CLEVELAND — On Monday, the West Side Market was booming, with customers lining up for Cleveland specialties. That wasn't the case on Saturday, when a power outage caused it to close for a time.
However, vendors there tell us the new management change there is giving them hope for the future.
"The city's still going to own the West Side Market, but it's going to be managed a little differently," Don Whitaker, owner of D.W. Whitaker Meats, said. "A little more hands-on management."
Rosemary Mudry is the executive director for Cleveland Public Market Corporation. She says the primary goal is better communication between everyone, but especially the vendors.
"Working with the vendors to be really responsive and transparent about our expectations," Mudry explained. "[Being] transparent about what's going on, making sure that they always know what's happening."
Big plans are in store for renovations at the market, including $50 to $60 million plans for upgrading the electrical wiring, installing and HVAC system and a backup generator, and a complete basement renovation.
Mudry hopes to complete fundraising soon for the renovation process. She says the city of Cleveland has already contributed $20 million.
"The timeline is more than a year for things like that," she added, "but I'm hopeful that we will be able to begin things in the next year or two, like some actual physical improvements."
She says it will be a team effort between CPMC and the city, which will work hand-in-hand through the transition.
"The city wants us to succeed, because they care deeply about the market," she told 3News. "The vendors want CPMC to succeed because they're hoping for a different way of being able to operate."
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