Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Introduction
In January 2011, the City of Rochester Department of Environmental Services, Bureau of Architecture
and Engineering retained a professional services and design team led by T.Y. Lin International, with
PLAN Architectural Studio and Market Ventures Inc., to prepare a Master Plan and Schematic Design for
comprehensive renovations and expansion of the Rochester Public Market Wintershed. The Wintershed
(referred to as Shed B) is an enclosed facility of approximately 10,500 sf constructed in 1978, that
exhibits deficiencies with regards to code compliance, vendor stall sizes, circulation, transparency &
visibility, plumbing and HVAC.
This report is the result of the collective efforts of the information gathered from multiple sources over a
one-year period, outlining recommendations to accomplish the following goals set forth by the City of
Rochester, the project team, and stakeholders of the Rochester Public Market (RPM):
The Master Plan proposes a phased construction strategy to accomplish the six goals outlined above:
Alternate Scenario
Single phase project: Only renovate existing Shed ‘B’ as a Wintershed: $ 4,103,750
Alternate Scenario – Single Phase Project: Only renovate existing Shed ‘B’ as a Wintershed
An alternate scenario, in which only Shed ‘B’ is renovated, rather than a multi-phased plan, has been
explored. This would provide limited improvements to the existing Wintershed and adjacent food kiosks.
In this scenario, the shed would not be enlarged and the amount of vendor spaces under cover would not
be increased. Nor would it provide additional toilet rooms or a pedestrian-oriented market plaza with
facilities for educational programming. As the Designers, we would not recommend this option due to its
limited scope which would not achieve the six previously outlined goals.
The Master Plan will accomplish the six goals outlined, and includes improvements to the Wintershed and
its positive impact on the entire Rochester Public Market (RPM). As noted in the Financial Analysis
located in the Appendixes, annual gross operating income for the RPM could increase by 39 percent from
its current budget by implementing this rational phased approach. The following positive outcomes will be
achieved:
1. An active market district will be maintained and increased throughout the week and year with
additional updated enclosed facilities, and storefronts that could be open later hours and on non-
market days.
2. A wide range of customers, including low income families will be served by creating opportunities
for a variety of product types.
3. Updating and expanding the amount of enclosed facilities by enclosing Shed ‘C’ and expanding
Shed ‘B’, including new and enlarged restroom facilities.
4. The renovated Market House and Market Plaza will provide facilities for events and educational
programming.
5. Phased construction allows continued operation of vendor and market operations, while
spreading out the construction costs over multiple years. It also provides for the displacement of
existing Wintershed vendors into permanent facilities during its renovation (with the exception of
the food vendors). This allows the Rochester Public Market to expand its facilities while
minimizing the need for temporary facilities.
6. The Master Plan recommendations provide a wider variety of vendor space types than what is
currently being offered, and increases the number of vendor spaces under cover.
IB Winterize Shed C $1,100,000 $220,000 $55,000 $92,400 $39,600 $0 $0 $5,000 $8,580 $66,000 $1,590,000
IC Renovate Shed B (as Wintershed-Plus) $2,900,000 $580,000 $290,000 $250,560 $167,040 $5,000 $4,000 $5,000 $22,620 $174,000 $4,400,000
Temp. Food Vendor Trailers $625 $1,875 $5,000 $100,000 $107,500
Temp. Utilities for B Vendors in Shed C $750 $2,250 $1,250 $25,000 $29,250
PHASE I
SUBTOTAL $8,436,750
II The Market House & Market Plaza $1,300,000 $260,000 $130,000 $112,320 $74,880 $5,000 $3,000 $5,000 $10,140 $78,000 $1,980,000
Temp. Trailer for Market House $450 $1,350 $750 $15,000 $17,550
PHASES I & II
TOTAL $6,900,000 $1,380,000 $555,000 $591,505 $344,595 $10,000 $11,000 $20,000 $53,820 $421,000 $140,000 $10,434,300
III Storefront Building $2,000,000 $400,000 $100,000 $156,000 $84,000 $0 $4,000 $5,000 $15,600 $120,000 $2,885,000
(Public / Private Partnership)
PHASES I, II & III Total for all Master Plan Items (including
GRAND TOTAL Public / Private Partnership Project) $8,900,000 $1,780,000 $655,000 $747,505 $428,595 $10,000 $15,000 $25,000 $69,420 $541,000 $140,000 $13,319,300
GRAND TOTAL $2,565,000 $513,000 $256,500 $262,552 $115,808 $5,000 $3,000 $5,000 $20,007 $163,650 $195,000 $4,103,750
Market Analysis
2. Introduction
In April 2011, the City of Rochester Department of Environmental Services, Bureau of
Architecture and Engineering retained a consultant team led by TYLin of Rochester to provide
market economic analysis and architectural and engineering services for renovations of the
Public Market Shed B (the “Wintershed”) and surrounding site. Market Ventures, Inc. (MVI) is
serving as a subconsultant to TYLin to share its national expertise in public market analysis,
planning and design. MVI’s roles include assisting TYLin on market research, evaluation of
best practices at other urban public markets, and development of a detailed market analysis to
corroborate proposed program and schematic design recommendations, as well as assistance
with design and financial analysis. This report summarizes the market analysis.
