Talks begin on new site for Saturday Morning Market

Say it ain't so!

City officials are set to hold an informal meeting with Saturday Morning Market organizers this week to begin discussions about a new home for the popular farmer's market.

The market has at least another year at its current site, said Mark Johnson, founding organizer of the largest farmer's market in the southeast.

Word is that the Tropicana block, the vacant lot along Central Avenue between First and Second streets N, is set for development as early as next year. Tenants in the last remaining building on that site have been told they must move out by May. Demolition of that building will begin soon after.

Developers Jimmy Aviram and Tibor Hollo had originally planned to build nearly 1-million square feet of hotel, condo and shopping in two towers on the site. However, rumors are swirling that with the poor real estate market, plans were changed and now include a mixed use retail/office building and hotel -- no condos.

City officials are looking at South Straub Park. Stay tuned.

Where do you think the market should be located? Leave your suggestions in the comment section.

Comments

Where ever they move it ciy officals should bend over backward to support this event. It is a great draw and brings hundreds of people downtown every weekend with ittle to no expense to the city. No other event can make the same claim.

[Naturalbill]

Al Lang should be zoned DCP (Park) so all the citizens of St. Petersburg can enjoy it and let the market go there. Let City Council know you want it zoned to park when they meet this Thursday at council@stpete.org
Otherwise we will get a conventions center or a new Ray's stadium.

[Dean Robinson]

The first place to look is in the Grand Central area. This is an area that is equally accessable the same as the present site.

Don't listen to the goofball liberals. There is plenty of park space down near the water. No need for it to be near Progress Energy Park. Vote "yes" for the new stadium.

[Downtown Resident]

THANK GOD!! Not only was the Saturday morning market a nuisance to traffic downtown! Also, the people who frequent the market seem to have NO regard or respect for other people and their property! They trashed that ENTIRE area every Saturday with hot dog wrappers, empty soda cans, napkins, etc., etc. AND DOG CRAP!! There was dog dooty everywhere after those Saturday morning markets! How disgusting is that?

I, for one, am GLAD that they moved this thing or are considering moving it! I hope they move it to Palm Harbor or New Port Richey -the further the better!

[Clifford]

Why don't they move to Williams Park where the Saturday Art Market is - every Saturday?

[Tony]

Al Lang (ahem florida progress) stadium parking lot. that's the site!

[Jeff]

Hey downtown resident-thats not dog doo-doo-that's homeless people feces.

[Conservative Bob]

Don't listen to those goofy liberals put it near Progress Energy Park and for Gods sake don't vote for the stadium.

[Jim]

Downtown Resident:
You are an old fart that needs to move out of downtown and get a life.

The market needs to remain not only where it is, but extend westward to 5th St.

[Know Thy Neighbor]

Look who signed the marriage amendment... http://knowthyneighbor.org/florida/

What a surprise, the hypocrite Nancy Bostock

Someone who needs to defend her marraige and her parenting values. Go, Christian religious right!

The market has been a constant problem for residents, a head ache for police and a nightmare for traffic circulation, especially when there's another major event downtown. It does not need to be in downtown to continue to be a great event and add to the urban environment.

The market should move to west of 16th Street where it could create a ground swell of activity for the business and restaurants in Grand Central. A nice afternoon of strolling arts galleries, eating at good restaurants and buying your fresh produce for the week sounds like an exceptional way to spend a Saturday afternoon. And if you should happen to live in a newly redevelopment residence you could just walk to the market. It is much more "in tune" with the life style in Grand Central than downtown.