While Sound Transit digs a tunnel and builds a light-rail station
under Capitol Hill, a block and a half of Broadway near East John
Street will be used as a staging area for construction. But when the
light-rail lines open in 2016, the Capitol Hill station entrances will
take up only a small part of the above-ground space, and the agency
hasn’t decided what to do with the rest.
Carter Kinnier, a 48-year-old Capitol Hill resident, has an idea. He
envisions a new, permanent home for the farmers market, currently a
block north of the transit station, which will soon be displaced by an
apartment building. Sound Transit expects 14,000 people a day will
board light rail at the station—all potential customers. “Imagine
getting a sandwich or a piece of fruit on the way to school or work,”
Kinnier says.
Kinnier acknowledges that his schedule as an IT manager prevents him
from organizing the effort. But he’s finding allies.
“It would be lovely to have a permanent location somewhere,” says
Chris Curtis, director
of the Neighborhood Farmers Market
Alliance. She’s started talking to Sound Transit about the idea.
The agency will hold a series of public forums beginning in 2012 to
field ideas.
“There is a lot of potential for a footprint of this size on Capitol
Hill,” Kinnier says. “We will never have an opportunity to do this
again in our lifetime.” 
I love this idea!
Lez do it. And then lez lez.
I gotta back this idea too.
Absolutely. Sort of Pike Place Market East. Permanent roofed stalls.
Hi everyone,
Thanks for your insite and overwhelming support of this vision. It isn’t just about the Farmer’s Market though but about everything.
As we all know the Arts community up here on The Hill and across the city is under assault. Velocity and Freehold have been forced out of their locations and Consolidated Works has vaporized.
Think about it. A neat place with a few anchor tenants and permanent vendors with additional space for weekend and seasonal vendors. In addition to that performing arts venues and space for that community as well. There are many possibilities here. Can you imagine if somehow it integrated down into beautiful Cal Anderson Park?
Of course developers would have to be involved but it is up to us to pick the right developer who shares this vision. How do we do that? Sound Transit is still going to own the property but WE own Sound Transit. There is leverage.
The best way to get in on this is to come to the Sound Transit open house at Seattle Central on Oct. 22nd at 5:30 PM. I have already had a discussion with Ron Endlich from ST and he will be there to hear your comments.
2015 seems like a long way off but if we want to help create something special now is the time to get the train rolling.
Lastly, a question for all of you. How many of you miss our mini Fred Meyer we used to have at the Broadway Market or City Peoples mercantile on 15th?
Would the Farmer’s Market only open one day a week? And then be an empty lot, or a park, the other six days?
I’ve been waiting for this. Older (classier) cities are rife with them, in all conditions – in Argentina they become parking lots or dance pavilions during the week and flea markets weekends (this city Needs a decent swap meet space!).
AND someone could improve on the non-profit model that runs Pike place…
AND after the rebuilding of the Pergola a few years back Somebody has the molds to cast proper columns – it could actually look good.
If someone needs a grantwriter….