The project’s primary objective is the comprehensive renovation and expansion of the
Wintershed, an enclosed facility of approximately 10,500 square feet that was built in 1978.
The City has identified approximately $3 million of capital improvement funds for Wintershed
redevelopment; additional sources of funds from public, private or philanthropic sources will be
identified at a later planning stage, if needed.
During the course of the study, the project team and the city identified the following six
goals to guide the project:
x Create an active market district throughout the week and year
x Serve a wide range of customers, including low income families
Research methodologies
The Rochester Public Market is a gated nine acre district located within the Marketview
Heights neighborhood near downtown, a site it has occupied since 1905. The site is bordered by
Union Street on the west, CSX railroad to the south, Hayward Avenue to the east, and
Pennsylvania Avenue to the north.
City-owned facilities within the Market’s
gates include two open-air sheds (Sheds A and
C), an enclosed “Wintershed” (Shed B), and
separate buildings for the Market office and
public bathrooms (see aerial photo, below).
Plaza and parking areas at the center of the
Market are used for open-air vending, and there
are several small kiosks used for prepared foods.
Privately owned property within the Market’s
gates include a series of buildings called
“Commission Row” that include three produce
wholesalers (who also sell retail under the sheds)
and various food retailers, primarily coffee
houses, bakeries, and an Italian deli. Other
buildings on the south side of the Market include
wholesale distributors of meat, flowers, and
restaurant supplies.
Customers
The Market reportedly attracts 2.4 million visitors annually.3 A busy Saturday will
attract a crowd estimated at 40,000 people. Market management reports that customers come
from throughout the region and the Market attracts people of many different ethnicities,
including recent immigrants whose primary language is not English. Casual observation
confirmed a wide range of ages, races, and ethnicities at the Market, and dense crowds of people
on Saturday.
The online consumer survey provides additional information about Market customers,
including demographic information, shopping habits, and ideas for improvements to the Market.
A detailed report has been prepared under separate cover. In general, the people who took the
online survey are younger, wealthier, and less racially diverse than those who took the survey in
the Market and neither survey administration was designed to attract a random sample of the
population.
Nearly all respondents travel more than five minutes to reach the Market, confirming
that the Market serves a small percentage of neighboring residents. While about half travel for
5 to 15 minutes, a large group travels even longer.
Many respondents identified Wegman’s as their principal place to purchase fresh fruits
and vegetables, with half of the online respondents and one-third of paper respondents saying
Wegman’s is their principal shopping source. By comparison, one-third of online respondents
and 41% of paper respondents said the Market is their primary source this time of year
(November/early December). No other supermarket received more than 7%.
A small group of online respondents said they had not visited the Market in the past
year. Their principal reasons for not visiting included the Market’s location, being too busy, the
MonthsVisittheMarket
90.0%
80.0%
70.0%
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
The consumer survey asked this question a bit differently, asking what time periods
customers had visited the Market in the past twelve months. Among those surveyed in the
Market, nearly 60% had visited in the winter months (January through March). On-line
respondents were less likely to have visited in this period although 40% said they had been there
in the winter:
Seasons
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50% Paper
40% Online
30%
20%
10%
0%
Jan Mar Apr Jun July Sep Oct Dec
In the U of R study, a third of the customers reported that they visit the Market once a
week or more, while another 27% said two or three times a month. Therefore, 60% of
customers can be considered regular shoppers because they visit the Market more than once per
month. Another 19% reported coming once per month. The online survey addressed frequency
of visit in a different way, asking how many times the respondents had visited the Market in the
past three months. About a quarter of respondents reported coming 11 or more times in the past
three months, or about once per week.
