Some West Seattle business owners in 'limbo' due to light rail plan that would demolish their stores

WEST SEATTLE, Wash. - A number of West Seattle business owners are reacting to a light rail plan that's slated to wipe out their businesses sometime within the next four years.

An open house with Sound Transit this week drove the message home, with some owners seeing maps and plans for the first time. Although owners have been anticipating that this would happen, they say there is a lot of uncertainty about what's next.

"We have 30 taps, all locally brewed beer, wine and cider.

After working hard to get Ounces Taproom up and running with a small, but mighty team, owner Laurel Trujillo says she was devastated to learn about plans to demolish the building to make way for the light rail.

"It’s been eight years of my life, eight years of my blood sweat and tears. So it’s a hard reality to be faced with, it’s no longer going to exist in this specific location," said Trujillo. "The current phase, 2024, there will be a final route decision decided and then, in the next 3-4 years, property acquisition and with that, unfortunately, our business is set to be demolished."

A West Seattle Link Extension map presented during an open house this week shows that Delridge Station will sit smack dab on top of Ounces Taproom. Mode Music Studios and Skylark Cafe, a popular music venue next door, would also be demolished, along with a daycare and a nearby plaza containing Uptown Espresso.

"Who is going to help a small business like us relocate and survive?," said Trujillo.

Although business owners say Sound Transit has offered $50,000 in relocation assistance, they say the numbers don't add up to the total expenses they will incur trying to move their businesses.  

"It looks like the relocation package that we would actually be offered by Sound Transit is fairly minimal. So, 50 grand, we get from sound transit, and it costs a million to relocate the business. You can kind of do the math there and that’s a lot of money that we don’t have," said Trujillo. 

"We made it through COVID, we kept our brick and mortar the whole time while we were online, then we dealt with the bridge closure, there is a lot we’ve had to endure," said Erin Rubin, owner of Mode Music Studios and Founder and Managing Director of Mode Music and Performing Arts. 

Rubin says after a tough few years, relocating 500 students and music teachers seems like a daunting challenge. She says her students will also lose the Skylark stage next door, which welcomed them to play all-ages shows.

"It’s a community space for sure, but a place where families can come," Rubin said. "We have a daycare behind us that has very specific permitting, so there are a lot of families affected here for sure."

She says additionally, businesses won't have access to any relocation funds until Sound Transit gives them the green light, leaving them in limbo for the time being. 

"We have to wait until they tell us to move and in that time, we may lose the perfect space," said Rubin.  

"Who is going to help a small business like us relocate and survive?", said Trujillo. "We are committed to relocating ounces, and or us currently, that means when our property is acquired, we would work with Sound Transit to hopefully successfully relocate our business." 

Sound Transit provided a link online for those who have questions about the project. 

"If you're a resident, business or property owner near a potential WSLE route or station alternative, visiting the project’s Online Open House and signing up for email updates are the first steps to ensuring you are up to speed on the project. If you have any questions or you would like to set up a meeting to learn more, contact the project team at westseattlelink@soundtransit.org. The Sound Transit Board will make a final decision on routes, stations and the project to be built after a final EIS is published for WSLE." 

In response to FOX 13, Sound Transit said: 

"Sound Transit is currently nearing the conclusion of the environmental review process for the West Seattle Link Extension. Publication of a Final Environmental Impact Statement is anticipated in mid-2024. This will be followed by Board selection of the project to be built and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) issuance of a Record of Decision later this year. The project will then transition to final design and construction."

Sound Transit said it is in the process of identifying potentially affected property owners. 

Apart from the limited number of early acquisitions, acquisition for most properties that are needed for the project would not begin until after the conclusion of the environmental process and would likely begin in late 2024. The acquisition process typically takes up to two years, Sound Transit said.