Find the Right Location, Accessibility, and Linkage
When my husband and I lived in Makati City (Philippines) from 2011 to 2012, one of the highlights of our weekend was going to the Legazpi Sunday market. It was held in a parking lot which was in the center of Legazpi Village, a neighborhood composed of mid-rise office buildings and high-rise residential condominiums. After going to church, we would walk over to the open-air market and go to the various stalls selling prepared food, fresh produce, and arts & crafts. A lot of our neighbors in the surrounding areas would do the same, walking over after a Sunday run around the park, after attending Sunday service in one of the churches around the area, or on the way to the playground with the children. The market provided tables and chairs, allowing us to purchase and eat lunch before comfortably walking home with a bag of fresh produce to cook for the week ahead. Looking back, it was probably the pedestrian accessibility of the food market which made it a regular “go to” place for us. We had an alternative to going to the mall, for which we had to go through traffic and fight for precious parking space.
LEGAZPI SUNDAY MARKET, MAKATI CITY
WEEKEND FOOD MARKET
The location, accessibility, and linkage of a food hall directly impact the number, frequency, and length of visits by a community’s residents [12, 15, 23]. The latter, in turn, have a direct link to increasing the levels of familiarity and social interaction which happen in the said public space [4, 22]. In some cases, a well thought out combination of these components can even foster the integration of minority groups in the community, in terms of gender, age, ethnicity, and income [16, 17, 20]. Tourists also enjoy visiting food places where the locals hang out, thus increasing the potential target market for a food hall [2].
For public markets and food halls, the number of visitors has a direct impact on the amount of business generated. Therefore, location, accessibility, and linkage also have a direct impact on economic viability [2, 10, 15-17, 19, 21]. A minimum volume of customer revenues allows vendors to meet their fixed costs and provide more affordable products [13, 16, 21]. This over-all economic viability and success, in turn, attracts more visitors.
Location
The centrality of a food hall’s location is ideal because it enables community members and visitors to be aware of its existence (especially if it is new), to easily find it, and to visit it regularly as they pursue other activities [15, 23].
In historical centers and downtowns, market halls and other old buildings are already ideally located in a central location, near plazas, public offices, and other community destinations [2, 6, 18]. In newer locations, food halls should ideally be located in a central part of the community, where various community activities intersect [16-18, 21]. However, there are situations where a central location may not be feasible as a location for a food hall. Other location options include areas where successful open air market stalls and food vendors have “organically” started out, in the past [17, 21]. This ensures a steady stream of visitors who are already familiar and have good access to the location.
“History. In 1217, farmers from the surrounding areas in Barcelona set up meat stalls along Las Ramblas. This was in an area then known as Pla de Boqueria. The stalls were temporary and in the open air, part of a group of street vendors who took advantage of the regular flow of people going through Las Ramblas.
Today, the Boqueria market hall is at the center of the lively and thriving Las Ramblas, a pedestrianized two-lane boulevard which connects Barcelona’s Placa Catalunya to the sea and to the small gothic neighborhoods around it.”
— La Boqueria Market Website: History [14]
BOQUERIA MARKET AND LAS RAMBLAS, BARCELONA
SYNERGY OF MARKET, STORES, & STALLS ALONG PEDESTRIANIZED LAS RAMBLAS AVENUE
Accessibility
The location of a food hall can be enhanced by increasing elements related to accessibility. The ideal situation is for the location to be walkable from a variety of high-density areas in the community, like offices, residential neighborhoods, retail stores, and other public places [12, 15, 23].
In cities where real estate costs are prohibitive, more affordable locations but easily accessible locations include areas near public transportation stations and community hubs like libraries, parks, hospitals, and schools.
“Pedestrian activity is aided by curb cuts and graded ramps. Over-the-Rhine is a walkable historic neighborhood with short blocks that are easy for pedestrians. West Elder Street, which runs between Race and Elm Streets, is blocked to vehicle traffic and provides spaces for the outdoor vendors as it serves as an outdoor promenade for the throngs of patrons. The space that the market occupies is completely level with the streets that surround it, making the space accessible for all.”
— American Planning Association
Great Places in America, Public Spaces Category
Findlay Market, Cincinnati [8]
Accessibility is also measured in terms of access to different types of transportation, the general ease of getting to and finding the said location, the visibility of the building itself, the connection of the building to a large number of roads and paths, and the availability of parking [2, 11, 12, 15, 18, 20, 21, 23].
Public transportation is especially important in increasing accessibility, given its relative affordability and the lesser demand for parking on site. Accessibility also covers the ease with which people with special needs can reach the food hall [21, 23].
These are the same accessibility elements which impact on the viability of a regular public space.
“The market is easily accessible to residents and tourists via public transit facilities, including nearby rail stations, seven subway and trolley lines, bus stops, a Greyhound bus terminal, and over 50 bike racks on the perimeter sidewalks.”
