When a Burien City councilman suggested last week that White Center is thriving and that Burien should be supportive of annexation, he failed to mention the empty store fronts on main street (16th avenue) Marv's Broiler, Napa Auto Parts, South End Florist and even the little Thai place up at 112th are all shuttered.
If you talk with Donnie Malo and his general manager Brad Truesdell over at Malo's Auto Body on 17th you'll get their story. Malo has been through it all for the last 40 years and can speak about urban renewal and decline. While he feels things might be on an upswing in some areas he definitely expressed his desire for Seattle to take up the annexation banner rather than Burien. "I love Burien and they have a lot going on there", Malo said. He added that Seattle is better equipped financially to support White Center and one particular issue is the boundary at Roxbury St.
This boundary has been the issue for White Center-ites for several decades as it is the city/county line allowing certain business regulations on one side of the street but not the other. It is a good reason why White Center had so many taverns in the 40's thru 70's. The rules are different in the county and tavern owners took advantage of the proximity of city dwellers traveling a short distance across Roxbury to enjoy a drink. Sailors from the Seattle waterfront were not allowed in White Center during WWII due to the rowdy nature of the tavern district.
Malo would like to see the city move that boundary down to SW 114th St. where there are very few businesses.
Former King County executive Ron Sims expressed fiscal negativity when White Center was considered for annexation some years ago. He didn't think King county could afford to keep it. He practically begged annexation to take place. Seattle is in a better position than Burien to make that call. Burien is relying on millions of dollars in tax breaks from the state which is crying bankruptcy tears already.
Urban blight or renewal it seems to us that Seattle could use the cash the state does not have as least as much as Burien and their police department is a heckuva lot closer.