Inthepast3months,howmanytimeshaveyouvisitedtheRochesterPublicMarket?
VisitstoRPM
inPast3Months
50%
40%
30%
Paper
20% Online
10%
0%
0 1 5 6 10 11 15 16+
RPMRatings3
5.0
4.5
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5 Paper
2.0
Online
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
Easytofind Easytoget Easytomove Feelsafe Adequate Feelcaris
whatwant there about walking parking secure/safe
Respondents were told that Rochester Public Market was exploring the potential for
creating more indoor vending space and increasing the days of operation. They were then asked
to rate on a scale from one (Not at all interested) to five (Extremely interested), how interested
they would be in various items being offered at RPM.
TheRochesterPublicMarketisexploringthepotentialforcreatingmoreindoorvendingspace
andincreasingthedaysofoperationtoencouragelocalresidentstovisitthroughouttheweek
andduringthewinter.Pleaseindicateyourlevelofinterestinhavingeachitembelow
availableattheMarket.
NewItems1
5.00
4.50
4.00
3.50
3.00
2.50 Paper
2.00
Online
1.50
1.00
0.50
0.00
Add'lethnic Add'lpublic Cookingdemos Indoorseating Localmusic
foods gatheringspaces areas performances
In the second group of questions, there was strong interest for more storefront businesses
and for the Market to be open on Sundays. There was less interest for the Market to be open on
Fridays, particularly among online respondents. There is a statistically significant relationship
between employment status and interest in Friday hours: full time workers were less interested
in Friday hours than non-full time workers (mean of 3.2 compared to 3.9). Upper income
households were less interested in Sunday hours, with a mean of 3.8 compared to lower income
households with a mean of 4.5 and middle income households with a mean of 4.0.
Interestingly, infrequent shoppers were more interested in seeing Sunday hours (mean of 4.1)
compared to frequent shoppers (mean of 3.8). Similarly, infrequent shoppers were more
interested in having more storefront businesses (mean of 4.3) compared to frequent shoppers
(mean of 4.0). This suggests that infrequent shoppers might shop more regularly if the Market
had Sunday hours and more storefronts.
Respondents were asked to list up to three additional products as well as three specific
Rochester area food businesses they would like to see offered at the Market. Information from
both data sets was combined for this question. The responses were organized into 14 categories
with ethnic foods and a butcher/deli topping the list.
AdditionalProductsforRPM
EthnicFoods
SpecialtyFoods
Butcher/Deli
Wine/Beer
BakedGoods
BulkGroceries
Produce
Dairy
OrganicProduce
Seafood
GrassFed/OrganicMeats
OtherNonFood
Arts&Crafts
Clothing
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
Many of the above themes were reiterated as ideas for improvement: expanding the size
of the Market, heating the Wintershed to make it more pleasant during the winter, decreasing
the number of produce wholesalers and “junk” vendors, increasing the number of local vendors
and extending the hours of operation. Some other themes for improvement included:
x Provide maps or offer tours of the Market so shoppers know what products are available
x Distinguish between local and non-local vendors with clear signage
x Increase advertisement of RPM through local media to attract suburban shoppers
x More public seating options
x Organize Market by type of vendor: separate food vendors from non-food vendors and
separate seafood from produce vendors
The additional comments were generally positive. Most respondents took the
opportunity to express their love and appreciation for the Market. Several people stated that the
Market is the reason they do not move away from Rochester. Many respondents were also
concerned that improvements might “commercialize” the Market. Respondents clearly
appreciate the “rawness” of the Market and want to maintain the current atmosphere. There was
also a great deal of appreciation for Market management and improvements already made.
Participants in the customer focus group represented predominately long time and
consistent shoppers at the Market. They identified a variety of reasons why they attend the
Management
The Rochester Public Market is owned by the City of Rochester and operated through its
Division of Recreation and Youth Services. One administrator spends about one-half of his
time on the Market. Dedicated on-site staff includes:
The Market contracts for security services, which are provided seven days per week,
from 5 pm until 5 am on Monday through Friday and 24 hours per day Saturday, Sunday and
holidays. On Market days, the Market hires 10 or more security staff on Saturdays and four on
Thursdays to help with traffic control and to provide security.
