Puyallup Sells Downtown Parking Lot To Housing Developer

PUYALLUP, WA — The City of Puyallup is selling a downtown parking lot to a local housing developer, in a move that organizers hope will help make downtown a more livable, walkable community.

The lot in question is the Administrative Office Building parking lot, found near the intersection of Pioneer Avenue and 3rd Street SW, behind the Puyallup Public Library.

The 103-space lot currently serves the Administrative Office Building, but was the site of City Hall administrative offices until 2009, when the city moved those offices to S Meridian and demolished the old building.

According to the City of Puyallup, turning this lot into a housing development will bring the city closer to the goals outlined in its Comprehensive Plan, and give more options to residents who want to live close to shopping and transit in downtown Puyallup.

“The AOB lot, in my mind, is a catalyst development,” said Meredith Neal, Economic Development Director in a statement. “The property and its development will cause other developers in the region to give Puyallup a fresh look. They’ll see that Puyallup, and especially downtown, has a lot to offer.”

City leaders say that, in turn, will help support downtown businesses.

"This property, once it is developed into housing, will invigorate our downtown business community,” said Puyallup Mayor Julie Door. “More people living in downtown means more foot traffic to our shops and restaurants. This will create economic prosperity to our downtown businesses.”

At the Oct. 26, City Council meeting, the city approved the sale of the lot to the Puyallup AOB Development LLC, an entity created by the McBride-Cohen Management Group LLC to manage the project. McBride-Cohen's development proposal shows the lot will be developed into a mixed-use building housing 60 condo units. The building will be four stories tall. The first story would offer ground-level parking, while the upper three floors will house the condominiums.

"From a developer’s perspective, every day that we’re not progressing forward is a day lost on the market," said developer Loren Cohen. "The City understands this and is focused on making sure this project moves forward.”

>> Learn more about the AOB Parking Lot redevelopment.