Iredell County approves full build-out of fairgrounds farmers market, orders alternates for power and restrooms

Iredell County commissioners voted Oct. 21 to proceed with a full build-out of a regional farmers market and expanded parking at the county fairgrounds, approving the enclosed-market option with a roof "pop up," air conditioning and the full parking layout and directing staff to return with alternates for exterior electrical outlets and upgraded restrooms.

The decision moves the project from schematic design toward construction bidding and is intended to use a county grant and existing capital reserves to cover costs. County staff and designers emphasized the figures presented are estimates and said a guaranteed maximum price and contingency will be provided later in the design-to-construction process.

Designers from CPL presented two architectural options: an open market and an enclosed market with overhead doors serving vendor stalls. "The enclosed option allows a clearer main entrance and better year‑round functionality," said Chelsea Hansen, a designer with CPL. Hansen said the market plan includes 30 vendor stalls, restrooms, a conference room and small offices, and a concession area intended to serve fairground events and year‑round rentals.

Iredell County staffer David Salibi, who introduced the presentation, said the project team used Benish Engineering, CPL and a construction manager-at-risk to develop schematic pricing. "This is a tag team effort," Salibi said, describing coordination among county staff, designers and the construction manager. He and the team repeatedly described the cost figures as schematic estimates that will be refined as the design advances.

The board reviewed the estimated costs presented by staff. Schematic estimates shown to the board included: - Open market: about $4,353,404 (with the roof "pop up" feature listed separately at roughly $61,000); without the pop up the figure presented was about $4,292,404. - Enclosed (closed) market: about $5,225,898 (the pop-up window/ventilation feature on the enclosed plan was estimated at about $87,003). Staff also provided an enclosed-market cost without the pop-up at about $5,138,553. - Parking (phased as Areas A, B and C): the base parking (Area A) estimate shown was about $3,000,008; A+B added about $520,000; adding Area C added another roughly $627,500, for a combined parking estimate of about $4,988,938.

County staff said the grant available for the project at the time of the meeting totaled roughly $10,000,100 and that interest on the grant balance is required to be spent on the project. Commissioners were also told the county has about $6 million set aside in a fairgrounds capital project fund that could be used to cover any gap between estimates and available grant funds. Caroline Taylor, the county's finance director, reviewed those funding points during the presentation.

Commissioners discussed site logistics, including a 26‑foot entrance drive, accessible parking, vendor move‑in and whether large trucks and trailers could maneuver to service vendor stalls. Commissioners also requested alternates and options: exterior power at some parking poles or locations to support events, and improved or replacement restroom facilities on the site. Several commissioners emphasized the market's role in providing a year‑round venue for elections, community rentals and events; Commissioner Bert said adding air conditioning, vendor access and outlets would support broader use beyond the nine‑day county fair.

On scheduling, staff said the goal is to advertise for bids in March or April 2026, have the parking site work mobilized so gravel parking is available for the 2026 fair, begin market site work after the 2026 fair, and aim for an early-to-mid July 2027 substantial completion to allow a grand opening for the 2027 fair season.

After deliberation, Commissioner Brown moved that the board "proceed with the full build out with the high rise which included the air and all" and asked staff to include exterior electrical outlets as bid alternates and to prepare a separate design and cost options for upgraded restroom facilities. The motion passed by voice vote. The board instructed staff to return with priced alternates, the construction bidding package and a guaranteed maximum price that would show contingency amounts.

What happens next: staff will advance the schematic design to construction documents, include the exterior‑power alternates for bidding, prepare options for restroom upgrades as a separate package, and present a GMP and contingency proposals before awarding construction contracts. Commissioners and staff emphasized the figures presented at the Oct. 21 meeting are estimates and that final costs will be set at bid and through the GMP process.

Quotes in this story come from presentations and remarks recorded by Iredell County staff at the Oct. 21, 2025 pre‑agenda meeting.