The Public Market helped create a ‘Friends of the Market’ organization in 2003 leading
up to the Market’s 100th Anniversary in 2005. The group, which consists of six board members
and 25 volunteers, was incorporated in 2007. Their mission is to provide advocacy,
Marketing
As with many public markets, marketing at the Rochester Public Market is focused
around special events. Major annual events include:
x Community Garage Sales and Superfleas (18 Sundays from April to October)
x Flower Days at the Market (5 Sundays plus the Friday and Monday of Memorial Day
Weekend)
x Tastings with Margaret
x Chef's Days at the Market
x Night Markets, Bands on the Bricks (8 events in 2011)
x Artists Row (organized by Friends of the Public Market)
x Holidays at the Market
x Savor Rochester Festival of Food (organized by Foodlink, a local social service agency)
All told, there are 51 events during the year which happen on days when the Market is
not operating. These are done to bring activity to the Market district, not to draw customers to
the core market days.
The City of Rochester hosts a web site for the Market (www.cityofrochester.gov/
publicmarket/) and publishes a quarterly newsletter called Market Matters! There is also an
active “Friends of the Public Market: Rochester, NY” page on Facebook with 9,400 friends.
Finance
Stall rents vary by location, with higher rents charged for the indoor Wintershed and the
four kiosks. The chart below summarizes the rents. While farmers and other fresh food
vendors receive preference in terms of access to stalls, rent levels only vary between prepared
food vendors and all others. The daily rents reflect the amounts that are charged during the
summer months. The Market also offers seasonal (summer or winter) options.
4. Best practices
Based on its study of comparable public markets around the country for more than 20
years, MVI has identified five key criteria that are present at successful public markets. Best
practices support these five criteria.
1. Great site. Like all retail, location is a critical factor. While not every successful public
market might have the following site characteristics, a great market site is:
2. Environment. Public market architecture includes both the building environment and the
design and layout of each tenant space. Historically, cities have perceived their public markets
as important works of civic architecture and therefore many historic public markets are
impressive and beautiful structures. A great public market environment is:
• A place people want to be and a comfortable public space that welcomes all elements of
the community
• A landmark structure
• A facility with well designed stalls and infrastructure that supports small food retailers
• A place that offers a rich sensory experience of sights, sounds, smells, and tastes
• A facility that offers customer amenities such as comfortable seating areas and clean
restrooms
• On the cutting edge of sustainability, including green construction elements, energy
efficiency, waste minimization, composting/recycling, and education
The Rochester Public Market shows some of these characteristics and can make
improvements with others. Clearly the Market is a place that people want to be on Saturdays,
when thousands of people from all walks of life and throughout the region congregate at the
Market. Thursdays have gained in popularity and the Market is often busy then as well. On
these days the Market shines as a welcoming place that reflects the diversity of the community.
On other days, the district is very quiet. Many of the storefront businesses on Commission Row
only open on Thursday and Saturday (and some only on Saturday), and the Market sheds are
empty the other days of the week.
The Market currently
offers limited seating options
and other customer public
space amenities. Some
businesses along Commission
Row have worked with the city
to create fenced-in seating
areas (photo, right) and the
food kiosks have stand-up
tables and a few seats around
their businesses. The Market
offers a few picnic tables around the office.
Architecturally, the Public Market is a mix of eclectic historic storefronts along
Commission Row and the city’s well maintained sheds and offices, along with utilitarian
structures that house wholesale functions such as the Tripi Foods/Big Apple Building (photo,
below). Recent city investments created the entrance gates, which help define the Market
3. Culture of public market shopping. Communities throughout the country are awakening
to the benefits of buying locally grown foods. Some communities have developed a culture of
public market shopping, with residents going out of their way to purchase locally grown food
and willing to make it a spending priority.
Residents in Rochester have shown great support for the Public Market as its popularity
has grown dramatically over the past twenty years. This support is clearly evident on Saturdays
and to a less extent on Thursdays; Tuesdays are not nearly as popular. There has also been a
major growth in the number of seasonal farmers’ markets in the region. As the city considers
expanding the Wintershed, key informants questioned whether residents will make public
market shopping a daily habit, particularly when there are such strong supermarkets in the area.
The popularity of the Market is somewhat due to its special event, destination atmosphere.
