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October 2, 2007 Pike Place Market Selected as One of 10 Great Neighborhoods in America Easy Blend of Preservation and Compact, Diverse Urban Living SEATTLE, WA — The American Planning Association (APA) announced today that the Pike Place Market Neighborhood, located in Seattle, Washington, is designated as one of 10 Great Neighborhoods for 2007 through APA's Great Places in America program. APA Great Places exemplify exceptional character and highlight the role planners and planning play in creating communities of lasting value.
APA selected Pike Place Market Neighborhood as one of 10 Great Neighborhoods in America this year for its functionality, memorable characteristics, and livability. With a history as rich and colorful as the produce it sells, the community that is part of Pike Place Market is Seattle's most compact, walkable, and diverse neighborhood. APA Great Places offer better choices for where and how people work and live. They are enjoyable, safe, and desirable. They are places where people want to be — not only to visit, but to live and work everyday. America's truly great neighborhoods are defined by many criteria, including architectural features, accessibility, functionality, and community involvement. Through Great Places in America, APA recognizes the unique and authentic attributes of essential building blocks of great communities — streets, neighborhoods, and public spaces. "APA is pleased to recognize Pike Place Market Neighborhood," said APA Executive Director Paul Farmer, FAICP. "This neighborhood is the other side of Pike Place, the side that most of the millions of visitors to the market each year don't realize exists. More importantly, the neighborhood shows just how convenient and interesting urban living is." The Pike Place Market Neighborhood, which encompasses roughly nine acres, includes upscale condos overlooking Elliott Bay and seven below-market apartment buildings that are part of the historic market. There's also a long history of community activism, going back to the 1920s when residents acted to preserve the market's location and primary function as a major supplier of affordable food. Today the market accommodates nearly 210 year-round commercial businesses, 210 crafters, 100 farmers, and 250 street performers. Besides being an integral part of local sustainable agriculture efforts in the region, the market has a health clinic, food bank, and senior- and child-care centers. In 1971 the neighborhood was designated a historic district. To keep the historic features and character of the area intact, all design and use requests must be submitted to the Pike Place Market Historic Commission for approval. Pike Place Market Neighborhood also serves as an example for other Seattle communities. The compact, pedestrian-oriented design and range of housing options found in the neighborhood were the inspiration behind the city's Downtown Livability Plan, passed in 2006. Despite ongoing financial and other challenges, Pike Place Market Neighborhood continues to fight to sustain its viability — a reminder that it is not just a mix of buildings that define a place, but the people who infuse a neighborhood with a distinct voice and personality. The nine other APA 2007 Great Neighborhoods are Chatham Village, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Eastern Market Neighborhood, Washington, D.C.; Elmwood Village, Buffalo, New York; The First Addition Neighborhood, Lake Oswego, Oregon; Hillcrest, San Diego, California; North Beach, San Francisco, California; Old West Austin, Austin, Texas; Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York City; and West Urbana, Urbana, Illinois. For more information about these neighborhoods, and the list of APA's 10 Great Streets for 2007, visit www.planning.org/greatplaces. This year's 10 Great Streets and 10 Great Neighborhoods will be celebrated as part of APA's National Community Planning Month in October 2007, designed to recognize and celebrate the many residents, leaders, officials, and professionals who contribute to making great communities. For more about National Community Planning Month, visit www.planning.org/ncpm. Contacts |
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