The $5 Million dollar renovation of the French Market began this past weekend. The usually bustling Farmer’s Market, was bare Friday. Giant dumpsters were delivered, and two small Bobcats were dropped off later in the evening. The project should take 8-10 months to complete, and will be done in phases, with the Farmer’s Market being the first phase.
The Project for Public Spaces was hired in 2004 to redesign the Markets space to physically renovate and remerchandise the market as a local institution. The goal of the project was to make the market more useful for local residents, not just tourists. Plans for the Farmers Market are geared toward incorporating local foods and producers back into the market by providing them with a specific place to sell their goods. Other plans focused on re-designing lighting, storage, and points of entry.
Look Ma! No gator on a stick!
Read more at the Times-Picayune