VITAL STATS

PROJECT TEAM

PLACE PETAL

01. LIMITS TO GROWTH IMPERATIVE

The property is located in a commercial/service-zoned area of the central business district in downtown Kirkland, Washington. The PCC project is on the ground floor of the newly constructed 5-story mixed-use building.

For over 40 years prior to the PCC project, the site was used for office or retail with a surface parking lot. The site was home to an Albertson’s grocery store prior to 1980. A locally-owned hardware store occupied the site from circa 1980 until 2000. It was vacant for much of the following five years. Microsoft Bungie/Halo Studios occupied a building on the site from 2005 until 2019. The building was demolished in July 2019 for the new construction of the current Park Place mixed-use building.

Sources: https://www.kirklandreporter.com/news/kirklands-mom-pop/

https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19971201&slug=2575545

https://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsoft/microsoft-division-moving-to-kirkland/

02. URBAN AGRICULTURE IMPERATIVE

PCC Community Markets’ Mission and the Protection of Farmland

PCC Community Markets is a triple bottom line organization, which means that we balance our social, financial, and environmental impact in all decisions that we make. We are dedicated to preserving local farmland and committed to supporting organic agriculture through the products that we sell on our shelves and our growing partnerships with Northwest producers and ranchers. Farmland protection is also part of PCC’s public policy and community-giving priorities.

Funding Relationship Between PCC Community Markets and PCC Farmland Trust

The PCC Farmland Trust was founded by PCC Community Markets in 1999 when we raised the funds necessary to protect Nash’s Organic Produce from impending housing development. We incubated the program with staffing, funding, office space, and employee benefits. Today, the Farmland Trust is a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and PCC Community Markets remains its leading business sponsor.

On October 2018, PCC Community Markets announced a $1 million commitment to the PCC Farmland Trust’s Our Farm, Our Future campaign. In addition, PCC Community Markets partners with the Farmland Trust in a multitude of other ways, from in-store fundraising drives to PCC Cooks classes. Just last month, PCC Community Markets raised over $30,000 during our in-store “Farmland Forever” drive across our 11 stores.

How The Farmland Trust Furthers Organic Production

The PCC Farmland Trust works to protect and steward threatened Washington farmland from the growing pressures of development. To date, the Farmland Trust has conserved 23 farms, totaling over 2,500 acres. Their Our Farm, Our Future fundraising campaign is solely focused on protecting near-urban farmland and has already raised $18.5 million.

The Farmland Trust protects and conserves farmland when farmers can’t by working directly with landowners to remove their farm’s development potential or by purchasing at-risk farmland with the goal of leasing or selling it to a local farmer. Tools such as conservation easements are also used to make farmland more affordable.

The PCC Farmland Trust also ensures that protected land thrives for generations through its Farmland Stewardship practices. The Farmland Trust continuously monitors the physical conditions of protected farmland and supports farmers’ efforts to improve their lands’ water quality, habitat, and soil health. For example, their recently launched micro-grant program, the Advancing Farm Sustainability Program, provides the necessary resources and support to farmers who are pursuing more sustainable and organic farming practices.

Lastly, the PCC Farmland Trust also created the Farm to Farmer program, which provides an online and in-person matching and coaching platform to enable new farmers to connect with land opportunities needed to grow their businesses. It also helps retiring farmers transfer their land to the next generation, ensuring that their land is not lost to development.

How Farmland Trust Protected Land Benefits are Communicated to PCC Shoppers

The benefits of land protected by the PCC Farmland Trust are shared with our members and shoppers in many ways, including through the products we sell, social media, and our Sound Consumer newspaper.

Our private-label baguette is specially crafted by Macrina Bakery using organic whole wheat from Williams Hudson Bay Farm in Touchet, Wash., a Salmon-Safe and a PCC Farmland Trust-conserved farm. Nash’s Organic Produce, which was the first farm ever supported and saved by the Farmland Trust, can also be found on our shelves!

We also feature success stories about the PCC Farmland Trust through our social media, emails to members, and our Sound Consumer newspaper. This 2018 article from the Sound Consumer tells the story of the Farmland Trust and some of the many benefits that it has provided to the Puget Sound region.

https://www.pccmarkets.com/sound-consumer/2018-05/the-story-of-pcc-farmland-trust

03. HABITAT EXCHANGE IMPERATIVE

As part of its volume approach, all PCC projects in Washington are part of the Institute’s Living Future Habitat Exchange Program.

MATERIALS PETAL

10. RED LIST IMPERATIVE

As part of its volume approach, PCC Community Markets performed an extensive product review to identify and eliminate Red List materials.

12. RESPONSIBLE INDUSTRY IMPERATIVE

PCC Kirkland project incorporates 30 products that have a Declare label, and the team suggested the program to 10 manufacturers that are not currently participating. (This outreach was included in our advocacy for the previously submitted PCC Downtown LBC application).

BEAUTY PETAL

19. BEAUTY + SPIRIT IMPERATIVE

Plenty of natural light from 1,441 square feet of glazing not only enhances the well-being of the staff and shoppers but also welcomes folks passing by in this very walkable neighborhood.

Woven throughout the west end of the store is an installation by local artist Mary Iverson. “World Tablecloths,” one-of-a-kind tilework on the columns, are reminiscent of tablecloth patterns and designs representing the diverse ethnicities in the Kirkland community using culturally inspired textile patterns. This is just one example of how PCC works with local artists to create works that represent each store’s community, elevate spirits, and provoke thought and conversation.
“A tablecloth is the underlying fabric that makes a meal special, weaving colors and symbols with family traditions. Each column in this installation features a tablecloth design inspired by the textile patterns of a unique culture. As a group, the columns support this gathering space and celebrate the communities that have come together to create the City of Kirkland.” – Mary Iverson.

20. INSPIRATION + EDUCATION IMPERATIVE

The LBC Beauty petal is one of our company’s pursuits of social and environmental responsibility.

The PCC Living Building Challenge webpage was designed to educate and to be a virtual LBC tour of the store.

https://www.pccmarkets.com/living-building-challenge/

https://www.pccmarkets.com/living-building-challenge/kirkland-lbc

The public may request a free guided store tour by submitting a request on this webpage: https://www.pccmarkets.com/stores/tours/request/

An owner’s manual details the recommended operations and maintenance of building components and systems for the performance level of the Living Building Challenge standard.