Puyallup council approves development deal to turn Cornforth–Campbell site into market hall, apartments

Puyallup City Council approved agreements on Jan. 28 to move the Cornforth–Campbell downtown site toward a multi-phase development led by Palindrome Development that will adaptively reuse the existing building as a market hall and add a 115-unit apartment building, seven for-sale townhomes and a public plaza.

Why it matters: The site has been city-owned since 2002 and was identified in prior downtown planning as a catalyst for revitalization. The Palindrome deal is intended to activate Meeker Festival Street, expand retail and event space in downtown Puyallup and add housing that the city says will support local businesses and increase tax revenues.

The city manager, Steve Kirkley, reminded the council of the site’s history, environmental cleanup and downtown planning work that singled out the Cornforth–Campbell parcels as a priority. Palindrome’s president, Robert Gibson, described the proposal as three linked components: an adaptive-reuse market hall and public plaza; a mixed-use building with roughly 115 rental units (a mix of one- and two-bedrooms); and a row of townhomes along Second Avenue. Gibson said Palindrome expects 20 percent of the rental units to be affordable at 80 percent of area median income (AMI) and that two of the townhomes will have an affordability covenant.

Palindrome’s proposal would: reuse a portion of the existing building for a market hall with micro-retail restaurant pods and a taproom; deliver roughly 115 rental units (about 1–2 bedrooms, Gibson said); offer seven or more townhomes for sale (two subject to affordability covenants); provide rooftop solar and…