The interior of the brick building at the historic Broad Street Market in Harrisburg.
The Broad Street Market Task Force last night released a long-anticipated report on how to improve the condition, the management and the overall operations of the historic Midtown market.
Reading from the task force report, Chairwoman Jackie Parker told Harrisburg City Council that the market’s two buildings are in decent condition, but that they will require “large capital investments” over the next decade. In particular, gutters, downspouts, ventilation systems, fire suppression systems, plumbing and electrical systems are “functional yet antiquated,” she said.
More immediately, the report strongly recommended changing the market’s management structure.
Currently, the Broad Street Market Corp. operates the market, with the Historic Harrisburg Association as its sole shareholder. The task force advised separating from HHA and transitioning to a new nonprofit entity, which could better pursue grants and other funding.
“It would be a newly established nonprofit that is dedicated to full-time fundraising for the market,” said Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse, who announced the 10-member task force early last year as one of his first acts as mayor.
The transition to a nonprofit could take the better part of two years, said Parker, who also is director of the city’s Department of Community and Economic Development.
Under the new structure, the market’s two buildings would remain owned by the city, but ongoing repair and maintenance would shift to the nonprofit, which would be overseen by a board of directors composed of market stakeholders and volunteers from the community.
The report also praised the market’s “current management,” including market Manager Ashlee Dugan for “adequately recruiting new vendors, retaining current vendors in good standing and maintaining the facilities.”
Parker said that vendor capacity in the circa-1878 brick building was at 90 percent with the addition of several new prepared food businesses in recent months, including Elementary Coffee Co., Soul Burrito and the just-opened Evanilla doughnut stand.
Infrastructure problems have made vendor recruitment more difficult in the old stone building, according to the report, which calculated occupancy there at 40 percent. Market manager Ashlee Dugan, however, later said that figure was incorrect and that eight out of 12 stalls were currently filled.
The task force report, however, also had its detractors, who aired their concerns during the public portion of the council meeting.
Sylvia Rigal, a task force member, said she had been asked to attend in support of the report but instead came to tell council she was “appalled” by its conclusions. She said she was surprised to see the report presented now, since it was her impression the task force had been disbanded months ago.
“I’m a lifelong resident, and the market is dear to my heart,” she said, warning council members to “be careful” implementing any recommendations.
Parker said that, indeed, the task force had been disbanded, but the report was being discussed publicly now because it took while to get on the council’s meeting agenda.
Mary Hess, a former market vendor, said she was dismayed to learn the report’s recommended changes would preserve the corporate board currently managing the market, albeit in a new, nonprofit form.
“This constant recycling of these two entities has poisoned the market,” she said, referring to the market board and HHA. “Thank you to the task force, but you’ve reached the wrong conclusion.”
After the meeting, Papenfuse said that the nonprofit, after separating from HHA, would have new membership from the current market board.
The task force report recommended a number of other improvements to the operations of the market, including free WiFi, greater recycling efforts, extended hours, a greater diversity of food options, a marketing budget for the market and better litter management.
The report also disclosed the results of a poll conducted last year during a public meeting at the market. In that poll, residents suggested that the market should focus on food items, on extended hours and on serving the needs of people throughout the greater Harrisburg area.
This story has been updated with information from the Broad Street Market manager about correct occupancy figures in the stone building.