4. Professional management. Well run public markets require skilled professional managers
who focus on helping the market achieve its mission, supporting the vendors, and ensuring
customers have a positive shopping experience. Some of the critical roles that management
plays include:
5. High quality vendors. The most important determinant of a public market’s long term
success is the quality of its vendors. Once the developer of a public market has “set the stage”
for the public market in terms of its site, facility and management team, it is the vendors who
become “the show.” Their ability to offer high quality and unique products, as well as superior
services, will determine whether a sufficient customer base is established over time. The
presence of bona fide farmers and food producers within a public market, selling items they
produce themselves, differentiates the experience of shopping at a public market from other
retail venues.
City Market, an historic public market in downtown Kansas City, has recently gone
through a significant redevelopment process. Its experiences offer insights that can help inform
potential changes to the Rochester Public Market, particularly its experience winterizing one of
its historic market sheds.
City Market shares many similarities with the Rochester Public Market as well as some
important differences. Like the Rochester Public Market, City Market includes open farmer
sheds adjacent to permanent retail businesses. The farmers’ market operates two days per week,
on Saturdays and Sundays (other days of the week have been attempted but were not adequately
Trade areas
The Rochester MSA, which includes five counties, had a population of slightly over one
4 www.2010census.gov/2010census
5 http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/36/3663000.html
2011 Estimate 2 mile ring 2-5 mile band 5-25 mile band
Food at Home – overall 81 95 110
Food away from Home – overall 66 85 106
Market Categories
Baked goods 82 99 115
Dairy 82 98 116
Meat 86 96 109
Poultry 106 107 111
For nearly all products, the index scores are substantially below one hundred in the first
trade area, suggesting that household expenditures will be below national averages. Poultry is
the only index score over the national average at 106.
Typically, the preponderance of low incomes (and therefore lack of disposable income),
small household sizes, and younger residents are all indicators that residents in this trade area
will not be likely users of a daily market hall that features unique and potentially more
expensive foods. There is a small pool of higher income households (11% with income more
than $75,000, or about 5,000 households) in this trade area, as well as 10% with advanced
degrees. These residents are more likely to shop for high quality, unique items within a market
hall.
However, the Rochester Public Market currently serves many low income consumers
because it has evolved into a large scale, high volume, low priced marketplace in close
proximity to many urban residents. The lack of fresh food stores within the city makes the
Market convenient for many residents.
The rapid growth of the SNAP token program at the Market shows evidence of the
potential for attracting low income families. The program has grown from $59,000 in token
sales in 2008 to more than $350,000 in 2010, and the program is on track to record about
$500,000 in sales in 2011. In 2010, nearly 5,000 people on average redeemed some of their
SNAP allocation for Market tokens each Saturday. Remarkably, this growth has occurred
without a substantial marketing campaign. Research conducted in 2010 found low awareness of
the token program among all major racial/ethnic groups interviewed. Market signage and word
of mouth were the almost exclusive sources of information about the token program.6
Increased marketing and operational improvements to handle increased volumes could
drive significant new purchases from SNAP program beneficiaries. Nationally, SNAP
enrollment is growing quickly, with 32 straight months of program growth since November
2008. One-seventh of the country’s entire population, 45.7 million people, received SNAP
benefits in May 2011, the highest level in history.7 In 2010, 104,000 people in Monroe County
received SNAP benefits yet only 4% shopped at the Market. The $350,000 in token sales
recorded at the Market in 2010 provides a substantial boost for vendor sales, yet it represents
6 “The SNAP Market Token Program: Comprehensive Review & Analysis,” Friends of the Rochester Public
Market, 2010, p. 25.
7 Foodlinks America – August 26, 2011, California Emergency Foodlink, http://www.tefapalliance.org/
Tourists
The chart below shows Nielsen/Claritas estimates for aggregate annual food and
beverage expenditures in thousands of dollars for each of the three trade areas, divided among
the types of products typically found in a public market. Nielsen/Claritas determines these
estimates based on the demographic profile of residents in each of the trade areas, not a direct
survey of actual residents. The table on top shows estimates for 2011 and the table below
shows projections for 2016.
9. These estimates have been developed and refined by the Market Ventures, Inc. through its work planning,
developing, and operating public markets and its research of other public markets around the country. The
potential suggests what accomplished vendors might realistically achieve for sales from a trade area. Particularly
strong vendors might achieve higher sales from the trade area if their business is unique and attractive to
consumers. Conversely, weak vendors will fall short of the demand potential because area residents will spend
their dollars elsewhere. This analysis is only meant to provide a barometer of potential, not a prediction of what
actual sales might be.
