The Central New York Regional Market is continuing to work on a revitalization plan following a year of turmoil.
Around 100 people gathered in the CNY Regional Market's "F Shed" Monday night to hear more about the progress being made on a market revitalization plan. Market officials and representatives from Market Ventures Incorporated provided an overview of the plan's progress and gave attendees a chance to offer more feedback. Regional Market CEO Bill Fisher said the revitalization plan should be a "living document" something that's sustainable and grows with the market and its stakeholders.
"When you have something that's already almost 90 years old, you don't want a planning horizon that's just about the next month or the next year, you want to be thinking of things in terms of decades," Fisher said.
The plan identified four key areas of improvement including expanding retail facilities, creating an educational center, modernizing the infrastructure, and investing in additional food production.
Onondaga County and New York State provided the funds to create the revitalization plan. The plan comes after a scathing state audit revealed mismanaged funds, eventually leading to the removal of former Market CEO Amanda Vitale. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said he hopes to see the market move forward as a leader for local agriculture.
"This market has the chance to be a huge tourism boom for us, to bring people from throughout the state and also the country if we do it right," McMahon said. "So we're here as an important part as we start to finalize the plan moving forward and it's up to leaders like myself and others to help fund the plan and turn it into action."
Attendees at Monday's session were invited to share their ideas through written responses and discussion following a plan overview. Brigid Mulroe has lived in Syracuse for three years, she says the market is one of the most impressive markets she's seen. Mulroe said she's liked what plans for revitalization she's seen so far.
"I really like that they want to keep what's working and keep the central sheds and market as it's set up now," Mulroe said. "But it seems like all the stuff they want to add is really going to enhance and build on what's existing."
Some revitalization improvements have already begun, including some vendor relocations and shed improvements.
