Who Keeps the Lights On?
Who Keeps the Lights On?
“Established in 1973, the Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority (PDA) preserves and manages the core of the historic Market. The PDA’s stewardship of the Market ensures its preservation and smooth operation. It oversees and supports over 500 small, independently owned businesses, nearly 400 apartments, and maintains the Market for the thousands of people who live, work, shop, and access services here each day.
‘Good lighting puts a customer in a pleasant frame of mind.’ Arthur Goodwin, President of the Pike Place Public Markets, Inc. 1925 – 1941
As you walk through the Main Arcade and North Arcade within the Market, take note of the more than 300 dark-green hooded lights. These lights are a unique feature in the Market and have kept the Market brightly lit for over 100 years – some dating back to the early 1920s.”
Learn More About This Time in Pike Place Market History
In 1971, Seattle citizens voted to create the Pike Place Market Historic District and establish the Market Historical Commission to preserve the Market buildings, public spaces, and its unique commercial and social character. Two years later, in 1973, the City of Seattle, by charter , created the Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority (PDA), a not-for-profit organization, to own and manage the day-to-day operations of the Market on behalf of the people of Seattle.
The role of the PDA is to safeguard the Market for future generations through:
- Preserving, restoring, and developing buildings and open spaces to ensure opportunities for Market farmers, merchants, residents, shoppers, and visitors to continue traditional Market activities.
- Increasing opportunities for the sale of local farm produce and food retailing.
- Supporting and promoting the survival of small shops and “marginal businesses.”
- Preserving and expanding the residential community, including housing and services in the Market, especially for low-income people.
The PDA executive director and staff handle day-to-day business operations, but most decisions concerning contracts, capital and development projects, financial agreements, and the like are finalized by the PDA Council, which includes four members appointed by the mayor, four appointed by the PDA Council, and four elected by the Market Constituency.
In addition to the PDA, there are several partnering organizations that help to ensure it remains a vibrant Market:
Market Historical Commission
The Market Historical Commission, created in 1971, oversees all changes in design, business ownership, and specific uses within the 9-acre Pike Place Market Historic District to ensure the historic character of the Market is preserved. Significant changes within the Market – from the PDA’s plans for building improvements, to vendors’ requests to change what they sell at the Market, to requests to open new businesses – must be approved by the Commission. Each business must be an independent, owner-operated venture. Businesses that already exist outside the Market are not allowed to open a second location within the Market, according to formally adopted Commission guidelines.
Pike Place Market Constituency
The charter that created the PDA also created the Pike Place Market Constituency to ensure public participation in the process of the restoration and future management of the Market. The Constituency elects one member to the PDA Council each year. Constituency membership is open to anyone 16 years old or older and pays $1 in annual membership dues.
Pike Place Market Foundation
The Pike Place Market Foundation was created in 1982 to raise private funds to support the social services mandated in the PDA’s charter. Today, the Market Foundation provides annual support and partnership to a network of social services in Pike Place Market in addition to operating their own direct service programs through The Market Commons. Rooted in the model for a healthy community, the Market Foundation improves the health and well-being of our neighbors by promoting and increasing access to education, nutritious food, community support, economic stability and a safe neighborhood. Since its inception, the Foundation has invested more than $43 million in private funding to support the downtown Seattle and Market communities.
Friends of the Market
The Friends of the Market was created in 1964 to lead the effort to protect and defend the Market from a destructive urban renewal approach and the “wrecking ball”. The inspirational architect and UW professor Victor Steinbrueck and the Friends waged a hard-fought, grassroots campaign to “Keep the Market”. On November 2, 1971, Seattle voters overwhelmingly said YES by a 3-to-2 margin to preserve the Market. Today, Friends of the Market continues its founding mission to advocate and educate in support of the preservation of the Market and continuation of its traditional uses.