2010 2016
2-5 mile band Estimate Projection Change $ Change %
(000s) (000s) (000s)
Breakfast $16,796 $16,838 $42 0.3%
Lunch $52,488 $52,533 $45 0.1%
Dinner $80,559 $80,579 $20 0.0%
Total $149,843 $149,950 $107 0.1%
2010 2016
5-25 mile band Estimate Projection Change $ Change %
(000s) (000s) (000s)
Breakfast $53,872 $56,061 $2,189 4.1%
Lunch $169,450 $176,349 $6,899 4.1%
Dinner $270,606 $281,974 $11,368 4.2%
Total $493,928 $514,384 $20,456 4.1%
Given the lack of any restaurants in the Public Market and the relatively small scale of
the current food service operations, there appears be potential for additional food service.
The Rochester Public Market currently attracts shoppers from throughout the
metropolitan area, particularly on Saturdays during the warmer months. Thursday sales are
fairly strong and Tuesday is weak. Market management runs events on Fridays and Sundays to
attract people to the district but few vendors and adjacent stores are open.
Based on the research, there are two principal consumer targets for the Public Market:
1) low income consumers who live relatively close to the Market, many of whom have SNAP
benefits that can be converted into Market tokens and redeemed by Market vendors, and 2)
higher income suburban customers who visit the Market because it is a unique experience and
the Market offers locally grown and produced foods directly from the producer. Recent trends
suggest increases in both types of customers in terms of rapidly growing utilization of Market
tokens and growing number of overall visitors to the Market.
Expanding the number of vendors and the days of operation will be challenging because
of the expected decrease in population and the resulting increased competition with existing
food retailers in the region. However, consumer interest in the public market is strong and there
6. Supply Analysis
The supply analysis looks at competition to the Rochester Public Market and who might
be vendors and suppliers at an expanded Wintershed.
The initial source of vendors for the expanded Wintershed will be the existing vendors.
As described above, there are currently 34 businesses with annual leases in the Wintershed,
including a good mix of fresh food businesses representing all of the major product areas
typically found in a public market with the exception of wine/beer and dairy.
Currently, Market management only requires Wintershed vendors to be open on
Saturdays; they may choose to open on Tuesdays and Thursdays and many do not. Some of the
Wintershed vendors are open for business but move into the open sheds on Thursdays when
spaces are available because there are more customers in the open shed areas. As a result, the
customer experience on Tuesdays and Thursdays is severely degraded because customers walk
into the Wintershed and see empty stalls and display cases. This sends a clear signal that the
Market is failing and customers are not being served. Some customers reported never going
into the Wintershed during the week because there are so few businesses open, contributing to a
downward spiral of expectations and reality.
Indoor public markets typically require that vendors must be open all hours when the
market is advertised as open. Operating schedules at other public markets range from three to
seven days per week. A longer operating schedule in Rochester would support the city’s goal of
creating an active market district throughout the week and better serve customers. Some current
Wintershed vendors have said they are not interested or able to meet the existing three day
schedule, much less a longer schedule. If the rules change when the Wintershed is redeveloped
and vendors are required to operate on all days when the Market is open, new vendors will need
to replace those who leave.
Most of the Wintershed vendors participated in the vendor focus group. The vendors
spoke about the family-like atmosphere in the Wintershed, a reflection in part on the long tenure
many of had in the Wintershed and the multiple generations that sell there (the Wintershed
opened in 1978, so it has been operating for 33 years).
The vendors showed particular interest in the following improvements to the
Wintershed:
x Wider aisles
x Continuity in the look of spaces
x Better amenities and infrastructure
x Increased visibility and accessibility
x More parking
10 Economic Research Service, USDA, U.S. Food Marketing System, 2002, AER-811.
11 Martinez, Steve and Phil Kaufman, “Twenty Years of Competition Reshape the U.S. Food Marketing System,”
Economic Research Service, USDA, April 2008.
7. SWOT Analysis
The following SWOT analysis summarizes the Market’s strengths and weakness and
identifies the emerging opportunities and threats that should inform potential improvements to
the Market.
