Developing the Market
Developing the Market
“Frank Goodwin and his nephew Arthur saw an opportunity: use Frank’s Gold Rush money to acquire, expand, and develop new buildings around the bustling farmers market. As their buildings grew downhill and to the north, other developers built the more conventional Corner and Sanitary market halls across Pike Place. By 1922, the Market appeared much as it does today, except for the iconic neon clock sign, which was installed in 1937.”
Learn More About This Time in Pike Place Market History
Since 1907, the Pike Place Market has evolved from a street lined with horse-drawn wagons to a 9-acre historic district comprising over 30 buildings, the majority of which are owned and operated by the Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority (PDA).
By the time the Public Market area was 10 years old, it had the overall building form around Pike Place that would remain in place for the next century. Had the entire Market been planned out all at once to accommodate its diverse mix of farmers, businesses, and residents, it might have been placed on a flat site and taken the form of a more traditional urban plaza or Market Hall.
However, the hilltop space along Pike Place didn’t allow for that kind of development, and the Market’s growth was an organic process over time, rather than being orchestrated in a master plan. At various points in its history, proponents pushed for the construction of a modern and more efficient market complex.
The map below outlines each of the buildings owned and managed by the PDA, along with their original construction dates. For more stories about Market building origins, construction, and renovations, check out Inside Pike Place Market: Building a Model Public Market into the 21st Century.