From that article you posted it doesn’t look like they’re proposing to replace the “whole thing.” I may be way off here but I seem to remenber similar happen with the horse complex by the fairgrounds? Sometimes the area grows up around these facilities and programming changes. I think someone above pointed out the part they are thinking of moving(?) is the wholesaler section which may be one that could be sited elsewhere. Either way, that’s a very confusing petition with next to no facts presented to even evaluate one way or the other (which may be the point, idk).
There are currently 5 wholesalers. I wonder what they pay in rent or fees currently. The petition is clearly written to make it sound like the whole Farmer’s Market is in jeopardy. Shady.
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Here’s the official statement, FWIW.
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So, essentially, the wholesalers are being successful at convincing over 10,000 people that they’ll lose their farmers’ market to rich people in condos…okay.
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It’s a confusing argument considering the State still owns the land but they think the DIX conservancy run loosely by the City is behind all this.
The price per month varies immensely considering some of the stalls are 4 to 5 times the size of each other. Some only sell to small restaurants while some sell to dozens of School systems.
I understand the open air market can be crowded on the weekends when the weather is nice or it’s seasonal (Christmas, Fall, etc.) But on the weekdays and non seasonal periods, it’s a ghost town. Which yes, more condos and apartments would bring more foot traffic, but the wholesale section operates 6 days a week. It’s all about money or the potential to make more money.
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I saw that Petition on Facebook last week and almost responded to the misinformation in it, but I didn’t have my facts straight so I decided to remain quiet. If it’s on the Internet, it’s true, correct?
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I was only wondering about the five wholesalers not individuals in the farmers market. I would assume the wholesalers all have a similar set up but I honestly don’t know anything about them except they’re over to the one side. But they are doing a great job sowing a lot of disinformation which always makes you wonder about an argument when they can’t put the facts forward.
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That’s what I was referring to regarding their rent per month were the wholesalers. Some stalls only have one cooler inside them while others have coolers the size of Costco. So the rent per month is vastly different depending on how much space they have.
But I will agree about the disinformation, they aren’t presenting the best argument.
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Gotcha. I find that surprising as I thought they’d be mostly the same size/set up but that’s what happen when you assume. Thanks for the clarification.
Couldn’t they keep a section of it for wholesalers and then a section more for the general public with smaller vendors and restaurants,etc.
Couple important points that are being blown out of proportion or misconstrued completely by the petition:
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Nowhere in the master plan does it say how the end result will be achieved. Perhaps the implementation of the master plan will include the state building a new, larger, nicer, more logistical distribution hub on state land outside of the current Farmer’s Market.
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Nowhere in the master plan does it say when the end result will be achieved, or when construction will begin, or where the funds will come from. It’s really just the beginning of a future land use plan for the state’s land. If the individual produce distribution companies were smart, they would have seen this coming since they don’t own the dirt beneath their hub, and they would have purchased warehouse space in Garner, or another area that has cheap flex/industrial space. The Produce Box for example owns their 2.7 acre facility on Tryon rd.
[sorry, didn’t mean to reply to anyone specifically]
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They could but I think the wholesalers aren’t quite the revenue generators as the other developments will be.
Why do the wholesalers have to be on state land? Just get together and build there own distribution center in a cluster if they for some reason what to be together. Maybe just for convenience of customers?
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They are nearly 100% distribution. Maybe some local restaurants pickup, but they are in the delivery business. The only important part of their current location is proximity to the highway and potential marketing exposure from people seeing their trucks. But as that land becomes mixed use redevelopment, their is no fit for industrial space to remain. It would be different if they owned their land and the gov was forcing them to sell via eminent domain…
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Oh I see your question now… Right, they don’t need to be on state land. That would just be a very altruistic thing the state could offer during the roll out of master plan, but that doesn’t really make sense thinking about it further. The public sector doesn’t really owe anything to these for profit distributors that distribute both NC produce and imported produce.
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The City has an RFQ out for a design team for the “Gateway Plaza and Play area”.
12.4 acres on Lake Wheeler Rd. stretching from Fuller St. to Daladams St.
Submittal due Dec 16. Winner announced Feb 4. 18 month schedule for design.
[Edit: thats a massive parking lot. hopefully they do something like the new art museum parking to at least make it somewhat not visually ugly. This is supposed to be the “gateway” / one of the new main entrances… ]
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Good to know it is moving forward. City projects seem to go at a glacial pace.
So prob 2023 when this opens if no delays?
I will be excited to see the ideas. I hope we get something truly unique and iconic.
At least it’s “Temporary Parking” - but what will the permanent parking look like, and where will it go?
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That “temporary parking” is going to be there for a long time. I think the original Master Plan defined that area as a space for possible re-development/lease potential. I’d be shocked if that happens in the next 20 years.
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I could see this “temporary” parking being there 10+ years. Shown is about twice the size of the main pullen park parking area. If the team approaches this as “oh its just temporary” then we’ll end up with ~5 acres of gravel or asphalt.
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