Consultants say public market at Spiegel building is feasible; recommend predevelopment step

A consultant team led by Andrea Garmon, senior director at New Venture Advisors, told the Moline City Council that a public market concept for the Spiegel building is viable but should move next into predevelopment rather than immediate construction. The study estimated a total development cost in the low tens of millions and projected that properly staged management and funding could produce positive operating results within a few years.

The consultants summarized market analysis, vendor outreach and building concepts conducted over several years. "One thing that we see across all three models is that we do have EBITDA positive in year 1," Andrea Garmon said during the presentation. The analysis relied on prior work by PGAV planners and the Riverland Institute and incorporated local stakeholder interviews and vendor surveys.

Why it matters: consultants said a public market could create jobs, expand food‑based entrepreneurship and strengthen riverfront redevelopment by increasing foot traffic. The study emphasized that the market model combines shared production kitchens, incubation…