This just in: City Market's East Wing to become hub for bicycle commuters

This illustration by Woollen Molzan Architects shows a main Market Hall which will be more vibrant and colorful after the renovation.

The East Wing of the Indianapolis City Market will soon to converted to a hub serving bicyclists commuting to Downtown, complete with storage lockers, shower facilities and bicycle service and repair.

The West Wing, meanwhile, will be torn down, probably by the end of the year, to make way for one of six proposals city officials are now studying for a reuse of that key Downtown space.

A proposal by the Indianapolis Theatre Fringe Festival – to create a new performing arts center and affordable live-work housing complex for performing and literary artists – has emerged as the favorite in that sweepstakes, said Wayne Schmidt, president of the City Market Board of Directors.

New uses for the two wings is part of a complete makeover for the City Market, unveiled June 4. Also in store for the City Market’s main Market Hall is a renovation that will inject more music, color and vibrancy into the historic core of the City Market.

Mayor Greg Ballard said the project will put the City Market “on a par with many other markets in the country.” He said “The market needs to become a destination point, which it is not now. People need to come together, have fun, even drink a beer or two.” Ballard called the conversion of the East Wing into a bicycle hub “revolutionary.”

Schmidt, principal of Schmidt Associates, said Ballard challenged the City Market’s board not to tinker at the edges of the City Market, but to create big change.

In addition to completely new roles for the two wings, Schmidt said the historic Main Market house will feature:

– Music on a daily basis.

– Fresh produce, with handy pickup for the end of work day.

– Continuation of the wide selection of international prepared foods available at the City Market.

– Other vendors dealing in such services as jewelry, haircuts and fresh-cut flowers.

– Conversion of the new Saturday Farmers Market into a year-round event, using the main Market Hall’s balcony during the winter months. The more traditional Wednesday market will continue during the summers.

– Resolution of parking issues which have plagued the market’s efforts to broaden its base from its main audience of nearby office workers.

“We want a wholesome atmosphere, taking the market back to its origins,” Schmidt said.

City Market Executive Director Jim Reilly said there is no formal timeline for the project, being financed primarily with $2.7 million of city funds generated by Downtown tax-increment financing district. But he said the renovation of the East Wing into the bicycle hub should be done as quickly as possible, and demolition of the West Wing to begin this fall in anticipation of the IndyFringe proposal or whatever other plan may be selected instead.

As for the main building, Reilly said construction would begin later this summer with completion set for spring 2011.

The total price tag for the re-invention of the City Market could come to $4 million. This project comes on the heels of a $2.4 million renovation of the main Market Hall in 2007, a project that encountered several delays which resulted in considerable hardship for stand-holders.

Referring to that renovation as well as other efforts to reverse the long-time downward spiral of the City Market, Schmidt said the latest plan is different because of its radical nature, and because of the strong support and unity among the current City Market Board of Directors. “This is not just the next step, but a totally new enterprise,” Schmidt said.

He continued that the latest makeover is more than pretty flags and brighter lights. “We took a look at the market as a system, from the amenities to the quality of the stand-holders. We re-evaluated the criteria for inviting future stand-holders to participate. And, we’re looking for ways to eliminate parking issues during the week and on week-ends.”