Monday night community meeting - short term plans for Eastern Market

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Important correction to paragraph 5 inserted, 5/7/2007
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Interior damage to Eastern Market. Photo by Andrew Lightman, Capital Community News.

Yesterday there was a stakeholders meeting about Eastern Market, specifically plans to accommodate the interior vendors of the Market, by constructing a temporary building. This would provide a nearby location from which to sell during the 18-24 month period of restoration before the Market can reopen, in a manner that helps to preserve the place benefits of the Market, the vendors, and the Market district as a center for the Capitol Hill neighborhood as well as the broader community that cares about and patronizes the Market.

Some people have suggested Eastern Market Metro Plaza as one such location. Originally I thought that was a good idea, but the narrow streets around the plaza on 7th and D Streets, and the transit load on Pennsylvania Avenue and 8th Street, makes it hard to accommodate the big trucks that deliver food to the vendors.

Other people suggested merely moving food vendors to North Hall--where Market 5 Gallery is located. But I think that fails to take into account the space and infrastructure needs demanded by a Market building or structure. Or the need to keep the Market close to the current Market (rather than relocate far away, such as to H Street NE, which was one proposal).

North Hall is about 1/2 the size of the South Hall. Etc. (Plus, Market 5 Gallery's initiation of crafts markets helped spearhead the revitalization of the Market and 7th Street into a weekend "Market District." This effort should be celebrated and rewarded, rather than penalized through displacement.)

Another proposal is to put up a temporary building on the northernmost side of the Hine Junior High School parking lot. Because of extant infrastructure (electrical, sewers, etc.) it appears as if that is the preferred site, although it would lead to some relocation of flea market vendors, and would limit access to the playground by students.

Location options, temporary structure for Eastern Market, DC. Site plan created by Nir Biras.

Nir Buras, an architect committed to the classical style (he is the Mid-Atlantic chapter director of the The Institute of Classical Architecture & Classical America) has come up with a plan for a temporary building that is attractive, cost-effective, and can be reused after the Eastern Market has been rehabilitated. However, City officials appear to favor a different option, involving a lightweight, more temporary structure,.
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Previously, I described this as a "tent." Actually, the "Sprung"-type structure is by no means a tent. It is solid, ribbed and insulated.
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However, not to mention the ability to reuse the structure elsewhere, after its use as a temporary Eastern Market is finished, the "building" option would be cheaper to heat and cool, versus the Sprung-type structure option.

Nir is contributing to Eastern Market as a representative of the Eastern Market Preservation and Development Corporation; I am also member of that group.

Architectural rendering by Nir Buras, proposed temporary structure for Eastern Market, DC

There is a community meeting on Monday at 6 pm at Hine Junior High School to discuss the various options. The plan is to break down into small groups, cover various issues, and report out, and then work towards an overall consensus.
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I won't be able to attend as I have to prepare for my Tuesday class presentation. But I favor the temporary, reusable, and classy building proposed by Nir Buras. And I probably favor the Hine location also.

Eastern Market interior, before the fire. Photo by Ken Firestone.

And before the post-fire cleanup.

Bruce Faust, battalion chief for the District of Columbia Fire and EMS, looks over the damage inside of Eastern Market in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington on Monday, April 30, 2007. An early morning fire ravaged Eastern Market on Monday, gutting part of the 134-year-old Capitol Hill landmark and devastating many vendors and residents who consider the historic public market the soul of the neighborhood (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)