Officials at the Central New York Regional Market pulled back the curtain for state and elected county officials Thursday to make the case for preserving the historic space. Executive Director Amanda Vitale says most of the market’s infrastructure dates back to when it was built in the 1930’s and is in need of major upgrades.
“Markets like ours with permanent infrastructure are facing challenges with deterioration and don't necessarily have the resources available for that investment," Vitale said. "And so I don't know necessarily what that's going to look like into the future, but we definitely want to explore every avenue for what the future can look like to make sure that we are sustainable here.”
Tony Emmi is a Baldwinsville farmer whose family has been at the market since the 1940’s. He’s referring to the long row of buildings on the right when you enter the market from Park Street.
“One example is our wholesalers that are on this row," Emmi said, referring to the commission buildings where trucks deliver produce and workers sort it for distribution to vendors at the market, as well as grocery stores. "They have a very, very hard time operating under the modern food safety requirements and laws. In the 1930s-era building it's difficult to do.
Assemblymember John Lemondes sits on the assembly's agriculture committee. He also has firsthand knowledge of the challenges in agriculture and at the regional market as a farmer and a vendor.
"Material handling equipment has changed, population demographics have changed, vehicle types have change, refrigeration space has changed, material handling equipment has changed," Lemondes said. "Everything has changed immensely, and so the current footprint isn't in sync with current demands. I know this from top to bottom, and I know how it impacts us. I know how we struggle personally with paying the fees to come here and so we want to see this prosper for everybody.”
Earlier this year, market officials announced a plan to raise $90 million in public money to address critical infrastructure issues ranging from drainage to electrical. It’s one of the largest year-round retail markets in the country, with nearly 400 vendors drawing crowds of more than 20-thousand on busy summer Saturdays.
