City Council Urged To Enlarge Municipal Market Area

Purchase Of Nearby Lots Recommended
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Move Said ‘Necessary’ To Provide Modern Market Facility
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A recommendation that the city buy three lots adjoining the Municipal Market to expand the facility's stall space and parking area was received last night by the City Council.

The proposal, submitted by the three-member Ann Arbor Municipal Market Committee, was referred to the public works, real estate and lighting committee.

In the recommendation to the council, the committee pointed out that it feels the purchases are “absolutely necessary to provide a modern and well arranged market."

The report added: "We are firmly convinced that the only proper and ideal arrangement would be to purchase also the property now occupied by the Vogue Dry Cleaners and Laundry” at 201 E. Catherine St.

Lots Identified

Three lots specifically cited by the committee are at 312, 318 and 322 N. Fourth Ave. The city already owns the dwelling at 314 N. Fourth, used by the market caretaker.

The three lots, if acquired, would increase the market area by slightly more than 100 by 80 feet.

The committee reported that findings during the past years indicate that the present market, while generally satisfactory to both consumer and grower, is handicapped by lack of space and poor stall arrangement.

“Due to the odd shape of the present plat, it is evident that proper market, arrangement and parking facilities can never be achieved," the committee said. “Further, there is little parking space for growers' cars and trucks and no consumer parking space, except in the city streets.”

Unanimous Approval

Based on these observations, the committee reported that it voted unanimously on the recommendation that the city buy the three dwellings.

If the recommendations are carried out, the group said it believed "Ann Arbor would have an ideal public market, serving not only the grower, but the consumer as well, in a highly satisfactory manner."

“This additional area would provide ample stall space and the necessary parking.

“On the days the market is not in operation, the consumer parking area could be used for metered parking, the committee said."

May Move Market

The group noted that conditions in the future might require moving the market to an outlying area.

“This contingency ... has been discussed with Mayor (William E.) Brown and we all agree that, even if the market were removed, this property would be extremely valuable for use as a city parking lot, a site for municipal or community development or even by private business should the city decide it had not specific use for the property.”

The council referred the communication to committee without comment and no indication was given when the committee would give its report on the recommendations.

The market group is made up of Chairman Bernard E. Harkins, Fred Keating and LeRoy H. Stoddard.