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The Badger Herald

Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

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City council to give reworked market plan another shot

After casting the tie-breaking vote against funding for an indoor public market in Madison, Mayor Dave Cieslewicz threw his support behind an amendment Thursday that would put the money back into the 2009 city budget.

In a Board of Estimates meeting in September, Cieslewicz voted against adding the proposed $250,000 for the market for the 2009 city budget.

“[Cieslewicz] has been a strong supporter of the market,” said mayoral spokesperson Rachel Strauch-Nelson. “His concern was not to put too much on our plate.”

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The market would be modeled after successful city markets such as Seattle’s Pike Place Market, with retail space and local vendors who offer local produce and freshly prepared foods.

Strauch-Nelson said Cieslewicz is focused on accomplishing this city project, along with others, for next year.

Currently, the 2009 budget includes a number of other projects such as a new downtown public library, a new fire station, the relocation of the children’s museum and an Allied Drive redevelopment plan.

“His concern was that this wasn’t the year,” Strauch-Nelson said, explaining why he voted no in September.

The new amendment would grant $60,000 to the public market, which would allow for continued planning of the project by considering sites, conducting market analysis and approving a design.

The amendment would also include $1 million in both the 2010 and 2011 budgets to complete the project.

“Sixty-thousand dollars keeps the budget going and the plans alive while other [plans] are in process,” Strauch-Nelson said.

Ald. Tim Gruber, District 11, supports the city market plan except for one aspect — the location. Currently, the market’s proposed site is on East Washington Avenue at the Brayton parking lot three blocks from the Capitol Square.

“It would be a mistake,” Gruber said. “The location creates a barrier for pedestrians. For me, accommodating to the pedestrian is very important for the success of the market.”

Ideally, Gruber would have the market located in a pedestrian-friendly area, such as State Street.

Gruber admitted having the market on State Street is highly unlikely and proposes the location to be on South Pinckney Street at the site of the Government East Ramp.

Gruber said in a statement released in September, “I suggest that we ‘create State Street’ on South Pinckney Street — in other words create a vibrant, pedestrian-oriented street, with small shops and restaurants close to a wide sidewalk.”

Gruber also mentions the location would be near a future city rail stop according to the Transport 2020 plan.

Instead of using the empty Brayton lot, Gruber said the city should sell the portion of the Brayton lot on East Washington not needed for parking and sell land behind Madison Municipal Building for a future hotel to generate revenue to put toward the project.

The idea behind using the Government East Ramp, Gruber said, is to rebuild the outdated ramp and put the market on the first level.

The Madison Public Market budget amendment waits for City Council approval at next week’s budget meetings, which start on Tuesday.

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