City Market. Is it enough?

With the recent announcement of the renovations to the Indianapolis City Market, it was a pleasant surprise to find the streets outside City Market bussling with people today. The Indianapolis City Market not only provides downtown residents with access to some of the freshest produce and goods available, but coming renovations are intended to transform it into a major downtown marketplace.

The goal with the renovations planned to be completed prior to the fall of 2011, is to incorporate Indianapolis’ city market venders into a more modern and appealing marketplace. With the Cultural Trail’s near completion, thousands of the trail’s users will be brought right to the Market’s door.

The renovations are intended transform the now outdated interior into a more modern marketplace by brightening up the lighting, eliminating current parking issues, and adding necessary amenities to attract new stand holders. This will help transform the City Market into a similar tourist draw to comparable markets in other cities.

Without a doubt, the renovations to the City Market are necessary, and I commend the city of Indianapolis for recognizing the need. An updated City Market will provide residents of new and existing housing like The Hudson, The Packard, Three Mass, and The Maxwell with convenient access to their every need. Yet, the limited government spending on the City Market is not enough to fulfill the vision of providing services to downtown residents.

More government funding of proposed projects is necessary to sustain any continual growth. With all the new residential housing built in the surrounding community, residents of downtown need a central marketplace for consumer goods. The current plans for the renovated City Market cannot offer this; let alone entice tourists and area visitors. City officials should take a careful consideration on the use of government spending for such renovations. Is this the most financially intelligent decision on potential downtown investment officials could make? Or is the right answer for City officials to use the money to invest in new and exciting projects?