CLEVELAND — The troubles continued Wednesday for Cleveland's West Side Market, with vendors telling 3News the iconic but struggling location is now without any working elevators.
According to Irene Dever Dairy owner Diane Dever, three of the building's four elevators have been broken "for months," and this morning, the last one also stopped functioning. This means many foods stands have no feasible way of getting their products and equipment up and down, forcing some to close for the remainder of the day.
The issue is just the latest for the 111-year-old market, which has been plagued by infrastructure concerns for the better part of a decade. Mayor Justin M. Bibb has pledged to fix the fledgling space since taking office in 2022, and responded to Wednesday's situation by touting planned investments for the facility.
"Bandaid fixes aren't working anymore," Bibb declared on Twitter.
Two weeks ago, the mayor and City Council President Blaine A. Griffin reached an agreement on American Rescue Plan Act funding that included $15 million in proposed funds for West Side Market. The deal is still pending approval by the full Council, but would provide money for "basic repairs" for things like elevators, heating, air conditioning, and electrical equipment.
The ARPA funds are just part of the Bibb administration's grand plans for the market, such as a new food hall and better support for merchants. Control of the location will also be transferred to the nonprofit Cleveland Public Market Corporation, which was announced in February and is in the process of hiring an executive director.
City Hall released the following statement:
"Today's elevator issue is a perfect example of why investing in the infrastructure of the West Side Market is so critical for the future of this gem in our city.
"Vendors, visitors, and patrons of the Market deserve to work, shop, and experience the Market in a way that is safe, convenient, and comfortable.
"As the owners of this property, it is our responsibility to make much-needed investments to keep the Market running and to ensure that this landmark and its businesses are set up for success for generations to come.
"We are currently working on repairs and expect to have one of the Market's four elevators up and running by the end of the day. We are sorry for the inconvenience this has created for vendors and Market customers."