Why Chico’s Happiness Shouldn’t Matter
Much of the debate over the future of the Market Building has focused on the fate of the existing food court vendors. Our mayor has even gone so far as to state that the concerns of the vendors should take precedence over any other aspect of the building’s rehabilitation. “When Chico is happy, I will be happy” was his response after the city council unanimously rejected a proposal to renovate the historic building by the Coalition For The Roanoke City Market.
Since the last renovation in the early 1980’s the market building has functioned primarily as a food court, offering a wide variety of international cuisines provided by local vendors. In recent years, the food court area has fallen into a state of disrepair and neglect, and is also marred by a substantial number of vacancies. While the city has been responsible for the upkeep of the building since the expiration of a previous management agreement in 2005, it can be argued that the generally shabby appearance of the food court area is at least partly the fault of the vendors themselves. Over the years, they have made no effort whatsoever to upgrade or even maintain the appearance of their stalls.
Generally speaking, I am a huge fan of small business owners, and I have incredible respect for the entrepreneurial spirit. At the same time, I believe that these people are responsible for making sound long-term decisions regarding the health and survival of their businesses. The fact that their leases are expiring, and that they do not have options to renew them should not come as a surprise. It is not the fault of the landlord if the tenants fail to make any sort of contingency plans. In the entire building, only two tenants have options to renew their leases beyond 2009.
The market building belongs to the citizens of Roanoke, and not just to Chico and the other vendors in the food court. When their leases expire, the city owes them no further obligation. We have an opportunity to turn something very ordinary into something remarkable, but we can’t do it if we allow the vendors to dominate the debate. Losing your lease is just one of the realities of owning a small business. We don’t need to treat these people any differently than a private landlord would.
The city has already squandered opportunities to revitalize the Market Square by caving in to the protests of the street vendors. We should not make the same mistake with the Market Building.
Yep. I eat there at least once a week, and guess what? The number of patrons is getting smaller and smaller. With the exception of the burger joint and Zorba there is never a line at any stall (unless there is a busload of middle schoolers, then the pizza and candy store lines get right long).
I say gut the place and start over.
Jeff Street,
I also eat lunch in the food court once or twice a week, and the place is just a little more depressing with every visit.
Chris
Oh yes Chris, blame the tenants for the disrepair, not the landlord. That makes perfect sense. Yes it is Chico’s fault that the city has shown no interest in renting any of the empty stalls you mention. Damn that Chico, he should just offer to pay for the 3/4 of the building (oh yeah, the upstairs too!!!) that the city has not tried to rent (and indeed, has pushed vendors out of). Now you and the City Manager and council members can blame current tenants for the empty stalls. Damn that Chico. Damn that Chico for not keeping the building he rents in better repair, damn that Chico for taking away parking at every chance he gets, damn that Chico for simply trying to have some involvement in the business he’s invested his entire life in, damn that Chico for going through an entire year of renovation (which effects his business) only to be asked to leave, damn that Chico for simply wanting to be in a conversation that the city has not asked him to participate in. God the nerve of these City Market Rats.
There is a huge difference between a private and a public landlord: the public one has accountability to more than its bank account, and does not own the property. Chico, me, you, and any other tax paying citizen own the property. So yeah, when Chico’s happy, I’m happy.
John,
Thanks for joining the conversation. I agree with you that there is a huge difference between a private and a public landlord. The public landlord has an obligation to all of the citizens to spend their tax dollars responsibly, and not to subsidize the operations of a handful of businesses. The food court model will never generate enough rent revenue to justify the cost of the required renovations.
I have already rang in the “blame the filth” blog and will try not to repeat myself here.
I just want to point out that the disrepair of the building is the citys fault. Every problem was answered with a worse problem. Here are a few examples, when the tenants said they needed new AC they were given one that had ugly exposed pipes running all over the building, a year later it had it’s first breakdown. When the subject of how shabby the furniture had be come the city’s answer was to screw plexiglass to the tops of all the tables. Now the tables can’t be cleaned of any dirt and crumbs that works it’s way under the plexiglass. When the city took the grease traps to make way for the art museum they replaced them with empty oil drums(WHAT!?!?!), the same ones that are a violation every time the health inspector walks through.The same ones that were in the pictures on the website. To be honest I don’t even think it is legal to store grease that way, but who is going to write the charges and get fired? Not any health inspectors I know. Now three years later they get to come in and say “What a **** hole. These vendors should really be ashamed of themselves. The only thing we can do now is gut this place.” Ya…who didn’t see that coming?
Mr.Berry, I think it is great you take an interest in our community. You are entitled to your opinion like everyone else, but you should get the facts straight before criticizing things you seem to know very little about. Go down to the building and talk to some of the vendors yourself. Just make sure you have some free time on your hands because I am sure they will have a lot to say.
I will leave you with a saying that is as old as the blog phenomenon itself. “Starting a fight over the internet is like competing in the Special Olympics. Even if you win you are still retarded.”
Brian,
You and I are obviously never going to agree on this issue, but I think there is one fact that you need to get straight. The health department is an agency of the State and does not answer to the city government.
Tell that to Darlene Burcham.