photograph courtesy of Bryan Gosline

Studying changing urban landscapes involves frequent disappointment and depression. Gin only goes so far to numb the pain. Being a resident is often no picnic, either. Market forces and decisions by real estate developers don't often jibe with the interests of the people who will actually be using that real estate or the residents near the area of the proposed development. It's easy to demonize "greedy" developers and "sell out" property owners, both of whom are often absentees. On the other hand, if somebody offered you $13 million for your property, we'd slap you if you said you wouldn't at least sleep on it.

We've been pondering Ballard a lot recently as we've been working with a small group of UW undergraduates to document change around the area we've affectionately called the Ballard Triangle. It is the area immediately surrounding Leary Way, Market Street, and15th Ave NW. This seems to be Ballard's ground zero with respect to rapid change. Aside from the Denny's-nee-Mannings, the Sunset Bowl is the other high-profile property nearby. We've been mentally envisioning a post-Sunset landscape with bleak deflation.

Slightly cheery news came to us the other day by way of our newest favorite neighborhood blog, My Ballard who, in turn, got it from the Ballard News Tribune: Developer 'open' to new bowling alley. There seems to be a tiny glimmer of hope that a bowling alley could possibly be re-installed in the new development.

Brian Fritz, vice president of development for AvalonBay Communities, said his company is willing to look at the idea, but "can we do it? I have no idea," he said.

"I don't want anyone to think that we are guaranteeing anything," said Fritz. "At this point in time I don't know enough to guarantee anything."

Fritz said Avalon might hire a consultant to see if it would work financially.

We'd like to give Mr. Fritz credit for being open to exploring the idea. Judging by the number of cars we see nightly in its lot, we can attest to Sunset's turning a brisk business.

We never believed that bowling and residences were mutually exclusive endeavors. The noise, of course, is a major problem. But this is why we have bright, educated, and good-looking engineers in the world. If we have the ability to load up buildings on trailers and move them to another parcel, we can surely muffle a bowling alley.

But what's the point of such nonsense? After all, we are certain that at a least a few people would use the FedEx or UPS facility that would move into the ground floor of the new building. Trouble is, nobody hangs out at FedEx; even the employees don't want to be there.

As anyone who has spent time hanging out in Ballard's third places knows, the neighborhood is becoming a strange mix. Soul-less yuppies, breeding cult members, and impertinent hipsters have joined the dour, old Norwegians in trying to carve a happy mutual living space. Sometimes, such rapid neighborhood changes can lead to tension and worse--as we are currently noticing on Capitol Hill. We haven't really had that in Ballard yet.

Places like the Sunset are one of the few centers where disparate groups can mingle, in this case united in the glorious pursuit of hurling black balls at red-necked white pins. It's one of the few places where cross-dressing art car builders can drink next to stevedores and electricians, perhaps even trading mechanical, and fashion, tips. Without these places, we are reduced to looking with disdain upon the Other while we wait in line for our food pellet at Quizno's.

The News Tribune further reports Mr. Fritz "said there's a 'delicate balance' between residential and commercial aspects of mixed-use buildings. For instance, it would be difficult to manage a 24-hour commercial operation on the ground floor of a residential building." At this point, we think that it wouldn't necessarily have to be a 24-hour operation. One student--who courageously spent an overnight shift there--reported that there aren't many people bowling there after 2AM, and the restaurant and bar aren't even open anyway. (What good is a bowling alley without a bar?) We certainly love our late night haunts; however, at this point we'll happily cede that in order to stave off yet another Kinko's and tanning salon combination.

In addition to giving Mr. Fritz credit for listening to community concerns, we'd be remiss in failing to give a big shout-out and thank-you to Jim Bristow, the local contractor and bowler who "championed the effort" to save Ballardian bowling. The sustainable builder has several neat ideas and seems committed to the effort:

"People are realizing that one person can start a movement," he said. "It's not about bowling, it's about getting together."

Amen, good sir. Mssrs. Fritz and Bristow, if you can make this work, consider this a raincheck for a beer frame... as well as free advice on frocks and fishnets.