41 replies to this topic

[Urbanity]

Interesting one off experiment happening in Uptown this month.  This wouldn't be a permanent market but depending on crowds it could aid in the push for one.

The Earth Day Famers Market will be next to uptown's Ritz-Carlton hotelon College Street just north of Trade Street. The market, which will go from 11 am to 2 pm will include several local farmers including Glen-finished pork, sweet potatoes, and radishes from Charlene's Garden Farm, as well as dill, Swiss chard, arugula, and mixed greens from Holla Holler Farm. Plus, there will be tasty local products like Kudzu Queen Blossom Jelly from Kudzu Konnection Farm.


http://www.charlotte...rmers-Markets/#

[jednc]

Urbanity, on 10 April 2010 - 06:27 AM, said:

Interesting one off experiment happening in Uptown this month.  This wouldn't be a permanent market but depending on crowds it could aid in the push for one.

The Earth Day Famers Market will be next to uptown's Ritz-Carlton hotelon College Street just north of Trade Street. The market, which will go from 11 am to 2 pm will include several local farmers including Glen-finished pork, sweet potatoes, and radishes from Charlene's Garden Farm, as well as dill, Swiss chard, arugula, and mixed greens from Holla Holler Farm. Plus, there will be tasty local products like Kudzu Queen Blossom Jelly from Kudzu Konnection Farm.


http://www.charlotte...rmers-Markets/#

Glad this is happening. Why do all the participants have such strange names?

[kickazzz2000]

ScottCLT, on 10 February 2010 - 06:02 PM, said:

I'm a huge fan of turning the Virginia Paper Company building into a public market. It needs to be spruced up quite a bit, and possibly have an expansion done in what appears to be an adjacent gravel parking lot.

I've always had a thing for that building.  You're right, it would be perfect for some sort of market.  Wouldn't it be cool to have something like Reading Terminal Market in Philly housed in there???

[dbull75]

It appears the Charlotte Center City partners wants to use $1 mill (from a currently existing econ dev fund) to create an uptown farmers market in the old Reid's building. It would be an indoor/outdoor market. The space has a little over 13k sqft feet inside. Using the area outside would add another 5-6k sqft.

More info here: http://charlotte.biz..._from_city.html

[Urbanity]

I like that space for a green market. Convenient parking, mass transit and walking for Uptown residents.  I also like the possibilities for expansion should LaVecchia's ever close or move.  Add the planned First Ward Park diagonally across the street and I think it's a pretty perfect location.

Not so certain about the $1m price tag though...

[49er]

The price tag is cheap if you consider what it would have cost to build a space of this quality from scratch. There is great potential to reuse a lot of the existing equipment, too. I hope that the City moves forward with this. What becomes of the space near the arena that was to be a green market?

[dbull75]

I love the idea of the market, but it should be privately funded and run. This would be a bad use of $1 million of our money. If it's cheap to do, then it shouldn't be hard to find someone else to come up with the cash.

[Spartan]

49er, on 14 September 2010 - 07:47 AM, said:

What becomes of the space near the arena that was to be a green market?

Good question. They also didn't say what would happen to the one at the Square. I'm assuming it would close.

If they are going to be open 4 days a week, they are going to have to have some very good & consistent hours of operation.

[uptownboy]

Ha. 1 million of taxpayers’ money?! Michael Smith is an egocentric idiot. Members of the Historic West End Market on West Trade near Wesley Heights had over one hundred vendors and spent less than $300. And Uptown is NOT a food desert! West End is a food desert with no grocery stores.

[Plan R]

I think there may be some confusion about what the money would go for based on comments here & on Observer story.  With the Reid's space, we're talking about something like Reading Terminal in Philly, or Pike Place in Seattle, right?   Obviously on a smaller scale, but still with permanent vendors with stalls selling meat, fish, cheese in addition to standard fresh produce at a farmer's market.  So more than just tables to lay out seasonal produce like at the regional farmer's market.   At least that's what I was picturing and hoping for.

[uptownboy]

Griffin Brothers plan to incorporate a permanent market into their development along W. Trade, breaking ground next year, and to be occupied by vendors from the Historic West End Market. Again….no assistance from taxpayers AKA….$1 million dollars.

Michael Smith knows of this plan because he came to the Historic West End Market Committee to inquire how they became so successful. Michael Smith just can't bear to be outdone by the underdogs.

[49er]

Center City Partners has worked for 15 years to find a permanent market space so maybe the west end market is more of the johnny come lately in this situation. If this becomes a citywide or regional destination like it has in many other cities, why is one million dollars such a big deal? Look at the 10s and 100s of millions the city spends on transportation projects, sporting venues, etc.

[The Escapists]

uptownboy, on 16 September 2010 - 11:16 AM, said:

Michael Smith just can't bear to be outdone by the underdogs.

I hear where you're coming from, but remember, Michael Smith is hired to do this. It's not HIM fighting for Uptown to get these things - that's his job - his salary is paid by a special tax that residents of Uptown and South End pay for a "neighborhood CEO"

[uptownboy]

Ha. It's a big deal when 1 million dollars is not obviously necessary. As stated before, Michael Smith from Center City Partners is well aware of the planned permanent market in the Griffin Brothers Development and the huge success of the West End Market. Mr. Smith is just upset that he did not initiate the successful West End market and needs to make one of his own under his clout at CCCP.

But indeed, a market like in Seattle or San Franciso will benefit the masses.

[rjp212]

Looks like they found a sponser for 5 years from CHS and Blue Cross for the former Reids site.   The market should be open by July.

[jednc]

rjp212, on 18 February 2011 - 07:32 AM, said:

Looks like they found a sponser for 5 years from CHS and Blue Cross for the former Reids site.   The market should be open by July.

It's great news, but I wish it could be open before July.

[kermit]

I droped in on the newly opened market mid-day Friday. I was underwhelmed.....

There was a decent selection of meat, a rudimentary selection of vegitables, some standard phrewphrew farmers market craft stuff, a small selection of baked goods and a busy looking coffee bar. It was mostly empty space. I hope they can gather more momentum, I really want to see this space generate some traffic.

[dbull75]

^I read an article in either the Charlotte Biz Journals or the CO in the last couple weeks that talked about the market. It basically said they were going to start off slow at first with a lot of the basic stuff that you're seeing now. It will start filling in more early next year after they get more vendors brought in. I think some of it had do contracts or something to that effect. They didn't expect the traffic to be booming from day one.

[tozmervo]

Just one look at Atherton Market should alleviate any concern. It was born as a haphazard tailgate market in an empty lot, and is now basically awesome.

[The Escapists]

^ I was talking with someone who is running a business in there last night. She said it's tough because a majority of the other businesses have already signed their lease agreements, but are in no rush to open up. She needs their cooperation to bring more customers to her business - but no one is really working together to open with a bang (probably because it's winter). Hopefully they'll have a big "grand re-opening" in the Spring...