INDIANAPOLIS — Time is ticking for vendors at City Market to find a new location. The Market House at downtown Indianapolis' City Market will temporarily close Friday, March 1 for a major overhaul.
Right now, close to a dozen tenants remain. Some told 13News they are still looking for a new space, while others are shutting down for good.
“We decided after 35 years, it was long enough. It was a great run,” said Lily Stockton, owner of Just Cookies.
Stockton and her husband are ready to pack up their shop next week. She said at their age, it’s too hard to start over somewhere else.
She called the decision “tough.”
“It was very emotional. After 35 years, this was our life. I mean, our market family is here. So many friends. So many memories. It’s been great. It really was great, and we are going to miss it a lot,” Stockton said.
But even vendors and customers admit business has taken a hit since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It used to go down in here. There was stuff all up top and things like that,” said Alexis Washington, who works downtown and often comes to City Market for lunch. “They are like family because a lot of them have been here for a long time. It’s sad to see them go."
The city plans to renovate the whole block after leaders say the current model isn’t sustainable.
“The intended plan is to keep this structure the way it is at the Market House, and then, we would be demolishing the west wing area because there are plans for the west plaza,” said Megan Vukusich, the director of the Department of Metropolitan Development.
In 2022, Indy DMD announced the City Market East project. It will include the conversion of the 20-story Gold Building into 350 apartments, construction of an 11-story apartment tower on the east wing of the campus, a public plaza on the west wing of the campus and upgrades to the office tower at 251 E. Ohio St.
“To support the new market house, we really want additional residential units to be able to support the local retailers that will be in the new space,” Vukusich said.
The city also waived rent for vendors in January and February.
A consultant with the city’s Department of Metropolitan Development is working one-on-one with tenants to help them find new spaces.
The market will reopen under private management. Customers hope the same market feeling will also return.
“Hopefully they come up with something and bring it back to life, and then, maybe the same people will come back,” Washington said.
Construction is expected to last until 2026.
While plans for each vendor are different, if they provide relocation details - those can be found on the Indianapolis City Market Corporation’s website.