Title
Three Sisters Market
Action
Action:
A. Approve the use of $1,500,000 from the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund for the West Boulevard Neighborhood Coalition in support of the development of Three Sisters Market, and
B. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to execute, amend and renew contracts as needed to complete this transaction.
Body
Committee Chair:
Victoria Watlington, Housing, Safety and Community Committee
Staff Resource(s):
Shawn Heath, Housing and Neighborhood Services
Nicole Storey, Housing and Neighborhood Services
Explanation
§ The West Boulevard Neighborhood Coalition (WBNC), a 501c3 non-profit, has advocated for the development of the Three Sisters Market (Market) which is a proposed full-service cooperative grocery store that will help address food insecurity in the West Boulevard corridor by offering fresh produce, meats, and other groceries.
§ The community owned, market will create jobs, serve as a gathering place and contribute to health equity with a community kitchen for demonstrations and classes.
§ The Market will be located in the West Boulevard Corridor of Opportunity on a portion of property located at 2901 Romare Bearden Drive (parcel identification number 145-12-906) in Council District 3, on the same site as WBNC’s Seeds for Change Urban Farm and seasonal farmer’s market.
§ The estimated total cost for the Market is approximately $10 million, with $7.5 million allocated for construction and equipment.
§ The Market has received funding commitments from Mecklenburg County ($3.25 million) and the 12th Congressional District’s Community Project Funding ($750,000). WBNC will launch a capital campaign later this year to raise the remainder of funds necessary to establish the Market.
§ The city’s $1,500,000 funding allocation will be released incrementally based on the market securing fundraising commitments sufficient to construct the project, and receipt of a construction permit.
§ The Market is expected to break ground in 2024, and open in 2025.
Background
§ In 2015, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Food Policy Council published its State of the Plate report and identified the West Boulevard Corridor as a high food insecurity risk area.
§ On March 11, 2021, in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), which included the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund. Charlotte was one of almost 1,000 cities across the nation that received these funds.
§ At the February 7, 2022 City Council Strategy Session, staff recommended $1.5 million of ARPA funds be earmarked for a potential investment in the Market. Since that time, staff has worked with the Coalition to monitor the progress of the Market development plans.
§ On September 5, 2023, the Housing, Safety and Community Committee received an update on the status of the Market and voted to move the item forward for consideration by Council at the September 11, 2023 Business Meeting (Council members Watlington, Mayfield, and Bokhari voted in favor; Council members Molina and Johnson were absent for vote).
Charlotte Business INClusion
This contract is exempt under the CBI program.
Fiscal Note
Funding: American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funds
Attachments
Attachment(s)
Map