Home › Forums › Open Discussion › California Ave. PCC- why no work?
- This topic has 14 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 10 months ago by 22blades.
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July 7, 2017 at 3:44 pm #888087
valvashonParticipantKept noticing the lights are always on at the old PCC store and the lot seems to be empty save for the recycling dumpster. Just as a check I went by this morning at 5:00 am, and slowed down to take a good look inside. All the shelves seem to still be in place and nothing else has been done save for some light kitchen demo work. All the lights were on and nobody was in there working. Why? Is something stalled out as far as the permit process? Will this be the new “hole”; all lit up and empty until the lights crap out one by one? At what point do the homeless start camping out in the lot? Why didn’t they give the store one more month or longer?
July 7, 2017 at 4:43 pm #888091
newnativeParticipantStalling I can understand but the lights are on 24/7, I can’t. I go by a lot and it is perplexing to see so many lights on. Maybe it’s to save on security?
July 7, 2017 at 9:06 pm #888102
WSBKeymasterLooking at the project files, the demolition and building permits are not yet granted – for the latter, there is a lot of back and forth with the city about plan details. Such things are outside project teams’ control. As for why PCC couldn’t have stayed open longer, I believe they at some point had to pick a date, give all their employees and suppliers a certain amount of notice that likely was required in contracts’ fine print, and then stick with it, regardless of whether the project timeline (again, they are the tenant, not the developer) slid at all. Their part of the post-closure work was to get out as many internal components as possible and distribute them to their next uses (mentioned in the story we wrote on the final day after touring the store with PCC’s CEO). From here, it’s up to the city Department of Construction and Inspections, and owner/developer Madison (which somewhat ironically since you allude to “The Hole” is the company that finally completed the project someone else started at that site). – TR
July 12, 2017 at 10:19 am #888494
22bladesParticipantLike TR said, it’s probably permitting & having to throw a dart on a definate closing date.
A historical question: Looking at the architecture, did this building use to be a Safeway? Everywhere I go, it seems they ( Safeway) move a few blocks every couple of decades. The 50’s / 60′ versions had the wide arch roof. Done right, they looked nice. My heart sinks a bit when they’re relegated to a Dollar Tree store or something…
July 12, 2017 at 10:27 am #888495
22bladesParticipantJuly 12, 2017 at 11:06 am #888499
jissyParticipant22-it was called Prairie Market, a somewhat discount warehouse grocery store in that it wasn’t stocked or faced all pretty, lots of product on pallets and black grease pens the customer would write the price on the item. It was my favorite store to shop at with my mom as a kid to use the grease pens!!
July 12, 2017 at 12:28 pm #888504
22bladesParticipantAhh… Thanks. I peeked at the county iMap and indeed it shows 1964 for the building which would have made it a little late. Thanks.
PS I haven’t seen grease pens in ages! :-)
July 12, 2017 at 2:04 pm #888512
miwsParticipantBack in the ’60’s, before Prairie Market, it was a QFC. I’m pretty certain QFC was the original tenant, as I don’t recall it being anything else other than that, then PM, and finally PCC.
Mike
July 12, 2017 at 3:18 pm #888519
22bladesParticipantI’ve never heard of Prairie Market, but I’m a newcomer since moving here in 1973.🙄
July 12, 2017 at 3:42 pm #888520
MercyMoiParticipantI went to the Prairie Market in the 1970s with my mom up in Crown Hill! I loved riding the cart truck with our groceries. Very bare bones store. I never thought there might be more of them around the city (or outside the city for that matter).
July 12, 2017 at 3:45 pm #888521
miwsParticipantPrairie Market was still around back then. Besides the one on California Av, there was one at 17th & Roxbury where the auto parts store, etc are.
There were others in the Seattle area, but I don’t recall exactly where. It seems like there was one on Aurora, maybe around 125th-ish, but am not certain.
Mike
- This reply was modified 8 years, 10 months ago by miws.
July 12, 2017 at 3:50 pm #888523
miwsParticipantHere’s some 10+-year-old info/memories of Prairie Market:
July 12, 2017 at 3:52 pm #888524
miwsParticipantJuly 12, 2017 at 9:13 pm #888547
GinaParticipantYes, it was a QFC, had the sign with a crown on the Q. Logo was designed by Bob Cram, the cartooning weatherman on KING tv. There were too many grocery stores in the Admiral area at the time Lucky and Safeway and four or five mom and pops. Along.with the supermarket on Charlestown and 48th, last known as the Grocery Cart.
July 13, 2017 at 3:57 am #888568
22bladesParticipantI can’t tell you how happy I am to see people still interested in our neighborhood history! I love this stuff!
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