Ballard
The area of Ballard was originally settled by the Swedes, Norwegians, Icelanders,
Finns and Danes and so the town has inherited a Nordic flair. Known early on
as the world's top producer of wood shingles and for its fishing fleet,
Ballard has become one of the regions ‘discovered’ neighborhoods.
Ballard’s business districts are known for restaurants and
nightclubs and the town’s housing density has been increasing in recent
years. Artists and retailers team up for monthly, creative and genuinely
sweet art walks. Posh shops and funky galleries have been known to serve Hostess
Ding Dongs with sparkling water.
Neighborhood Details
Cost of Housing
Ballard is no exception to a heated real estate market. Homes range from the
mid-$300,000 range for a small starter to above $800,000 for a two-story home
on a generous lot with a water view. Houses on the eastside are nothing fancy
—World War II-era Cape Cod homes with one
bath and postage stamp, manicured yards. On the northwest end, early 1900's,
two- and three-bedroom Craftsman homes with 1,000 to 1,200 square feet
feature inviting porches and fireplaces.
Rental property in Ballard averages around $700 but expect to pay in the
mid-$900s for two bedrooms and a bath.
School System
The community of Ballard is served by the Seattle School District.
Ballard High School, rebuilt from the ground
up in 1999, exemplifies the neighborhood. The new campus sparkles and
students have a sense of pride.Whitman Middle School's strong foreign
language program allows students trips to France,
Japan and Mexico.
Entertainment
Caressing Ballard on the west side, Shilshole Bay
provides a pleasant sandy beach at Golden Gardens Park.
Visitors cram into the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, an engineering marvel of
the WashingtonShip
Canal that connects Lake Washington, Lake Union and Salmon
Bay to the tidal waters of Puget Sound.
The neighborhood's retail anchor, Northwest Market Street, offers
old-fashioned sidewalk sales and free samplings from the Great Harvest Bread
Company. The Majestic Bay Theater re-opened in the fall of 2000 and proudly
displays a bench used in the blockbuster movie Titanic.
Transportation
With Ballard's increased popularity, downtown commutes can take 20 minutes
for a seven-mile drive making freeway access difficult. Not surprisingly,
commuters have turned to metro buses for the trip downtown.
