Oct 11 2009
EASTLAKE
Smack dab in the middle of the city, yet hidden away from the hustle bustle, Eastlake is boundaried by Lake Union and I-5. This long-established Seattle district (since 1890) is home to about 5,000 people who are committed to making their neighborhood a place of community and character. Eastlake Avenue splits the neighborhood into two sections, running from Fairview Avenue in the south to the University Bridge in the north.
On its eastern edge sits a tidy conclave of houseboats with commanding views of the lake and city skyline, both brand new and decades-old condo buildings, and a collection of popular restaurants and cafés that line the shores of the lake. On the western side of Eastlake Avenue, a warren of shady streets provides a quiet and pleasant ambiance for single-family homes, tiny parks and playgrounds, apartments and small businesses.
Glaciers carved out Lake Union more than 12,000 years ago and the city has embraced its shimmering presence, putting it to every imaginable use. Naturally, the lake attracts multiple species of waterfowl and serves as a major salmon run, feeding into Lake Washington and beyond, into the interior waterways. Seaplanes skim its surface; boat rentals, from powerboats to kayaks, are a thriving business; and those who can, live along its shores while many others enjoy the views it affords.
Among its distinguishing features is the Lake Union Dry Dock, a 12-acre complex built entirely over the water that once saw the construction of tuna clippers, pleasure boats, Coast Guard cutters, whale boats––and can even boast the first manufacture of water skis in the U.S. Today it continues as a leader in ship repair.
Unique Gas Works Park, technically on the northern side of the lake, offers another great view from the shores of Eastlake, and serves as a delightful city playground, along with an outstanding kite-flying venue from its rounded hilltop. A long-standing Eastlake P-patch is well-used by the community, and the Fairview/Olmstead Park––saved by the community and the City from developers––is on its way to becoming an integral part of the neighborhood, a vision the Olmstead Brothers put forth in their 1903 citywide Seattle plan.
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