Market at Riverfront One a possibility
Jun. 25—LIMA — Lima Mayor Sharetta Smith said Riverfront One is structurally sound and the city is now going through the process of listening to ideas from residents and consultants on what it could be used for.
Ted Spitzer of Market Ventures Inc. gave a presentation at a town hall Tuesday night about what it would look like if the city put in a public market at the property.
"I am a strong believer that not all good ideas come from city hall and that we work better as a community when we hear from everyone and have their input," Smith said. "Today, we've had a series of meetings with professionals and some major employers prior to this public meeting tonight about what public markets are and what other communities have done to bring them to their area."
Spitzer said he has worked on markets in cities including Fort Wayne, Cleveland and Columbus and compared Lima to similar cities like Santa Fe, New Mexico; Ithaca, New York; and Napa, California that also have markets.
He outlined the different markets that are possible, how they work and how things like greenhouses, SNAP benefits and unique features can be used to drive sustainability, attract low-income shoppers and build a customer base.
Most of the community members in attendance were receptive to the idea and excited by it, comparing it to how they experience Columbus and placing it in the context of other aspects of how the city has revitalized the downtown area.
"It was exactly what I was thinking as far as what we need downtown," Dennis Hempker said. "I feel like we've been kind of like an industrial city for whatever amount of years and we're really making the step toward making an entertainment district. We've already taken strides toward that with the Ohio Theatre, the amphitheater and John (Heaphy's) Spring and Main so I feel like this is our next big step in bringing another people downtown."
Smith said the city is just going through the first step of listening so far, but that the preference is some kind of mixed-use development, something she has said since the city bought the property for $200,000 last year (bit.ly/3VIhBOK).
"We've heard that retail is important and we've also heard that when we talk about a public market, it's okay to think about the term 'market' in a broader sense," she said. "It could mean prepared foods, fresh foods or an eclectic place to sell local goods. We're open to hearing all of those ideas and bring in what will work best for our communities."
The city requested proposals earlier this year and received 300 responses from the community in a survey.
"Our next step after the feasibility study is to craft the development deal," Smith said. "The goal would be to enter into a deal before the end of this year or early next year."
Reach Jacob Espinosa at 567-242-0399.
