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Ald. Burnett Says He Now Backs Fulton-Halsted for West Loop Farmers Market

By Chloe Riley | July 29, 2014 1:28pm | Updated on July 30, 2014 7:20am
  Just days after Walter Burnett Jr. said he'd support a farmers market along Racine Avenue and Randolph Street, the   27th Ward alderman has changed his tune and is now supporting the city's plan for a market at Fulton Market and Halsted Street. 
Just days after Walter Burnett Jr. said he'd support a farmers market along Racine Avenue and Randolph Street, the  27th Ward alderman has changed his tune and is now supporting the city's plan for a market at Fulton Market and Halsted Street. 
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WEST LOOP — Just days after Walter Burnett Jr. said he'd support a farmers market along Racine Avenue and Randolph Street, the 27th Ward alderman has changed his tune and is now supporting the city's plan for a market east of there.

On Friday, Burnett said he had reservations about the city-supported plan for a chef-driven market at Fulton Market and Halsted Street, citing traffic concerns and the market's short lease, which expires in October. 

But the alderman changed his mind Monday, saying he would support the Fulton Market after speaking with the city and representatives from Green City Market, the farmers market's Lincoln-Park based organizer. He said the city also informed him that the CTA uses the lot at Racine Avenue and Randolph Street where some groups wanted to hold the market there. 

"I stand to be corrected," Burnett said. "The city and Green [City] Market people reassured me it won’t be a issue. They showed me how cars can stop on Fulton street and won’t be a hindrance."

The West Loop farmers market was supposed to open Saturday, but that date has been delayed, according to Green City's associate director Mark Psilos. 

Chloe Riley discussed the complications surrounding the West Loop farmers market on DNAinfo Radio:

Roger Romanelli, of the West Loop neighborhood group Randolph/Fulton Market Association, said Tuesday his group would continue to push to host the market at Racine and Randolph.

"We have a long history of working with CTA and persuading them to help the community," said Romanelli. "We’re gonna be persistent because it’s the right vision for the community."

At a community meeting Tuesday evening, Burnett met with members of the association to address concerns about the farmers market location, in addition to discussing the West Loop's Fulton/Randolph District plan — a land-use initiative that involves preserving historic West Loop buildings and setting design guidelines for the area.

Greg Kitowicz, general manager at City Winerysaid the market belongs on Randolph Street and went so far as to volunteer the Randolph Street music venue's patio for the market on Saturday mornings.

"We're banking and betting on development pushing this way," said Kitowicz. "If we can keep development moving further down Randolph, we think it's better for business."

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