Public Engagement Next Step For Farmers' Market Improvement Project

Overland Park KS

07 April, 2022

4:10 AM

Description

Press release from the City of Overland Park: April 4, 2022 The Overland Park City Council approved proceeding with the first step toward a development partnership, involving public feedback, for the Overland Park Farmers' Market pavilion site Monday night. The Council authorized staff to negotiate an agreement for public engagement on the project. The City has been considering partnering with a private developer to explore opportunities for redeveloping the Farmers' Market site, through a request for proposals process. In early 2021, a committee received and reviewed proposals from three development firms. Proposals considered development objectives of creating a mixed-use space that prioritized a reconstructed farmers' market, created a flexible public space that could be used for a variety of events, addressed parking needs and committed to a thorough community engagement process. Ultimately, the committee recommended engaging with a private developer to achieve these goals, and selected Copaken Brooks as the recommended partner. Copaken Brooks' concept development plan includes enclosed and open air farmers' market space, room for offices or other uses, and parking. It considers the use of Marty Street and Overland Park Drive. The selection committee noted that the Copaken Brooks plan demonstrated, through building experience, engagement style and responsiveness to feedback, the best ability to fulfill requirements of the request for proposals. The City Council's approval of the committee recommendation is an early step in the initiation phase of this project. Community involvement will be crucial to the next step in improving the farmers' market site. City staff will now work with Copaken Brooks for an agreement to lead a public engagement process to take community feedback. The agreement will not cover design or planning for the project and will be limited to public engagement. It does not commit the City to any future action on the site other than taking public feedback. The City Council will review that agreement at an upcoming meeting. To see the concept development plan, updates on the project and opportunities to get involved or share feedback, visit the Farmers' Market Improvement Project webpage. The Farmers' Market pavilion was originally built in 1991. The current pavilion space creates operational and accessibility challenges during market operations, and is not regularly utilized outside of market operations. In 2017, the City engaged the community in an analysis of the future of the site. The study results confirmed that the market should remain generally in its current location. The City has budgeted $5.4 million dollars for future updates to the market. The study also recommended that the City identify alternatives to consider for upgrading the site, including exploring a wider redevelopment incorporating a mixed use building that included potential commercial or residential uses. This press release was produced by the City of Overland Park. The views expressed here are the author's own.