) to make it a great event," said Beth Williamson Miller, executive director of the Ballard Chamber of Commerce. She said the SeafoodFest is trying to attract younger people.

This year the festival will feature a former Harlem Globe Trotter demonstrating his basketball skills. This event is sponsored by the Philadelphia Church.

The 3 on 3 Tournament at St. Alphonsus School will feature five divisions for both boys and girls. The groups are based on grades: third and fourth; fifth and sixth; seventh and eighth; ninth and 10th; 11th and 12th.

Playing with three players instead of the usual five is more difficult.

"Three on three is basically one person passing and the others cutting and always moving. The skill level is examined more. There is no place to hide," said Johnson.

Teams will compete for seeding in a playoff bracket. The top teams will face the lower seeds. Each team has three players and one reserve. A fifth player can be added for a $15 fee.

Players can expect typical summer temperatures that average 85 degrees. There will be eight outdoor courts and hoops mounted on glass backboards. Two courts will be indoors at the St. Alphonsus School gymnasium.

Three on three tournaments have been held at Key Arena and Sand Point in the past, but have been absent in Seattle in recent years.

Johnson said the Ballard tournament could expand to adults in the future, but for now it's for young people.

As the coach of the Whitman Middle School boys, Johnson lead the team to the championship game of the city league last year. He expects some of his players to enter.

The Whitman girls have also had playoff success and are developing talent for the high school level.

"The talent at Whitman s coming up. There is young talent on the teams," said Johnson.

He expects many of the Whitman kids to attend Ballard High and contribute to the boys and girls programs there.

This year, the Ballard Beaver girls made the state 4A playoffs and finished in fourth place. It was the best season in the history of the Beaver girls program.

Since graduating from the University of Washington as the third ranked three-pointer shooter in school history, Johnson has invested his time in basketball camps for Ballard kids each summer.

Johnson's Ballard Girls Summer Camps are July 7 to 9 at Ballard High School and August 25 to 28 at Whitman Middle School.

The boys' camps are July 22 to 25 and August 12 to 15, both are at Ballard High.

The tournament and summer camps are advantages Johnson did not have as a teen in Ballard developing his game.

"I wish I had something like this when I was growing up in Ballard," said Johnson.

Team registration is $90. Visit http://www.hoopaholics.com. Johnson can be reached at 235-5195 or michael23johnson@hoopaholics.com. Other tournament sponsors include Anchor Environmental and Home Realty.

Dean Wong may be reached at 783.1244 or deanw@robinsonnews.com

Chamber of Commerce

Whitman Middle School

Ballard High School

St. Alphonsus School

Olympic Athletic Club

Ballard

Education

Festivals/Annual Events

Robinson Papers

Landmark board election this week

Guest — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 07:00:00 +0000

Guest (not verified) Mon, 06/16/2008 - 12:00am

The Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board election is on Thursday, June 19, 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. The polling place is at Lagerquist & Morris, 5135 Ballard Ave. N.W. Absentee voting is currently open through June 19 at noon at the Ballard Neighborhood Service Center, 5604 22nd Ave. N.W.

Two seats on the seven-member board are currently up for election. Both open positions are two-year terms ending June 30, 2010.

There are three candidates for Position No. 1, which is reserved for district property owners:

Joseph Herrin - owner of 5140 Ballard Ave NW ("Conor Byrne Building"), James Riggle - owner of 5301 Leary Ave. N.W. (Olympic Athletic Club), and Bryan Syrdal - owner of 5403 Ballard Ave. N.W. (Portland Building), and 5443 Ballard Ave N.W. (Princess Apartments).

There are three candidates for Position No. 2, which is reserved for district property owners or businesspersons: Richard Hiner - owner of Richard Hiner Architects, 53347 Ballard Ave. N.W.; Michael Korotkin - owner of Hatch & Kirk, Inc., 5111 Leary Ave. N.W.; Dr. Robert Whaley - owner of New York Fashion Academy, 5201 Ballard Ave. N.W.

The Ballard Avenue Landmark District was established in 1976 to protect the unique architectural heritage of the street which was downtown Ballard from 1900 into the 1930s.

Olympic Athletic Club

Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board

Ballard

Elections

Robinson Papers

Athletic club faces delay

Guest — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 07:00:00 +0000

Guest (not verified) Mon, 04/07/2008 - 12:00am

EXPANSION ON HOLD. Ballard's Olympic Athletic Club has put its redevelopment on hold while owners seek financing. Its two smaller adjacent structures on the club's southeast side, one currently serving as its parking garage, are to be replaced with building additions. Photo by Steve Shay

A $14 million redevelopment of the Olympic Athletic Club and new four-star hotel on historic Ballard Avenue has been put on hold while the owners seek funding.

Early last year, the city of Seattle and the Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board approved the demolition of two buildings located just south of the health club at 5212 and 5214 Ballard Avenue. Construction of a 65,000 square foot, four-story, 29-unit hotel was supposed to begin at that site by October, but the current mortgage crisis has left banks unable to approve many large loans, said Mark Durall, general manager of the health club.

Owner's Jim and Debra Riggle are in the process of selling their $2.9 million Woodinville home to help finance the project and keep their business free of outside investors. Durall said he is optimistic about starting construction for the club expansion and hotel within the next six months.

"(The Riggle's) are committed to keeping the business in the family," said Durall. "It's kind of a legacy for them. It's a family owned business and they want it to remain a family owned business."

According to the city's staff report, the owner's bank would not commit to financing the new hotel building because an environmental assessment showed there was pollution adjacent to the site.

The construction permits expire in two years, and can be extended another two years, but Durall said that long of a delay isn't expected.

The Riggle's development includes the expansion of the existing club on the second and third floors, 3,000 square feet of retail space at ground level facing Ballard Avenue and a three-level parking garage for 79 vehicles above and below grade.

In the interim, the landmark district board approved 4-1 the demolition of the smaller, wooden building at 5214 Ballard Ave. to restore an existing parking lot to its original dimensions by adding six parking stalls for a total of 20.

Health club owner Jim Riggle is a member of the historic board and was not eligible to vote.

However, restoring additional parking was conditioned upon future board approval of an application to install some low-level landscaping at the entrance of the parking lot.

The parking would be primarily for health club members but free to the public on Saturday nights when the club is closed.

The owners told the board that through their own research, the site has historically been parking of some kind, either for vehicles or horses as early at the late 1890's.

"We're talking about 100 years of parking," said Durall.

The wooden structure was built in 1958, before the historic district formed in 1976. The board only considers building built from the 1890 through the 1940's as "historically significant."

Though the building had previously been approved for demolition for the hotel project, board member Elaine Wine said she could not support tearing it down to build parking along the historic street without guarantee of replacement with the Olympic hotel building.

There are13 parking lots in the historic district, including both of Olympic's. All but one existed when the district formed.

"The board strongly discourages new off-street parking within the district," said Wine. "It wants to see buildings not parking lots. If you approve it you are saying it's OK to have parking lots in this historic district."

Board members John Burreson and Linda Day didn't agree and said the project would just restore parking that had already been there.

Day also voted to approve the application because the amount of additional parking wasn't significant. The lot makes up just 28 percent of the site.

"It doesn't adversely effect the character of the district," said Day. "It's not changing what it looks like."

Ballard Avenue is one of seven historic districts in Seattle. The Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board regulates the appearance of new and current buildings on that street.

Rebekah Schilperoort can be reached at 783-1244 or rebekahs@robinsonnnews.com

Olympic Athletic Club

Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board