CLEVELAND — There's a big change coming to how the West Side Market operates; Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb said a new nonprofit is in the works to take over management duties for the indoor market that has been a Cleveland fixture for more than 100 years.
The new plan
According to the mayor's office, the nonprofit will manage the day-to-day operation, but the city will still retain ownership of the market, as it has since 1912.
The nonprofit is still in the planning phase right now. The city said it is working with the consulting group Market Ventures, Inc. to establish the nonprofit. The city will take into consideration feedback from focus groups, customer surveys and vendors on how the market will be run.
According to the city, there are two initiatives involved in the transition to a nonprofit run market. They are:
- Establishment of the new nonprofit, carefully considering board and staff responsibilities and leading to tax exempt status, selection of a diverse, skilled, and representative board, and hiring of key staff. An agreement between the City and nonprofit will clearly delineate roles and responsibilities for maintenance, capital projects, and operations.
- Preparation of a Master Plan for the Market that addresses merchant mix, stall layout, building infrastructure, program development, and financial modeling—resulting in an implementable plan that will guide the new nonprofit once it assumes operational responsibility.
“Master planning for the West Side Market is key to ensuring this transition is successful. The West Side Market is a Cleveland jewel that has so much potential for growth and community impact,” said Bibb. “We will have a strong strategy and specific solutions to problems that have challenged the Market before we hand operations off to a nonprofit to lead the West Side Market in its second century.”
It will take about 10 months to complete the master plan. Members of Market Ventures, Inc. plan to meet with the WSM vendors to "discuss each business and their space and business needs," the city said.
“At the end of the day, a public market’s success depends on the success of each Market merchant. The city is taking the right steps to carefully plan for the transition, to include the merchants and other stakeholders in the planning process, and to create the playbook so the new nonprofit can hit the ground running,” said Ted Spitzer of Market Ventures, Inc.
Cleveland Ward 3 Councilman Kerry McCormack, whose ward includes the WSM, is looking forward to the transition, stating that other markets in the country have done so with success.
“The West Side Market is a critically important anchor institution for Greater Cleveland and has been recognized as one of America’s best public markets. I am thrilled that after years of advocacy, Mayor Bibb has made the Market a top priority from day one of his administration. I fully support the plan to convert the Market to an independent nonprofit operation, as this approach has proven to be a best practice across the country," McCormack said.
The mayor's office said it continues to work on increasing the number of vendors at the market and bringing in more visitors from near and far.
Previous changes to WSM
Back in March, Cleveland City Council approved legislation to cap annual rent increases and to allow the sale of alcohol—changes that vendors at the venue had been asking for for years. Bibb previously introduced the legislation on Feb. 25.
Specifically, the legislation consists of the following:
- Holds rents at their 2020 levels for 2022 and caps annual rent increases to no more than a 3% increase in future years.
- Vendors will be allowed to enter leases for up to three years with 1-3 year options to renew. Before the legislation was approved, the city did not allow leases for longer than one year at a time.
- City council also approved short-term lease options, which would allow the historic market to consider daily pop-up events and seasonal vendors.
The West Side Market has been a Cleveland gem for over 100 years, but over time the issues have piled up, including aging infrastructure and electricity.
Vendors who previously spoke to News 5 were cautiously optimistic that change will happen, but now with the approved legislation, the change is closer to becoming a reality.
You can watch more about the council approving the legislation in the player below:
RELATED: Bibb visits West Side Market, expresses excitement to get to work to fix issues
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