Possibilities

In as dispassionate a way as possible, I present a few thoughts on why the City, on behalf of its citizens, should consider looking a few hundred feet  west of the current Farmers Market location for a new and better location for this important community feature. I will present this list for discussion at Thursday's Common Council Meeting. 

 

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REASONS WHY MOVING THE FARMERS MARKET TO THE PARKING 

 GARAGE CAN BENEFIT THE MARKET AS WELL AS THE DOWNTOWN        

 

1. Doubles covered area of market

2. Provides covered, shaded parking for vendors’ trucks, keeping food items out of heat

3. Already handicapped accessible

4. The concrete mass of the garage acts like an air conditioner

5.  Approx. 10,000 square feet of dedicated street and sidewalk space during market hours

6. Traffic not blocked—one side of Market Street (southern side of median) would be open to traffic

7. Garage would be livened up to make it a more inviting space for market with added lighting, decoration, and functional upgrades, such as electrical hookups for vendors

8. Historic Farmers Market of New Albany was located in Market Street area in front of the parking garage

9. Bathrooms can be added at garage site and would be a more wide-reaching amenity for the entire downtown, its shoppers, visitors, and its merchants

10. Bathroom facility could double as an information kiosk, like Madison’s Comfort Station—a refurbished filling station in downtown Madison, Indiana

11. Redevelopment funds for this Tax Increment Financing facility might cover some physical alterations to garage, possibly leading to future use of garage for customer parking during Saturday market, if feasible

12. After bathrooms, lights, and facelift, money would still be left to cover other enhancements for the market beyond the physical expansion, such as pedal-powered taxis to carry shoppers back to their cars with their purchases. Offering such a service could also provide a few good part time jobs for pedal-taxi drivers

13. The Bank and Market site can be elevated to higher use than the 8-10 hours a week for ½ the year of the market’s use, such an upgrade of this strategic corner could solidify the downtown revival while building a foundation for future growth

14. The parking garage is especially under-utilized on weekends. Moving the market here helps unlock the value of the sunk costs in this multi-million dollar community asset.