Since 1973, the City Market has provided a home to local vendors of produce, crafts, and a variety of other products, yet it remains without a permanent home of its own.

It currently resides in the H&R Block parking lot on Water Street every Saturday and Central Place on the Downtown Mall on Wednesdays. Charlottesville City Councilman Blake Caravati has called the City Market "an integral part as the city moves forward in development". He personally would like to "push hard for significant movement toward a permanent home this year".

In spite of this, that permanent home does not currently appear to be a close possibility. According to Mr. Caravati plans are being looked at, but nothing has specifically begun to take shape.

Some suggestions in the past have been to place it on the East end of the Downtown Mall or between the Downtown Mall and West Main Street. Though lots where the City Market temporarily resides are being looked at for development, there are no immediate plans. Therefore, the creation of a new home for the City Market does not have a pressing time limit.

The City Market has been an asset to the Charlottesville area. The city pays money ($21,069 last year) upfront to keep the City Market running each year, and is then reimbursed by the user fees each vendor pays. The vendors pay 6% of their sales according to Bernie Garrison, Recreation Supervisor of Charlottesville Recreation and Leisure Services.

According to Mr. Garrison, the city breaks even on the City Market each year and even had a surplus in revenues the past few years. The user fees this last year brought in $27,228. The money left over each year has been used as a carry-over account to support the Market in the coming year and would be used for a future permanent home.

There are currently no official fundraising organizations for a permanent home for the Market outside of the revenue surplus, but vendors are raising money on their own in support of one.

Kristin M. Thurnher, August 7, 2002

Editor's Note: Doesn't the city market deserve a home?

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