Permanent Uptown Green Market

[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?

[HopHead]

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]

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.

[New Name]

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]

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.

[HopHead]

^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.

[New Name]

^ 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...

[kermit]

^ They have to do something soon. It looks grim when walking by (the handwritten "no public restrooms" signs on every door don't help) and vendor complaints about the lack of traffic are increasing.

[nonillogical]

I have been afraid of this...first off, it should not have launched when it did, they should have waited until summer and gone full-force with the opening and done whatever they could to max out the number of tenants. I feel like its been half-assed on every level.

[CLTNative]

To resurrect this thread, the market now has craft beer and a cheese shop from the Chelsea burrough. Word is there will be a holiday decor vendor beginning tomorrow. He is out of South End.