Downtown Global Market Center?

[siouxperland]

There's an idea floating around Sioux City now to create a city "global market" somewhere in downtown that would be a place for a myriad of food/produce vendors. Things such a mini restaurant stands of all ethnic varieties, take away food/ready to eat, take & prepare items. Fish & meat markets, cheese, bakeries, wines and the like. Interesting idea. Would be cool to pair it with the pending Sioux City ArtSpace project. The Battery Building would be a good fit. Some market rate condos on the top floor(s), ArtSpace under that on a floor or two and the market hall on the ground floor. The new Cone Park south across the street with an outdoor Farmer's Market with access off Wesley Parkway & I-29 at the new 3rd Street connection and that West End/Pearl area would be super hot.

A presentation prepared by the group planning this project which was presented to the Sioux City GO (Growth Organization): http://globalmarketsux.posterous.com/

[DMRyan]

Sounds like a fine reuse idea for the building to me. It's too grand of a building and has too much potential to only be a residential conversion, or not be at least partially open to the public.

[siouxperland]

The original plan for adaptive reuse was always commercial on the first floor, whether it be office, retail, service related and a restaurant off the back loading dock area.

If this building should become a market with full time vendors on the ground floor, a pavilion type roof, something akin to the old train station platform sheds added to the south side facing 3rd Street could accommodate the occasional and transient vendors for a farmer's market.

Something like this (but obviously in much better shape!)