2009.12.11
New proposals offered for Roanoke market vendors; public meeting this afternoon
Roanoke officials met with architects and a vendor representative this morning to look for ways to renovate the historic Roanoke City Market building while keeping tenants in the food court from going out of business.
The latest proposal involves a phased renovation that would close the food court for six to eight months.
That’s more than the three or four months requested by vendors, but well short of initial plans to close the entire building for 12 to 18 months.
Reporter Mason Adams of The Roanoke Times has more details here.
So what do you think of the market situation? You can leave a comment below or send a letter to the editor of The Blue Ridge Business Journal at news@bizjournal.com.
OTHER RECENT COVERAGE OF THE ROANOKE CITY MARKET:
* Dec. 7: Market vendor speaks out on building’s future
* Dec. 4: More on whether market building vendors should move to Tanglewood Mall
* Dec. 3: Roanoke mayor declares “no confidence” in city manager, calls for new approach on market building
* Dec. 3: Should City Market Building vendors move to Tanglewood Mall?
The “phased” renovation proposal for the market building would add 2.85 million to the 5.7 million dollar cost of the renovation. That does not include another $1.3 million for faux brick street scapping around the building or a total of 5.7+2.85+1.3 = 9.83 million dollar and it is approaching REAL money.
That does not include the money already spent for A&E ($700,000) and who knows how many studies.
Where is all this money coming from? Drs.. Trinkle and Cutler says there is no money to fix the storm drains and the council (read Cutler and Trinkle) won’t reorder the capital spending priorities. The city has no money -can’t borrow any more money- because the credit card has been maxed out by the council. They have not maintained what we have and they haven’t spent the money wisely, but all will be well if the citizens will just give them more money in the form of Storm Drain Fees.
Incidentally, isn’t renovating the market building and even Center in the Square BEFORE fixing the storm drains so downtown won’t flood back ass-ward?
All very strange to me – but then Bev Fitzpatrick did tell me “things are different in Roanoke”. Perhaps it is time for a change.
Comment by Robert Craig — December 11, 2009 @ 4:35 pm