Grant will be used to improve local foods market
By Bret Hayworth Journal staff writer | Posted: Thursday, April 05, 2007
The $1 million state appropriation directed to the downtown Sioux City Great Places endeavor keeps moving from grants into projects.
On Wednesday, the local Great Places Steering Committee announced another grant, this time $110,000 to the Floyd Boulevard Local Foods Market at Fifth Street and Floyd Boulevard. Previous grants included $590,000 to the Iowa State University satellite design school being created on Historic Fourth Street and for way-finding signage. The last expected grant probably will be for relocating the Sioux City Museum downtown into the former JCPenney building.
In October 2005 downtown Sioux City was named one of the three initial Great Places in Iowa -- distinctive places with character and plans for even more improvements. Part of the pitch to be named a Great Place included plans for expansion of the Floyd Boulevard Local Foods Market, which was founded in 2004 as a place for Siouxlanders to shop for locally grown, humanely raised and often organic food.
Great Places Committee co-chairwoman Bev Wharton said the $110,000 grant was good news for the market, which is a "truly unique and wonderfully inspiring anchor" for the eastmost section of downtown.
Penny Fee, a Great Places Committee member and president of Sustainable Foods for Siouxland, said over three years the Floyd Boulevard Local Foods Market has greatly grown. Not only does the facility offer a market for locally produced vegetables, fruit and meat, but has added a restaurant, Fiona's Firehouse Bistro, which is open Wednesday through Sunday.
With growth in patronage, and since the parking area around the Floyd market is less than desirable with potholes capable of "jarring your back teeth," Fee said, a big chunk of the $110,000 will go for an 80-stall parking lot to the northeast under the Sixth Street viaduct. The lot should be done by mid-summer.
"Our patrons will start seeing some exciting improvements to the courtyard throughout the summer months," Fee said. "We'll be adding a patio with a cobblestone effect, ornate light poles, large hanging flower baskets, brightly colored market tents, colorful awnings and an entryway highlighted with ornamental ironwork to give our visitors the feel of being in a European open air market. We want to do everything we can to make this an exciting and vibrant place to meet, eat, discover and shop."
The market is located in a 1929 building that formerly was a city firehouse, but it had been empty for years until gaining new life. Not only is the Floyd market the site for the bistro, but it's also a farmer's market on Saturday mornings and Wednesday evenings during the growing season.
Chef Anthony Pille is in charge of bistro offerings, and the bistro recently got $20,000 in new kitchen equipment from an appropriation from the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors.
City Manager Paul Eckert said the improvements at Floyd Boulevard Local Foods Market have made it "very hip, attractive," and "a unique alternative for people." With elements like the Floyd market, Eckert said, "we have a great downtown, for a city of our size."
As the ISU design college in Sioux City is being built on Historic Fourth Street, the expectation is that classes will begin this fall. Also, replacement of the downtown Heritage Parking Ramp is under way.
Other Great Places projects on the drawing board include reconstruction of Interstate 29 through downtown (largely an Iowa Department of Transportation project), moving the museum downtown, building a signature bridge at the riverfront/downtown, rehabilitation of the Badgerow Building, connecting downtown recreation trails and transforming the former Stockyards area into a greenspace area with water and walkways.
Bret Hayworth may be reached at (712) 293.4203 or brethayworth@siouxcityjournal.com
Read more in Hayworth's Politically Speaking Web log at www.siouxcityjournal.com/blogs
On Wednesday, the local Great Places Steering Committee announced another grant, this time $110,000 to the Floyd Boulevard Local Foods Market at Fifth Street and Floyd Boulevard. Previous grants included $590,000 to the Iowa State University satellite design school being created on Historic Fourth Street and for way-finding signage. The last expected grant probably will be for relocating the Sioux City Museum downtown into the former JCPenney building.
In October 2005 downtown Sioux City was named one of the three initial Great Places in Iowa -- distinctive places with character and plans for even more improvements. Part of the pitch to be named a Great Place included plans for expansion of the Floyd Boulevard Local Foods Market, which was founded in 2004 as a place for Siouxlanders to shop for locally grown, humanely raised and often organic food.
Great Places Committee co-chairwoman Bev Wharton said the $110,000 grant was good news for the market, which is a "truly unique and wonderfully inspiring anchor" for the eastmost section of downtown.
Penny Fee, a Great Places Committee member and president of Sustainable Foods for Siouxland, said over three years the Floyd Boulevard Local Foods Market has greatly grown. Not only does the facility offer a market for locally produced vegetables, fruit and meat, but has added a restaurant, Fiona's Firehouse Bistro, which is open Wednesday through Sunday.
With growth in patronage, and since the parking area around the Floyd market is less than desirable with potholes capable of "jarring your back teeth," Fee said, a big chunk of the $110,000 will go for an 80-stall parking lot to the northeast under the Sixth Street viaduct. The lot should be done by mid-summer.
"Our patrons will start seeing some exciting improvements to the courtyard throughout the summer months," Fee said. "We'll be adding a patio with a cobblestone effect, ornate light poles, large hanging flower baskets, brightly colored market tents, colorful awnings and an entryway highlighted with ornamental ironwork to give our visitors the feel of being in a European open air market. We want to do everything we can to make this an exciting and vibrant place to meet, eat, discover and shop."
The market is located in a 1929 building that formerly was a city firehouse, but it had been empty for years until gaining new life. Not only is the Floyd market the site for the bistro, but it's also a farmer's market on Saturday mornings and Wednesday evenings during the growing season.
Chef Anthony Pille is in charge of bistro offerings, and the bistro recently got $20,000 in new kitchen equipment from an appropriation from the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors.
City Manager Paul Eckert said the improvements at Floyd Boulevard Local Foods Market have made it "very hip, attractive," and "a unique alternative for people." With elements like the Floyd market, Eckert said, "we have a great downtown, for a city of our size."
As the ISU design college in Sioux City is being built on Historic Fourth Street, the expectation is that classes will begin this fall. Also, replacement of the downtown Heritage Parking Ramp is under way.
Other Great Places projects on the drawing board include reconstruction of Interstate 29 through downtown (largely an Iowa Department of Transportation project), moving the museum downtown, building a signature bridge at the riverfront/downtown, rehabilitation of the Badgerow Building, connecting downtown recreation trails and transforming the former Stockyards area into a greenspace area with water and walkways.
Bret Hayworth may be reached at (712) 293.4203 or brethayworth@siouxcityjournal.com
Read more in Hayworth's Politically Speaking Web log at www.siouxcityjournal.com/blogs
Story Comments
Read More and Post Comments 2 comment(s)
Please note: The following are comments from readers. In no way do they represent the views of The Sioux City Journal or Lee Enterprises. We will not edit or alter your comments, but we do reserve the right to not post or to remove comments that violate our code of conduct. No comment may contain potentially libelous statements; obscene, explicit or racist language; personal attacks, insults or threats. Terms of Service
LM wrote on Apr 5, 2007 11:23 PM:
pete thompson wrote on Apr 5, 2007 4:33 PM: