Indiana

City Market Watch

By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz

As a frequent patron of  downtown Indianapolis there is one place in particular I tend to have little use for, City Market.  I think the set up is annoying and the food isn’t all that great for what you have pay.  For a dollar or so more I can go get some real food with less hassle.  And the entire second floor looks like an entire waste of space.

The City of Indianapolis trying to figure out what to do with City Market.  Currently the 12,000 square foot facility enjoys at $250,000 subsidy from the City.  However, the venue has lost customers and barely generates enough revenue to cover its monthly $30,000 utility bill.

So what’s a City to do?

Well here’s a thought?  Instead of making City Market a giant cafeteria, how about the second floor be converted to a day care facility.  With 250,000 people working or visiting the downtown area on a daily basis, surely some of them wouldn’t mind a place for young children to stay while they are at work nearby.   If someone is going to fork over $600 a month in child care, they would probably would like to do it in place close by.

If that doesn’t float your boat, how about converting the facility into a college campus with one of the city’s universities?  Surely someone could use the space and once again, with 250,000 people working within the mile square,  a class within walking distance isn’t a bad idea.

I’m sure there are other ideas that could work just as well.  But the current business model is not working.  And who would want to pay $10 for mediocre food, when you can walk three to four blocks and have a real meal.

Full post as published by Indiana Barrister on August 31, 2009 (boomark / email).