Strengths
Weakness
Opportunities
• Increasing interest in locally grown foods and direct purchasing from farmers
• Interest in educational activities such as cooking demonstrations
• Demand for vendor space and storefront business locations
• Increase number and diversity of special events
Threats
Demand Potential Demand Capture Potential Demand Capture Potential Demand Demand
Market categories (000s) Capture rate (000s) (000s) rate (000s) (000s) rate (000s) (000s) Total (000s) % of total
Baked goods $19,687 6.0% $1,181 $43,299 2.0% $866 $134,535 1.00% $1,345 $197,521 $3,393 12.5%
Dairy $22,097 5.0% $1,105 $48,261 1.7% $804 $153,266 0.83% $1,277 $223,624 $3,186 11.8%
Meat $30,079 5.0% $1,504 $61,197 1.7% $1,020 $185,115 0.83% $1,543 $276,391 $4,067 15.0%
Poultry $16,344 5.0% $817 $30,060 1.7% $501 $83,423 0.83% $695 $129,827 $2,013 7.4%
Prepared foods $7,459 5.0% $373 $16,777 1.7% $280 $54,809 0.83% $457 $79,045 $1,109 4.1%
Produce - fresh $17,868 10.0% $1,787 $39,358 3.3% $1,312 $123,387 1.67% $2,056 $180,613 $5,155 19.0%
Seafood - fresh $1,860 5.0% $93 $4,024 1.7% $67 $12,574 0.83% $105 $18,458 $265 1.0%
Specialty food $15,525 5.0% $776 $35,924 1.7% $599 $116,309 0.83% $969 $167,758 $2,344 8.7%
Sweets $8,137 3.0% $244 $20,087 1.0% $201 $98,466 0.50% $492 $126,690 $937 3.5%
Coffee/Tea $5,536 5.0% $277 $12,425 1.7% $207 $39,571 0.83% $330 $57,532 $814 3.0%
Wine/Beer $25,506 5.0% $1,275 $58,515 1.7% $975 $185,465 0.83% $1,546 $269,486 $3,796 14.0%
Total/Average/Total $170,098 5.5% $9,432 $369,927 1.8% $6,832 $1,186,920 0.91% $10,815 $1,726,945 $27,079 100.0%
Notes 1.57%
Nielsen estimates for 2011 Consumer Spending Patterns
Assumes no growth in food expenditures when public market is in place
Financial Analysis
2. Income..................................................................................................................................... 2
2. Income
The Market’s income currently comes from:
1. Annual leaseholds and seasonal rentals for each of the sheds
2. Daily rentals
3. “Other” which includes temporary, seasonal spots around the Market office and the
parking lots, as well as spaces rented on non-Market days including festivals and
holidays
4. Festivals
5. Finance charges
Rental Income
Kiosks $10,700 $11,200
Shed A&C $246,400 $288,775
Wintershed $164,800 $164,800
Daily $134,500 $101,805
Other $159,500 $81,300
Festivals $6,500 $5,500
Finance charges $35,000 $35,000
Snowplow/Security $36,159 $36,159
Gross Operating Income $793,559 $724,539
The large majority of income to the Market comes from rental of vendor space. The
chart below shows the number of vendor spaces within the Market’s structures; “other” income
comes from renting spaces in the open air. The column labeled FY12 shows the number of
spaces available currently:
Wintershed 58 58 58 0 52
Shed C 66 66 44 66 66
Shed D 0 0 48 48 48
Kiosks 4 4 4 0 4
Storefronts 0 0 0 4 4
In Phase 1 (year 1), the new Shed D is under construction but all other facilities remain
open. The impact to the Market’s operation will include a loss of several parking spaces and the
negative effects of having construction occur during the week. Since most rental income is
based on Saturday sales, the impact should not be extensive if the construction process is well
coordinated to minimize disruption. Furthermore, there should be no impact on income from
the kiosks or Shed B since they are all annual leases, and there should be no impact on non-rent
sources (festivals, finance charges, and snowplow/security). Kiosk rent is slightly higher than
In Phase 2 (year 2), Shed D is complete and the Market leases the spaces and charges
rent. According to the design concept, Shed D will have 48 spaces that are each approximately
10’ x 30’, the same size as the ones in Shed A. Shed D will provide space for vendors currently
in Shed C while the garage door and heating systems are added to Shed C. The model assumes
the same rental rates for Shed D as Shed A. The total number of spaces available for rent at the
Market increases from 236 to 262, a gain of 26 stalls or 11%. Since there are more spaces
available on the Market and Shed C will be under construction, the model assumes a 20%
vacancy rate for Shed D this year.
