By Marla Matzer Rose and JD Malone, The Columbus Dispatch
COLUMBUS – The North Market has seen many changes during its 140-year history in what’s now the fashionable Short North neighborhood.
But the biggest may be at hand.
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On Wednesday, market merchants learned that the city of Columbus, which owns the building, is looking to sell the market to a developer with the idea that the 30,000-square-foot market and its 130-space parking lot would be transformed and expanded.
Exactly what that would look like is the issue.
SEE: History of the North Market
The city’s intention to seek ideas — formally known as a request for proposals — was revealed to market merchants by Columbus development director Steve Schoeny and Rick Harrison Wolfe, executive director of the market.
Initial reaction among merchants was positive.
“It’s exciting,” said Eric Ling, owner of Bubbles, after the 4 p.m. meeting. “Everything else built up around us and we get to catch up.”
Wolfe and city officials before the meeting that they hoped to convince the merchants, mostly independent vendors, that everyone could benefit by an expected multimillion-dollar upgrade and expansion of what’s viewed as a smaller-than-ideal venue that’s underutilized but is full of potential, sitting on prime real estate in the Short North and next to the Arena District.