Pike Up! Project - Pike Place Market Foundation

Meet the New MarketFront

For the first time in 40 years, Pike Place Market expanded with the opening of its new “MarketFront.” A site built for Market producers in the early 20th century, the expansion reclaims the site for farmers and producers, and provides a dynamic public plaza with views of Puget Sound and Olympic Mountains. True to the Market’s charter, the expansion includes low-income housing and a neighborhood center with additional social services for the Market community.

June 2015: Groundbreaking

Construction Timeline

Construction began with groundbreaking in June of 2015, was completed in May 2017, and celebrated with a grand opening on Thursday, June 29, 2017. The Market Commons, a new neighborhood center in the heart of Pike Place Market opened this fall. Honest Biscuit, indi chocolate and Old Stove are now open for business with some construction still underway in Producer’s Hall.

Aerial view of the MarketFront construction site with the existing Pike Place Market visible, taken in December 2016. Photo by Art Kuniyuki.
View looking northeast on the construction site: Old Stove Brewing's grain silos are visible to the right of the large timber beams that comprise the roof of new commercial space. Photo by Justin Huguet.
View from Western Avenue: the new MarketFront adds 40 units of low-income, senior housing to Pike Place Market. Photo by Justin Huguet.
West side of the low-income housing building, including the seven live/work units available for senior artists.
View looking west through the MarketFront breezeway, providing a path for the public to access the new plaza via Western Avenue. Photo by Justin Huguet.
Placing the final beam on the MarketFront canopy, which will provide a sheltered space for artists and farmers to sell on the MarketFront plaza. Photo by Won Moc.
Once the MarketFront is completed, visitors will be able to access the public plaza via the existing Desimone Bridge (right). Photo by Justin Huguet.
Pike Market Preschoolers watch construction progress from the Desimone Bridge. Photo by Suzanne Spencer.
Aerial shot of the MarketFront construction site, taken in August 2016. Photo by Sellen Construction.
Mayor Ed Murray, alongside Pike Place Market PDA, Foundation and project partners, break ground on the MarketFront in June 2015. Photo by Lance Wagner Photography.

Design & Renderings

The inspiration for The Miller Hull Partnership’s design of the MarketFront is the sense of discovery one feels when exploring the Market’s hidden alleys and winding passages. The design team looked to the existing 20th century industrial structures and simple materials, such as exposed timber beams, found throughout the Market. The building incorporates Northwest industrial toughness with large, open spaces that offer transparency inside and out.

Aerial rendering of the Pike Place MarketFront.
Looking southwest at the new site from Western Avenue and Virigina.
Closer view of MarketFront breezeway and canopy, from Western Avenue.
13,653 Market Charms inscribed with donor names will hang from the railing surrounding the MarketFront plaza.
The MarketFront is home to 40 low-income seniors and a The Market Commons, a new neighborhood center in the heart of Pike Place Market. Rendering by The Miller Hull Partnership.
Rendering of the MarketFront looking north east from the waterfront.
Pike Place MarketFront view from Elliot Bay.

Growing more of the Market you love

True to the character and purposes of Pike Place Market, the new MarketFront will offer opportunities for farmers to sell direct to customers, local businesses to start up and low-income neighbors to find housing and services. Take a peek:

Chocoholics are in paradise at Erin Andrew's indi chocolate, serving up house-made elixirs, desserts, and bars infused with local berries, nuts, and dried fruits. Photo by Barbie Hull Photography.
Opening soon! Little Fish is the new venture of restaurateur Bryan Jarr and award-winning chef Zoi Antonitsas will bring house-cured, salted, smoked and canned fish and seafood to the MarketFront. Photo by Barbie Hull Photography.
At Old Stove Brewing, thirsty patrons sip pints in a brew house and gastropub designed to make the most of the MarketFront's open-air feel. Co-founders Chris Moore and Brian Stan plan to have 20 house-made rotating beers on tap and a full menu. Photo by Barbie Hull Photography.
Honest Biscuits is Art Stone's handmade biscuit cafe, featuring classic dishes with a Seattle twist: like the "MacGregor", made with Pike Place Market's own Bavarian Meats. Photo by Barbie Hull Photography.
The MarketFront is now home to 40 low-income seniors with seven of the apartments on the public plaza designated for senior artists and craftpersons.
A Market artist of 19 years, Clare Dohna handmade more than 4,000 colorful clay fish, flowers, and fruit tiles for the "Northwest Microcosm," a mosaic art piece that adorns three walls leading up the grand staircase to the MarketFront Plaza.
Clare Dohna, hand painted nearly 4,000 unique tiles in “Northwest Microcosm”, a mosaic art installation surrounding the grand staircase – look closely at the fish, as many of them are delicately inscribed with the names of our biggest supporters.
Western Tapestry, designed by local artist John Fleming, is a true community collaboration. Hundreds of participants gathered in Pike Place Market to paint pieces of Western Tapestry in July 2016.
Western Tapestry, by artist John Fleming, is a collaborative piece of public art that weaves together over 1,600 metal strips that were painted by the community. A brilliant array of LED lights illuminates the art at night.
Thousands of donors can now see their names, dancing and glittering on Market Charms surrounding the new MarketFront.
The Market Commons, a new neighborhood center in the heart of Pike Place Market is now open.
There is something for everyone at The Market Commons, from community programming to expanded access to resources.

Project History

The site of the future Pike Place MarketFront was home to the Municipal Market Building, built for Market farmers and producers in the early ’20s. In 1974, the building caught fire and was demolished. Multiple feasibility studies and development proposals in the following years failed to be economically viable; development constraints included an active Burlington Northern Santa Fe train tunnel beneath the site and height restrictions within the historic district zone.

After decades of study, the Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority (PDA) is realizing a decades-long goal to complete the last piece of the Market Historic District. The timing of the $75 million project is driven by the future replacement of the Alaskan Way Viaduct; the project will deliver 300 underground parking spaces before the Viaduct removal.

1903 – Tunnel Construction North Portal (University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections).
1909 – Site looking southwest (University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections).
The site of the future Pike Place MarketFront was home to the Municipal Market Building, the original home of Bavarian Meats.
In 1974, a fire destroyed the Municipal Market building. For 40 years the Market explored options to rebuild, but because of the active Burlington Northern Santa Fe train tunnel underground, original plans were long shelved due to construction costs.
1975-2015 the site of the new MarketFront served as a surface parking lot. Remnants of the foundation from the original Municipal Market building are seen in the foreground.