“There are multiples ways to reach Granville Island and Public Market in the city of Vancouver. These include by public bus, by boat, by car, by bike, on foot, and through tourist buses, in the case of visitors. Because it is surrounded by water, interesting ways to get to Granville include the Aquabus (which has several stops around Vancouver) and the False Creek Ferry, which is run by Granville Island itself and has stops all over the island’s various destinations (e.g. Maritime Museum, Stamp’s Landing, Science World, and False Creek Ferry). The island also provides a free public dock for those who come in with their own boats. Given limitations on parking, Granville management also encourages people to come in via bicycles by offering them bike rack parking. In 2018, management released the Granville Island Transportation Strategy to further increase accessibility to the area. They have identified accessibility as one of the top four objectives of the Granville’s Vision, which they released in May 2017. ”
— Granville Island Public Market, How to Get There [7]
Granville Island Public Market
GRANVILLE ISLAND PUBLIC MARKET
ACCESSIBILITY THROUGH VARIOUS TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS LIKE FERRIES AND BIKES
Linkage
Linkage refers to the synergy of the location of the food hall with other complementary places and activities around it [2, 3, 5, 15, 18, 21, 23] Ideal locations for food halls are areas which allow for connection to farmers and craft markets and other food related supply stores. Customers will likely frequent a food hall if it is near a farmers’ market and other retail establishments. Food hall vendors, on the other hand, benefit from the availability of fresh produce and ingredients from a nearby market or food supply store.
For example, the Findlay Market is located in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood in Cincinnati, which is developing as an integrated retail & dining hub for visitors.
In larger communities with a lot of visitors, food halls can achieve synergy with other restaurants & cafes, and help create a gastronomic quarter or neighborhood [2, 6, 18, 21]. For example, the Boqueria market in Barcelona links with the Las Ramblas pedestrianized area, which is full of restaurants and artisan stores selling charcuterie, pastries, and other food items [2]. The Findlay Market in Cincinnati is located in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, which is famous for its 19th-century architecture [8]. The neighborhood is filled with small retail businesses which create a synergy with the market.
“Historic three- to four-story buildings around the market are currently being renovated and painted in hues that add color and flavor to the market atmosphere. Some of the historic buildings are used by local businesses, while others will house retail on the ground floor and residential units above. The Over-the-Rhine neighborhood is believed to be one of the largest and most intact 19th century urban historic districts in the U.S., featuring one of the largest collections of Italianate architecture in the nation.”
There is also potential synergy for a food hall to be located near or in a mixed-use residential or office building or near community centers such as schools, libraries, post offices, and other parks [1, 3, 5, 12, 23]. This linkage serves to provide the food hall with its regular source of visitors. The Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia is located right across the Philadelphia Convention Center, and it benefits from the constant inflow of convention participants [1].
Seamless Access
The seamless accessibility of a food hall is characterized by multiple entrances, which are connected to pedestrianized streets or pathways and other establishments around the neighborhood [1, 6, 21]. Ideally, these entrances should be reached without the people having to navigate through vehicles [23]. Historical market structures are ideal for seamless access, as the entrances are porous and allow for multiple ways to enter and exit, from different streets or blocks [2].
“1998 – Between this year and 2001 the stall area was remodeled, based on the design of the architects Lluís Clotet and Ignacio Paricio, who aimed to portray the market not as an enclosed building, but as a covered, arcaded square. To that end, the Ionic columns were restored and the perimeter connecting the roof to the arcades was demolished, to permit the entry of natural light. The facilities were also rebuilt, the roof was rehabilitated and a glass awning was built around the market to show off the passages at the side and lighten the Rambla entrance. During this period, the central fish stall area was also remodeled.”
— La Boqueria Market Website[14]
“Multiple sets of doors on three sides of the market are used from morning to late afternoon, six days a week. Upon entering from any side, you are met by shoppers; diners; unobtrusive security guards, both black and white; retired people; teenagers who hang out with their friends; twenty-somethings who come to meet friends and potential romantic partners; homeless people who gravitate to the market for shelter, food, and the unhindered use of public bathrooms; and business executives and workers from nearby office buildings who make up the lunch crowd.”
— Reading Terminal
The Cosmopolitan Canopy [1] page 34
Union Market DC
Poor pedestrian accessibility within the Union Market neighborhood (dECEMBER 2018)
For the Union Market DC, pedestrian accessibility currently feels restricted. We observed this when we visited the Union Market last December 2018. Union Market is only an 11-minute walk from the NoMa Gallaudet Metro Station, but the walking path is primarily through Florida Avenue, which has a high volume of vehicular traffic, not a lot of pedestrian corridors, and a lot of areas under construction. Around the Union Market DC building itself, there are a large number of vehicles going around the block and looking for parking. This, coupled with the non-availability of pedestrian lanes, makes it difficult for pedestrians to reach the market itself. In addition, the building itself has poor visibility, from a pedestrian perspective.
Location, accessibility, and linkage are minimum requirements for the success of any public space. These elements have a direct impact on the economic viability of a food hall, which in turn helps it attract more people. Given the ideal locations of existing public markets, communities should prioritize the support and redevelopment of these markets. In situations where new food halls are being planned, planners should look at opportunities to renovate historical buildings which are ideally located and easily accessible by walking. More importantly, the location of a food hall must serve the needs and objectives set by the community.
Sources:
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