Fund-raising campaign launches next month for NewBo City Market

CEDAR RAPIDS – The Cedar Rapids City Market Board will launch a community capital campaign next month for the NewBo City Market with a $3 million goal.

Board President Sarah Ordover said the campaign will formally begin May 18.

Ordover said a separate “friends” group has started, called City Seeders, that will serve as a support organization for the market.

The targeted opening date of the year-round market has been pushed back to April 2012, she said.

Previously, the non-profit group had hoped to have the market open by this November at the former Quality Chef site in the 1100 block of Third Street SE.

The cost of the entire project remains at $4.25 million.

In addition to community fund-raising, the city has asked for $1.5 million from Vision Iowa's Community Attraction and Tourism program for the market.

The status of that funding is unknown until Gov. Terry Branstad determines if the grant program will continue.

Ordover said the project could proceed without the state grant by constructing in phases.

About $2 million is needed to renovate the Quality Chef warehouse at 12th Avenue and Third Street SE as the market hall.

Other funding would go to creating a market square and market yard.

Plans to build a grocery store at the site of the Day Company building, 1100 Third St. SE, could be put on hold if needed, Ordover said.

The city determined that building – flooded with the rest of New Bohemia in June 2008 - is structurally unsound, but Ordover said an attempt will be made to save the structure's historical façade.

Libby Slappey has been hired as project director for the NewBo City Market and will oversee the capital campaign while the board searches for a full-time executive director.

Slappey has previously worked with the University of Iowa Foundation and other institutes.

Kurt Friese, chef and owner of Devotay restaurant in Iowa City, has joined the market board and will co-chair the market's vendor development committee.

Ordover said Friese will connect the market with potential vendors and help decide on recommendations for choosing which vendors have a spot at the new market.

Already, more than 100 vendors have expressed interest, she said.

Friese said he hopes to see the NewBo City Market established as a showcase for Iowa foods.

“My interest comes from my passionate advocacy for local foods,” he said.

The City Market Board approached Friese about joining the Cedar Rapids effort because of his expertise in local foods and as a chef and restaurant owner.

Friese has also advocated starting a year-round market in Iowa City.

While the Cedar Rapids market has progressed ahead of Iowa City's effort, he said, “I'd still like to do that” in Iowa City.

Iowa City is using Grant Wood Elementary School, 1930 Lakeside Dr., as a testing grounds for a year-round market, with the first off-season farmers' market held in late March.

Two more are set for this Saturday, April 9, and April 23, from 2-5 p.m.

Tammy Neumann, who coordinates the summer farmers market, said the events are helping to test the waters to gauge community interest in a year-round farmers' market.

If vendor and customer participation remain strong, the Grant Wood Market Place may be expanded to operate year-round or during the winter.