CLEVELAND — Vendors at the West Side Market continue to work, despite an ongoing dispute between Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and city council.
The disagreement is over how much money the West Side Market should receive from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
Originally, Bibb proposed that the market would receive $20 million, but council opposed that amount. Bibb lowered his allocation request to $15 million, but Cleveland City Council President Blaine Griffin told 3News that council will only approve $10 million.
“Nobody said that we don’t want to do anything for the market,” said Griffin. “We just want to make sure that we’re not investing too much into one area where other areas might be neglected.”
The Bibb administration says the ARPA money would be used "to renovate the market’s 30,000 square foot basement, repair its roof and facade, add air conditioning, and upgrade the heading, electrical, and water infrastructure."
Jessica Trivisonno, the senior strategist for the West Side Market under the Bibb administration, says the market needs $45 million for improvements.
“We anticipate the building needs $34 million in basic infrastructure,” said Trivisonno.
Last month, Trivisonno outlined the city's vision for the market's future to tenants. The upgrades would include a food hall with prepared food businesses, relocating produce vendors, and refurbishing the market's basement.
The proposed changes comes as the market transitions into control by the nonprofit Cleveland Public Market Corporation, which was announced in February and is in the process of hiring an executive director.
Inside the market, tenants tell 3News they’ve seen “band aid” improvements over the last few decades.
“They’ll fix something and then they’ll drop the ball,” said Don Whitaker, owner of D.W. Whitaker Meats and president of the West Side Market Tenants Association. Whitaker has worked at the market for 41 years. “We pay our rent every month, and you expect your landlord to upkeep the building.”
Vendors were upset last week when the last working elevator inside the market stopped working. With no feasible way of getting their products and equipment up and down, some tenants were forced to close for the remainder of the day.
"Bandaid fixes aren't working anymore," Bibb declared on Twitter as he called on Cleveland City Council to pass his $15 million ARPA proposal for the market.
Griffin explained to 3News that the city has spent $10 million on the West Side Market over the last four years.
“We value the West Side Market, but we also know that this is a once in a lifetime chance to try and make investments in areas of the city of Cleveland where the market won’t go,” said Griffin.
3News reached out to Bibb for comment and received a statement from his office.
“This is a much-needed investment and it is our responsibility to take care of this treasured, city-owned property,” the statement from Mayor Bibb’s office read.
Whitaker told 3News that the market would receive less than three percent of the ARPA funds. The city and tenants hope when the non-profit takes over the market, it would double that investment from the city.