2009.10.28
Market staging
We're working on an editorial about the upcoming improvements on the Market. We will stay our course of urging the city to communicate with those affected.
While the Market Building will need to shut down for the renovations, vendors there have known this for some time. The city should help them relocate.
As to the open-air Market vendors, great care must be taken to provide space for this activity to continue while changes are made to their spaces and renovations occur at Center in the Square.
Communication and cooperation will work to all's advantage.
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One only can hope this is the case.
Comment by Uptheriver — October 28, 2009 @ 12:03 pm
I went to the market food court for lunch today...it was the first time I'd been there in ages. It would appear that with so many places closed and the reduction of seating, that the food court is dying.
What a shame...it seemed like a thriving place when I moved here 12 years ago. Now it seems that no one really wants to be there.
Comment by Patrick — October 28, 2009 @ 1:18 pm
Patrick, Vendors have known for at least two years that the building would be closed for renovations. Some moved out as their leases expired.
Comment by Luanne T. — October 28, 2009 @ 1:33 pm
RE: Market Closure
I could be wrong, but my nose detects the strong scent of rodent here. (No pun intended.)
Comment by Art Hill — October 28, 2009 @ 1:57 pm
I know, Luanne. I have a feeling the market will never be what it once was.
Comment by Patrick — October 28, 2009 @ 1:58 pm
I think, Patrick, that the Market Building, once completed, will be even better than it once was.
The plan for the Market Building is quite nice. If you haven't looked at it you can find it here. It might take a little while to load.
Comment by Luanne T. — October 28, 2009 @ 2:42 pm
Ok...so I just read the article about the market renovations and I can sympathize with the vendors bc that sounds like it's going to hurt them, big time. But it was just a couple of months ago that they were complaining that the building needed renovations....what did they think was going to happen? Did they think they could continue business as usual as the building was demoed around them?
Comment by HCS — October 28, 2009 @ 4:18 pm
I can sympathize with the downtown vendors who are going to bear significant hardship during this renovation project. Short term sympathy, however, is not sufficient cause to ignore the opprotunity for the long term benefits of this development. The market building is a deteriorating structure. If it falls any further, it is going to take the rest of downtown with it. I remember seeing downtown Roanoke when I first moved to this area ten years ago. My first impression was to turn around and leave. Things have gotten so much better since then. Now is not the time to say some improvement is enough. These next few years are going to be inconvenient on everyone who works or visits downtown, but the end result will be something to be proud of.
Comment by MikeC — October 28, 2009 @ 4:56 pm