Sponsored by: Woman’s Life Insurance Society
Written by: Audrey Sochor
The Port Huron Downtown Development Authority met March 28 to give City Manager James Freed the OK to pull together funding for a $2 million four season marketplace and greenspace venue.
“It’s well overdue,” Freed said. “In the last four years of being city manager it is the one thing citizens constantly bring up to me – we need a downtown marketplace for creators, makers and produce – so that’s what we’re going to do.”
The former Art Van building at 318 Grand River Ave. will be converted into an open air concept marketplace similar to the ones found in Muskegon, Bay City, Grand Rapids and Holland. Freed said out of all the comparable communities, Port Huron is one of the only without this type of market in the downtown.
The renovated lot will feature a domed wooden structure for vendors and enclosed year-round space reminiscent of a mini Eastern Market. The site will also include a circular green space with an amphitheater for concerts and other performances.
Although the City is taking the lead on this project now, the idea first started with Commissioner Jeff Bohm and other County officials back in 2015 when the County bought the Art Van property.
Freed hopes to have the funding assembled within the next 60-90 days. About $1 million of it will come from the Port Huron Downtown Development Authority’s (DDA) Tax Increment Finance Authority (TIFA) District, which promotes economic and business development through programs and public improvement projects. Possible additional funding would come from County Parks and Recreation as well as corporate sponsors and other donors.
Freed thinks the project can be completed by fall 2018.
