I read that the cheese vendor in the City Market is leaving. The LJS story said that Lansing has rejected the urban farmer's market concept. I would say that Lansing has rejected The City Market. The city built a cheap looking building with all the charm of a warehouse inside on this kind of backlot with only one-way street access and wonders how it all went wrong. To fix it I would start by tearing down that pole barn. Then take a look at other succsessful urban/farmers markets for ideas on what worked for them. I don't think it is very complcated, you need a destanation building, one that is enjoyable just to visit. Then offer leases at prices that would allow vendors to make a porfit. Why would a farmer pay for a spot downtown when many nieghborhood markets offer free space and more traffic? The only answer is, if the farmer/vendor can make money there. It might be a good idea to get out of that business all together sell that space for a hotel and have night and weekend and farmers/hoilday markets on the streets of downtown.
Yes, from what I've seen the Allen Farmers Market is doing OK, better than The City Market at this point. Bottom line is if Flint can have successful new farmers market, than Lansing can too.
I've really been trying to think of what Flint did better. Offhand I can say that the location is better (tons of parking and very easy for downtown office workers to walk to) and the building is nicer. But is that it?
The difference is that these other things we're talking about are actual farmers markets. LEPFA basically took the market in another direction after they demolished the old market, so these aren't really comparable. The city market could easily work as a farmers market...if they wanted a farmers market, but they purposefully pushed the farmers out. I stopped going after my favorite vendors were kicked out.
Though I do have to say if that any of this can be contributed to the physical building it's that the new market is smaller than the old one. This was a central criticism of the plan when it was being planned. Not only is it too small, but the old market had extra useable space in the part they used as a courtyard.
I let the market go years ago. I don't mind the public market concept, but it has to be in a building derseving of it and it has to be bigger than this market is. This plan is the perfect example of Bernero never paying attention to the details. The plan was really just about giving Gillespie some cheap land for his apartments, and the market was clearing an afterthought.
I'm glad we have some more deliberative and collaborative in charge, now. That said, I don't think there is any fixing the current concept of the city market and its current location short of them building on the lot across the way behind the Lansing Center to create more activity and space. They've been trying to "fix" it for years. There was talk about physically connecting the market to the Lansing Center with an enclosed corridor that would be used by vendors so that they could be connected to the conventions that use the center and the Raddison guests. I thought that was an interesting concept, but it was never followed through on.
I agree that just about all hope is lost for the market in its current form and at its location, I've thought that just about since I saw what they were building. There is still hope for a great City Market at a new location though, I think the size and scope should be significantly expanded. I made a SketchUp model of a hypothetical redevelopment of the factory complex at Mt Hope & Washington that includes a new City Market (in the Atmosphere Annealing building) so I've thought a lot about what I'd do if I were designing it... There should be space for permanent, seasonal and pop-up vendors, along with a couple restaurants. There should be a market-run grocery that stocks basics like milk, pop and other items determined by what isn't being sold by vendors (this would encourage people to rely on the market as their primary shopping stop). There should also be a considerable amount of multi-use space, it could accommodate things like larger farmers markets, flea markets, arts & crafts shows, etc. It could also house just about any of the types of events and/or festivals that would normally put up large tents in parking lots or fields. I'd also like to see a wholesale market similar to the one at Detroit's Eastern Market if this area could support it, I feel like it could really help local restaurants and small stores get more and better local products.
My first thought was naturally “What?! Not downtown?” but that could actually be a great location. It’s the southern edge of REO Town so it could build off that success, surrounded by relatively dense (by Lansing standards) and walkable residential neighborhoods, huge space for future growth, and easy to get to by car, bus, or bike.
I would completely support ditching the current market altogether for a new location and concept.
In Boston [sorry it's the only other place I know well] they have the Hay Market which is outdoor setup and taken down each market day. There they sell produce only, it is not a farmer's market, the sellers offer good prices on "B" produce which generally what the green wholesaler did not sell the day before as "A" fresh today, this is what the market vendors buy and bring to the market. Around the corner is the Faneuil Hall Market Place and Quincy Market, which I think are closer to what a "City Market" should be with permanent businesses in a nice food hall/ retail hall kind of set up. There are also weekly "from the farm" farmers markets set up in the same neighborhood. I think the area that the current city market occupies could lend itself to a similar concept, a real food/retail hall/entertainment venue/bars type City Market, Also with a fresh food, and produce market, and a seasonal Farmer's Market. I know I have talked about this before but a beautiful "tourist attraction" pedestrian bridge that leads to this area would bring more people to the area which is now an empty space. Somehow if we want people to shop downtown we have to offer something to buy there. Maybe a floating market with vendors set up on floating barges in the river!
