Market Watch: A Facelift for Eastern Market

By: Katherine Montalto | July 05 2010
Posted in Find It - Detroit

Detroit's 43-acre Eastern Market has continually been operating since 1891, making it one of the longest-running and largest markets in the country. About 45,000 people visit the market every Saturday to shop for the some of the 70,000 tons of fresh produce, meat, spices, and flowers that move through the market every year. To keep up with this demand and to reach more people in metro Detroit, the Eastern Market Corporation has drawn up plans to redevelop America's largest public market.

Photo: Katherine Montalto

Construction has already begun with the premier seasonal Shed 2 being renovated and completed in 2008.  Sheds 3 and 4 are being converted into year-round spaces with radiant floor heating, lots of glass to increase natural lighting and (most impressively) public restrooms. These two sheds will also house permanent vendors and restaurants.

A demo kitchen and space for cooking classes provide even more opportunities for the market to benefit the community.  The Eastern Market Corporation also plans to set aside 2.5 acres for greenhouses, an onsite community composting center, and storage for the tools and supplies of community gardens.

Traditionally, the public market has been held on Saturdays, but the Eastern Market Corporation has plans to expand the market to Sundays as well. The Sunday market will be less about produce and more about events. Shed 3 is slated to showcase local artists and crafters. Shed 5 will host a Sunday brunch, while Sheds 2 and 4 will be used for outdoor events in the warmer months.

The best part of this massive renovation is how it helps rebuild metro Detroit's local food system, while helping dismantle what Detroiters (who arguably have the worst access to fresh food in the whole country) refer to as the food desert.

What do you think of the Eastern Market renovations? Does your city have anything like the Eastern Market?