Historic Indianapolis City Market Aims to Become a Visitor Destination with Major Makeover
Evolving Process to Add Color and More Diverse Vendor Stands
INDIANAPOLIS – The historic Indianapolis City Market (www.indycm.com ), which has been on Market Street since 1821, is expected to get a major makeover that will draw more customers, tourists and upscale vendors.
“This is an important development for Indianapolis,” said Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard. “With the Market makeover we are extending development of our dynamic downtown area to the east side of the Circle and demonstrating that all of downtown has rich cultural, retail and recreational opportunities.”
Ballard said with the continuing growth of downtown urban residents the Market will provide yet another reason for people to live in the downtown area. He noted that the Market is adjacent to the new Cultural Trail which will bring thousands of Cultural Trail users to the Market’s doors.
“The Indianapolis City Market will be a major tourist draw just as Reading Terminal Market (www.readingterminalmarket.org ) is for Philadelphia and Findlay Market (www.findlaymarket.org) is for Cincinnati,” said Wayne Schmidt, president of Indianapolis City Market Corp. and a principal of Schmidt Associates, a major Midwest architecture and design firm. “We are taking the crucial next steps to make this the place where all Indianapolis residents, Hoosiers and visitors want to come.”
The next steps in the Market makeover include redesigned standholder areas, bright and colorful pennants, and daily activities that will make coming to the Market exciting for everyone. Patrons of the Market can expect to see major changes including new stands and decorations beginning in the fall and completed by early spring 2011.
The Market makeover is more than pretty flags and brighter lights, Schmidt emphasized. “We took a look at the Market as a system, from the amenities to the quality of the standholders. We re-evaluated the criteria for inviting future standholders to participate. And, we’re looking for ways to eliminate parking issues during the week and on week-ends.”
City Market leaders have designed the vision for the Market to include more standholders of the quality of Circle City Sweets (www.circlecitysweets.com) and a Taste of Philly (http://www.indypretzel.com/) Designed to support true, unique food artisans, quality flower and gift vendors and restaurant stands, the redesigned Market will provide customers a reason to come not only for lunch during the week, but to return time and time again on week-ends.
Our vision is to have our customers come to the Market and buy gourmet quality meat, farm-fresh vegetables, delightful custom candy, a warm baguette of bread and fresh-cut flowers all in one trip,” said Market Executive Director Jim Reilly. “We want to have everything in one place a true “foodie” would want for an elegant dinner.
“The Indianapolis City Market is an important historical link to our past and it is a pathway to our future as we see our downtown area continue to become energized and more dynamic. The Market makeover will make this happen,” Schmidt concluded.
###