Commission discusses leasing Union Station upstairs to Farmers Market as small‑business incubator

Members of the commission discussed a proposal to lease upstairs space in Union Station (the EME floor) to the Farmers Market as an incubator for small, food-oriented businesses. The market director told the board the model would let new vendors begin outdoors and, once established, move into indoor shared spaces that provide year-round opportunities.

"The Farmers Market is kind of a multi tiered system," Speaker 2 said, describing the progression from outdoor sales to indoor incubator space and then, for some vendors, to independent storefronts. Commission members said the EME floor — described as containing multiple lockable offices, a long main hall and a community kitchen — could be a natural fit for a managed incubator.

Board members asked the Farmers Market director to provide a short list of needed repairs (locks, one missing door, light bulbs) and to propose rent levels. Speaker 3 said most spaces appeared immediately functional apart from a single doorway lacking a door and a small set of light/lock fixes; repair costs for those items were estimated to be modest. If leased to the market, the director would manage tenant selection and turnover so the commission would not have day-to-day landlord responsibilities.

The commission discussed rent and timing for occupancy and noted that if the visitor center and market operations are coordinated, upstairs vendor spaces could benefit from marketplace foot traffic. The board agreed to request specifics from the market director and to consider minor repairs and lease terms in follow-up discussions.