A standing room only crowd filled the Truss event space on the top floor of the INTRO Cleveland building at the Southeast corner of W. 25^th and Lorain on June 29^th to learn about plans for the future of the West Side Market.

     City of Cleveland Senior Strategist for the West Side Market Jessica Trivisonno introduced Ted Spitzer, a consultant from Market Ventures, who developed a master plan for the future of the West Side Market that was guided by an advisory committee that received input from both market merchants and other area stakeholders.

     The presentation by Spitzer and Trivisonno outlined proposed improvements to the West Side Market’s infrastructure, the plan to transition management of the market to a nonprofit board of directors, plans to redesign the layout of the West Side Market, and the funds that would need to be raised to make the implementation of the masterplan possible.

     The redesign of the West Side Market outlined in the new master plan calls for significant changes in the Arcade where the produce merchants currently have their businesses. With nearly 50% of the Arcade stalls now empty, the proposal in the master plan calls for all the produce merchants to be moved to the aisle of the arcade that runs from the West Side Market Parking Lot to Lorain Avenue. The other aisle that runs from the West Side Market Parking Lot to W. 25^th will be reserved for restaurants and bars selling prepared foods and drinks. The area between the Arcade and the West Side Market Hall will have seating to accommodate customers of the restaurants and bars. The Master Plan envisions that the West Side Market will be able to charge higher rents for the restaurants and bars than it does for its traditional produce merchants, thus increasing overall revenue. This aisle and the seating area would be open late to accommodate a dinner crowd.

     Some other additional features that will be added to the Arcade include an elevator from the produce stands to the market basement, so merchants won’t have to go outside of the arcade to get items from the basement. The plan also calls for covering the Arcade and installing a heating and cooling system for the merchants and customers. Merchants would also be provided with electrical and water connections.

     Plans for the Market Hall include improvements to the electrical, heating and cooling systems, improvements to the basement and the merchant coolers in the basement and new elevators. The master plan also calls for converting an area on the East end of the upper mezzanine to an event space. The area currently houses unused merchant lockers. Another idea presented was having two fully operational kitchens — an educational kitchen and merchant access to a working kitchen.

     The Board of Directors of the Cleveland Public Market Corporation is also negotiating with the City of Cleveland to obtain control over the West Side Marking Parking lot which the Board deems crucial to the long-term viability of the West Side Market.

     Following the presentation of ideas from the master plan a small panel was asked to comment on the plan and answer questions from the audience. The panel consisted of Ruby Thomas of Ohio City Pasta, Don Whitaker of D.W. Whitaker Meats and President of the United West Side Market Tenants Association, and Cleveland Public Market Board of Trustees Members David Abbott and Ramat Wiley.

     While the comments from the panel were hard for many in the audience to hear because of noise coming from the overhead duct work at the Truss event space, it was clear that Don Whitaker was hopeful that the addition of air conditioning and the proposed infrastructure improvement would make a difference for existing merchants.

     The future implementation of the master plan depends heavily on the ability of the Cleveland Public Market Corporation, the nonprofit corporation being set up to manage the West Side Market, being able to raise $41 million dollars it estimates it will cost to fully implement the master plan. While Mayor Justin Bibb’s administration originally requested $20 million for the West Side Market, Cleveland City Council reduced that amount to $10 million. The original plan was to have a new executive director in place by June of 2023. That hasn’t happened as the Cleveland Public Market Corporation Board has decided it would be better to have more commitments for funding before bringing an executive director onboard.

     In addition to the cost of implementing the master plan, the West Side Market is expected to have an annual operating budget of $2.9 million.

     The Cleveland Public Market Corporation which the master plan calls upon to hire staff to manage the market is set up to have from 11-21 members on its Board of Directors. The United West Side Market Tenants Association nominates up to three members, the Mayor of Cleveland nominates up to three members and Cleveland City Council nominates up to one member. Board committees are expected to focus on facilities, merchant relations, and community engagement.

     Currently the Cleveland Public Market Corporation Board of Directors has fifteen members: David Abbott of the George Gund Foundation; Tanisha Velez of Cleveland Fresh Microgreens; Tom McNair of Ohio City Incorporated; Carrie Carpenter of Huntington National Bank; Shelly Cayette of the Cleveland Cavaliers; Amanda Dempsey – the previous West Side Market Manager; Colette Jones of Cleveland Foundation; Henry Hilow of Hilow and Spellacy; Dr. Don Malone of Cleveland Clinic’s Ohio Hospitals and Family Health Center; Ward 3 City Councilmember Kerry McCormack; Randy McShepard of Rid-All Green Partnership; Tom Nagel – retired from DB Schenker; Jason Russell of Bedrock Detroit; Ramat Wiley of Adun Spice Company; and Ann Zoller of Strategy Design Partners.