Public Input Requested In Transforming The 17th Street Farmers’ Market

The 17th Street Farmers’ Market is evolving and the City of Richmond is requesting input from residents and businesses as to how the new public space will look and function. Two community workshops will be held to gain this input with the first being on Tuesday, October 1 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and the second on Wednesday, October 2 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. The meetings will take place on the second floor of Main Street Station, 1500 East Main Street.

The workshops are an outgrowth of the effort began by the City in 2010 when the Department of Economic and Community Development worked with the community and Shockoe stakeholders to develop a revitalization strategy for the area. The community desired a more open urban space at the public market that would serve the vendors on market days, continue to serve large events, but also support a wider range of community and family-oriented programming. 

In FY 2013 and FY 2014, the City supported the concept and Mayor Dwight C. Jones included funding in his budget to reposition the property to more fully serve the community as a public square and gathering place. City funding will also provide for the burying  of overhead utilities along the four sides of the market square.

Space at the community workshops is limited to 200 individuals each, and attendees are asked to RSVP to Jeannie Welliver at jeannie.welliver@richmondgov.com or call (804) 646-7322 by September 26, 2013. The meetings are redundant, so attendees should select either the October 1 evening meeting or the October 2 morning meeting. The selected community engagement consultant, Project for Public Spaces, will lead both community workshops.

Free Parking for the community workshops will be available in the lot west of Main Street Station, which can be accessed from either 15th Street or East Franklin Street. Parking assistants will be onsite to assist attendees.