The murals are gone! The murals are gone!
Although the removal of the kitschy murals from Shed 2 has not been without controversy, now that they are gone the debate has been rendered moot. The warm historic brick and the words "Eastern Market" have been revealed, and frankly, it looks great.
The $1.3 million project also includes replacing and repairing bricks, removal of paint from the shed's interior and replacing the wood surrounding the upper perimeter. Work will be complete mid-November.
When the shed re-opens there will be one very visible change: the central concession stand will have been replaced with an area that will be programmed by the
Eastern Market Corp. "It will be a stage for educational opportunities," says Kimberly Hill, the organization's director of outreach and community relations. Expect cooking demonstrations, healthy food presentations and other events such as "Shop with a chef."
Shed 2 will have a focus on locally-grown food, meaning those grown in Michigan, Ohio and Ontario. "Michigan is our number one focus," says Hill, "including community urban agriculture." It will also feature other homegrown products, such as locally-baked bread and locally-grown cut flowers.
Hill says work will proceed to each and every shed, with Shed 3 up next. After Shed 3 is complete, the organization plans to add more days of the week to the market's hours of operation. "We really want to make Eastern Market the premium 'supermarket' destination in the city of Detroit," she says. "As our customer base increases, so will our days of operation."
Shed 2's restoration was funded by the Hudson Webber, Kresge and Kellogg Foundations, DTE, the City of Detroit and the State of Michigan.
Source: Kimberly Hill, Eastern Market Corp.
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh
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