Comments
I read that the cheese vendor in the City Market is leaving. The LJS story said that Lansing has rejected the urban farmer's market concept. I would say that Lansing has rejected The City Market. The city built a cheap looking building with all the charm of a warehouse inside on this kind of backlot with only one-way street access and wonders how it all went wrong. To fix it I would start by tearing down that pole barn. Then take a look at other succsessful urban/farmers markets for ideas on what worked for them. I don't think it is very complcated, you need a destanation building, one that is enjoyable just to visit. Then offer leases at prices that would allow vendors to make a porfit. Why would a farmer pay for a spot downtown when many nieghborhood markets offer free space and more traffic? The only answer is, if the farmer/vendor can make money there. It might be a good idea to get out of that business all together sell that space for a hotel and have night and weekend and farmers/hoilday markets on the streets of downtown.
Yes, from what I've seen the Allen Farmers Market is doing OK, better than The City Market at this point. Bottom line is if Flint can have successful new farmers market, than Lansing can too.
I've really been trying to think of what Flint did better. Offhand I can say that the location is better (tons of parking and very easy for downtown office workers to walk to) and the building is nicer. But is that it?
There's also a medical clinic in the second floor of the Flint farmers market, which brings extra traffic to the market.
The difference is that these other things we're talking about are actual farmers markets. LEPFA basically took the market in another direction after they demolished the old market, so these aren't really comparable. The city market could easily work as a farmers market...if they wanted a farmers market, but they purposefully pushed the farmers out. I stopped going after my favorite vendors were kicked out.
Though I do have to say if that any of this can be contributed to the physical building it's that the new market is smaller than the old one. This was a central criticism of the plan when it was being planned. Not only is it too small, but the old market had extra useable space in the part they used as a courtyard.
I let the market go years ago. I don't mind the public market concept, but it has to be in a building derseving of it and it has to be bigger than this market is. This plan is the perfect example of Bernero never paying attention to the details. The plan was really just about giving Gillespie some cheap land for his apartments, and the market was clearing an afterthought.
I'm glad we have some more deliberative and collaborative in charge, now. That said, I don't think there is any fixing the current concept of the city market and its current location short of them building on the lot across the way behind the Lansing Center to create more activity and space. They've been trying to "fix" it for years. There was talk about physically connecting the market to the Lansing Center with an enclosed corridor that would be used by vendors so that they could be connected to the conventions that use the center and the Raddison guests. I thought that was an interesting concept, but it was never followed through on.
I agree that just about all hope is lost for the market in its current form and at its location, I've thought that just about since I saw what they were building. There is still hope for a great City Market at a new location though, I think the size and scope should be significantly expanded. I made a SketchUp model of a hypothetical redevelopment of the factory complex at Mt Hope & Washington that includes a new City Market (in the Atmosphere Annealing building) so I've thought a lot about what I'd do if I were designing it... There should be space for permanent, seasonal and pop-up vendors, along with a couple restaurants. There should be a market-run grocery that stocks basics like milk, pop and other items determined by what isn't being sold by vendors (this would encourage people to rely on the market as their primary shopping stop). There should also be a considerable amount of multi-use space, it could accommodate things like larger farmers markets, flea markets, arts & crafts shows, etc. It could also house just about any of the types of events and/or festivals that would normally put up large tents in parking lots or fields. I'd also like to see a wholesale market similar to the one at Detroit's Eastern Market if this area could support it, I feel like it could really help local restaurants and small stores get more and better local products.
I would completely support ditching the current market altogether for a new location and concept.
As a frequenter of the southside farmer's market on Thursdays- I would love a daily farmer's market in the southside.
In Boston [sorry it's the only other place I know well] they have the Hay Market which is outdoor setup and taken down each market day. There they sell produce only, it is not a farmer's market, the sellers offer good prices on "B" produce which generally what the green wholesaler did not sell the day before as "A" fresh today, this is what the market vendors buy and bring to the market. Around the corner is the Faneuil Hall Market Place and Quincy Market, which I think are closer to what a "City Market" should be with permanent businesses in a nice food hall/ retail hall kind of set up. There are also weekly "from the farm" farmers markets set up in the same neighborhood. I think the area that the current city market occupies could lend itself to a similar concept, a real food/retail hall/entertainment venue/bars type City Market, Also with a fresh food, and produce market, and a seasonal Farmer's Market. I know I have talked about this before but a beautiful "tourist attraction" pedestrian bridge that leads to this area would bring more people to the area which is now an empty space. Somehow if we want people to shop downtown we have to offer something to buy there. Maybe a floating market with vendors set up on floating barges in the river!
EDIT
what does EDIT mean? There is new demolition work going on at the old Y building, maybe this project is really getting underway!