Downtown Public Market Closer to Reality

Apr 23, 2008 by Elizabeth Ziegler

(KCPW News) The first phase of a public market feasibility study is complete. Downtown Alliance Economic Development Manager Carla Weise says the group's board of directors has yet to decide to move forward on the project, but she feels confident it will.

"You know when you've had this great idea - and we've talked about having a public market in downtown Salt Lake City for a long time - and when you have someone of Ted's caliber, who has been involved in so many successful markets throughout the country, come in and say that we have the basic things necessary - that it could work here - was very encouraging," Weise says.

For the past six months, public market consultant Ted Spitzer investigated possible locations, vendors and public interest in the project. He also compared successful markets in similar communities, such as in Columbus, Ohio, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Spitzer says the scope of this initial study was kept relatively small and that future studies would focus more on specific locations, project costs and timelines.

"There is a good bit of work that needs to happen before we get to the next level to determine if it is an idea that's been explored well or if this is really going to happen," Spitzer says.

He will present the study results during an event Wednesday from 5-7 p.m. at Tony Caputo's Market and Deli on Third South and Broadway. A year-round public market would complement the Saturday Farmer's Market the Downtown Alliance currently runs at Pioneer Park in summer and fall.

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