PUBLIC MARKET - SPRING 1999
This undergraduate Urban Design Studio focused on concept for revitalizing downtown Springfield. The concept for this studio involved using a public market to bring new life to downtown Springfield while promoting small food, agricultural businesses, job development, and social activity in Western Mass.
CONTEXT While a great deal has been done in the urban core of Springfield to generate economic growth and enhance livability, needs still exist. A critical mass of retail business needs to be established to create a successful retail district that can effectively compete with suburban shopping centers. With this retail and service center in place, it is believed that residents will chose to live in downtown Springfield once again. A celebration of the City's cultural diversity is essential to build a cohesive community that will share a vision and embrace change. It is only with a wide base of support that urban revitalization will succeed. A change in people's perception of Springfield must occur in order for the city to emerge as a regional metro center. People outside Springfield as well as within need to believe that the city is a safe place to visit, recreate and shop. A public market has the potential to effect each of these needs.
The concept of a public market as a strategy to revitalize downtown Springfield is not new. A downtown plan initiated in 1988 highlighted the need for a retail concept that would have a regional draw and help reestablish Springfield's urban core as a vital retail center. In 1990 the first feasibility study gave enthusiastic support for the idea, tempered only by the reality of the poor economy that reigned in the area as a whole. Studies indicated weak political support and lack of agreement upon a site caused the idea to be shelved. In 1998 a second study found the same results. The study concluded that while there is a demand for a public market it should not be expected to be a great moneymaker. However, the contributions a public market can make to the desirability and ambience of a community and the catalytic impact it can have on further development makes it an appropriate tool for revitalization.
DEFINITION A public market, as intended in this project, can be generally described as a year round operation in an indoor facility. The majority of these businesses supply fresh foods to local residents at competitive prices. Typically public markets consist of vendors selling produce, fish, meats, baked goods, specialty foods, plants, and flowers. They are characterized by their commitment to fresh food targeted primarily at area residents. True public markets must also have public goals. These goals address social, economic, and cultural aspirations of their community (Public Market Collaborative, 1990).
GOALS The goals for the public market in Springfield are clear. It intends to:
- Promote small food and agricultural businesses in Western Massachusetts.
- Provide fresh food for the whole community.
- Create an outlet for local entrepreneurial activity and encourage job development.
- Further revitalization of downtown Springfield by strengthening existing businesses and supplementing the city's tax base.
- Create a public place for social interaction and celebration of regional, multi-ethnic food and agricultural traditions.
