Northwest

From Greenwood to Broadview, northwest Seattle offers great variety. You can find country life in a quasi-urban setting, Puget Sound bay views, upscale living in the Highlands, multi-use apartment buildings on Greenwood Avenue and around Bitterlake, and just about everything in between.

Northwest Seattle developed slowly beginning in the 1900s and much of it lay beyond the city limits until 1954. The first neighborhoods tended to cluster along the route of Seattle-Everett interurban railway and the population expanded with completion of Highway 99 (Aurora Avenue N) in the early 1930s. Developer Guy Phinney owned much of the area around Green Lake, including Woodland Park. John C. Olmsted later planned the lake’s scenic ring road and trails and laid out the original Woodland Park Zoo, now regarded as one of the nations finest.

Greenwood began as a bog and a cemetery and has since become a vibrant neighborhood known for its antiques shops and art walks. Greenwood offers many casual dining cafes, places to quench your thirst, second hand shopping and banking.

Broadview takes its name from the expansive views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains that can be seen from its western slopes. It is home to Carkeek Park, Ida Culver Retirement Home and Bitter Lake. It drew its identity from an amusement park called Playland that operated at Bitter Lake for 30 years.

Many first time home buyers purchase homes in Greenwood and Broadview because they are affordable compared to Mapleleaf, Ballard or Capitol Hill. One can still find affordable modest 2 bd/1 bath homes on large lots.

Commuting to downtown from Greenwood is relatively fast with Metro; however, Broadview is not well served for downtown commuters because the buses go through town and do not get on I-5. You’re looking at a 45 minute ride on the express routes. Your best bet is to drive to the Northgate Park & Ride and hop on the 41 (which come every 10 minutes). If do have to pay for parking, I recommend driving north on Aurora in the mornings before 9 a.m.

Aurora Avenue offers Home Depot, Lowe’s, K-mart and many more specialty shops for your home projects. Safeway, Fred Meyer, QFC and Central Market are all near by for groceries. Additionally, 99 Ranch Market which focuses on Asian groceries will open at the old Larry’s location.

Saturday night you can be downtown or at Lake Union within 15 to 20 minutes. However, you can dine well at Bick’s, Olive You or Yamashiro Sushi Bistro. After dinner you can kick back at the 74th Street Alehouse in Phinney or drive down Holman to Ballard for some live music. The choices are endless.