Demolition underway at Flint Journal printing facility

FLINT (WJRT) -

(10/31/13) - Demolition began Thursday on the old Flint Journal printing facility to make room for the new Flint Farmers' Market.

The new market is set to open, rain or shine, on May 1.

Organizers and most vendors ABC12 talked to are excited to be making progress on the big move.

"Looks like they're tearing down a building doesn't it? This is very exciting though, because we have said that the market's going to be open May 1, and this is the first step and getting it down that road," said Dick Ramsdell, Farmers Market manager.

About six months from opening day, Ramsdell says demolition crews just starting tearing down just the west side of the old printing facility to make room for more parking.

"Lots and lots of folks have told us they don't think there's enough parking down here. There actually was. And actually I think the atmosphere will be much more like a market on that east side of the building," Ramsdell said.

The new market will have more than twice as much indoor space as the current market, with the old printing facility's atrium as the centerpiece - but there's more to it than that.

"A lot of folks have the misconception that it's just going to be an indoor market, and it's not. We will be able to have room to bring the outside pavilion right down First Street," Ramsdell said.

Right now, the market has 33 vendors. The new facility has 46 committed and is still looking for a few more.

Continue reading here:
Demolition underway at Flint Journal printing facility