But inevitable does not have to mean our Junction must become a concrete canyon that is inhospitable to pedestrians and shoppers.

It is the time for the property owners, the people who lease their stores and the residents nearby and from the wider West Seattle community to be vigilant and guide the developers. That does not mean we have to oppose everything, nor does it mean we have to be cheerleaders for those with large parcels to develop.

In short, economics dictates that the Alaska Junction will change, dramatically.

Major developments mainly along Alaska Street from California to Fauntleroy will bring 350 new living units to an area now lined with small businesses. Two new supermarkets will be added along with an untold number of smaller businesses. Other new condos and apartments are either under construction or soon will be on 42nd Avenue and on California. New plans will appear in the future.

Tim St. Clair looked deeply into what all this means (See Pages 1 and 16) and most believe it will be positive, with some notable reservations. The West Seattle Chamber of Commerce and the Junction Association know the plans are largely beyond their control, but they are actively moving to guide development where they can.

Angela Rae of the Junction Association wants the eclectic mixture of stores to remain, while noting that it won't be families moving into the condominiums and apartments but upwardly mobile singles and empty nesters.

"They will be people who can afford to eat out a lot," Rae says.

Patti Mullen, executive director of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, says her group and Rae's must reach out to the developers and "proactively bringing shape to a well-loved district." She the people in West Seattle will keep their "small town shopping experience."

We hope the anti-everything folks will stay away, but this probably a dream. Some folks have the "we got ours, now slam the door" attitude and believe they can scream away all that is new. Their concerns should be heard, but they should not given control of the agenda.

Another hope is that city processes will work effectively and efficiently so developers do not fall into that Seattle trap of being studied and "hearinged" to death.