‘Tourist attraction’ or ‘money pit’? Here’s how Belleville leaders view new City Market

The city’s proposed indoor/outdoor market valued at nearly $1 million is tabbed by Mayor Patty Gregory as a “tourist attraction,” but one alderman opposes the idea of spending tax dollars on a market he says could become a “money pit” in competition with downtown businesses.

Dubbed City Market, it is a plan to convert a city-owned building at 117 S. Illinois St. into a marketplace with a commercial kitchen.

Belleville City Council members voted 13-1 Tuesday night to accept a $424,850 state tourism grant to help fund transformation of the building next door to City Hall.

The tourism grant is part of a $22.5 million package to support festivals and otherwise boost Illinois tourism. Th money came from the federal government in the form of COVID-19 relief funds.

To get the state grant, Belleville had to provide a “matching” amount, which currently stands at $439,265 for the City Market project. This money will come from the city’s capital improvements budget.

Along with the tourism grant, the city has received a $76,500 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant from the U.S. Department of Energy for replacement and insulation of the building’s roof and reopening of the skylights that had been covered with roofing material. This money can be used as part of the matching fund requirements of the tourism grant, according to Eric Schauster, the assistant director of the city’s Economic Development, Planning and Zoning Department.

The city also has spent nearly $5,000 for preliminary design and cost estimate work. The building has been used for storage of items like desks.

Gregory said she and Ward 5 Alderwoman Mary Stiehl visited farmers markets last summer and fall to let potential vendors know about Belleville’s plans. They do not have any vendors signed up yet for the City Market.

“Farmers markets just used to be produce and meat,” Gregory said. “Now days, farmers markets are totally different. I mean besides produce and meat, they have artisan work, they have crafts, they have soap making, they have lotions, they have all kinds of different products, which actually is going to be a draw to bring more people downtown.”

Gregory said St. Clair County will allow City Market patrons to park in the county parking garage behind the market.

Ward 3 Alderman Kent Randle cast the lone dissenting vote against the agreement to accept the $424,850 state tourism grant.

“I’m not convinced this is such a good deal,” Randle said in an interview after the council meeting. “Something tells me that this thing might very well end up being a money pit.”

Randle noted that the city estimates up to 300 people could visit the City Market each week. He said if each person spent $50 weekly throughout the year, the city’s share of sales tax revenue from the site would be $13,650.

The city would also have to pay for someone to manage the site, he said.

“I certainly don’t believe that it’s going to be profitable for the taxpayer.”

Randle said the City Market could be competition for the existing businesses such as the Belleville Farmer’s Market at 500 N. Illinois St. This business was established in 1975 and also has an outlet at 1901 North Belt West.

Gregory said city officials have met with downtown business owners who “were very, very receptive” to the plan.

“In fact, several of them have talked to us about having a booth there,” she said.

Cliff Cross, director of Economic Development, Planning and Zoning Department, said the opening of the market will depend on contractor bids.

A portion of the project could be ready later this year with the entire work completed in the spring 2025, he said, but noted that it was too early to say for sure.

Food trucks, live music, art activities for children and cooking demonstrations are some of the possibilities for the market, according to the city’s application for the tourism grant.

The year-round market would be open from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.

The City Market would replace the Old Town Market, an outdoor farmers market that has operated on Saturday mornings May through November on South Charles Street.

While Randle was the only member of the council to vote against the agreement to receive the state tourism grant, two other aldermen on the 16-member council were absent from the meeting: Ward 3 Alderman Scott Ferguson and Ward 7 Alderman Phil Elmore.

“I understand this is something the mayor feels strongly about,” Randle said. “I don’t think it’s necessary to spend the taxpayers’ money in this fashion, especially after we just increased the levy.”

The council voted last month to raise the city’s property-tax levy by nearly $900,000. This will require a resident who owns a home or commercial building with a market value of $100,000 to pay an estimated $52 more in city property taxes next year if equalized-assessed valuation for the entire city remains the same, according to Finance Director Jamie Maitret. However, Maitret said the valuation is expected to rise, meaning the property tax increase would be lower.

News-Democrat reporter Teri Maddox contributed information for this article.