Assuming the work in Shed C happens in three stages, one-third of the shed is closed at
a time so vendors can still sell from the other two-thirds. Currently, the Market reports income
from Sheds A and C together; for this analysis, the income is divided into two parts based on
the ratio of the number of stalls in each shed (108 or 62% in Shed A and 66 or 38% in Shed C).
Assuming a one-third drop in revenue from Shed C, as well as a 5% decline in revenue from the
base year because of construction, the new income includes the following:
In Year 2, total income increases to approximately the FY12 level, with new revenue
from Shed D offsetting reduced revenue from Sheds A and C and the daily and “other” sources.
In Phase 3 (Year 3), Shed C winterization is complete. The kiosks and Shed B close for
the year and their vendors temporarily relocate to the winterized Shed C. The total number of
spaces available at the Market drops from 262 in year 2 to 226 in year 3.
The model assumes that rent in Shed C stays the same as Shed A for this year, although
it could be increased because it is now indoor space in the winter. Occupancy is assumed to be
the same as the base year. Shed D has a 0% vacancy rate in year 3 because of the reduction of
total Market spaces during reconstruction of Shed B.
The new storefront building is assumed to open this year as well, with rental income
estimated at $12 per square foot for 7,800 square feet of leasable area. In its first year of
operation, the space is estimated at 50% leased.
In Year 3, gross income has dropped about $34,000 below the base year or 4.7%.
In Year 4, all construction is complete and the Market has access to the new or
redeveloped facilities.
Shed A rents and number of stalls hold steady from the baseline year.
The schematic design for Shed B includes 26 spaces that are 9’ x 9’ spaces without
storage, and 26 spaces that are 9’ x 10’ with 9’ x 9’ storage areas behind them. Rents in Shed B
are currently about $36 per sf (72 sf at $2,575 per year). The pro forma assumes that rents
increase modestly to $42 per sf for retail areas and $20 per sf for storage spaces, reflecting the
upgraded facilities. Annual rent is now $3,402 per year for the retail spaces without storage and
$5,400 for spaces with storage. Total rent for Shed B increases from the baseline of
$164,800/year to $228,852/year.
The prepared food kiosks are now integrated into Shed B. Based on the schematic
design, the prepared food spaces are 684 sf (36’ x 19’) and each has its own seating area of 756
sf (36’ x 21’). Assuming rents are $12 per sf for the retail space and $8 per sf for the seating
areas, annual rent per space is $14,256 or $1,188 per month. While this is substantially more
than the $3,200/year in ground rents paid by the kiosk businesses now, they will be inside the
Market building, have new code-compliant facilities, and have substantially more seating.
Rents are in-line with rents in the district on a per square foot basis. Higher rents should also
have the effect of encouraging the prepared food businesses to be open for business more hours
and the design accommodates their ability to be open with the rest of Shed B is closed. For ease
of comparison in the chart below, the rent for the prepared food business is on the same line as
the kiosks, although they are no longer stand-alone kiosks.
Rents in Shed C increase 25% to reflect the winterized space. The number of vendors
holds steady although this reflects an increase in utilization since there are now more stalls
Operating
Construction Open
Budget
Rochester Public Market FY12 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5
Rental Income
Kiosks $11,200 $12,800 $12,800 $0 $57,024 $57,024
Shed A (A&C yr 1) $288,775 $268,280 $167,863 $176,345 $176,345 $176,345
Shed C (winterized) $0 $71,206 $112,430 $140,538 $140,538
Shed D $0 $60,240 $95,200 $85,250 $95,200
Wintershed $164,800 $164,800 $164,800 $0 $228,852 $228,852
Daily $101,805 $96,715 $96,715 $102,000 $102,000 $102,000
Other $81,300 $77,585 $77,585 $81,300 $81,300 $81,300
Storefronts $0 $0 $46,800 $70,200 $93,600
Festivals $5,500 $5,500 $5,500 $5,500 $5,500 $5,500
Finance charges $35,000 $35,000 $35,000 $35,000 $35,000 $35,000
Snowplow/Security $36,159 $36,159 $36,159 $36,159 $36,159 $36,159
Gross operating income increases to slightly over $1 million, a 45% increase from the
base year.
3. Expenses
Similar analysis was performed year by year for Market expenses. For this analysis,
expenses are grouped into three categories: personnel, marketing/communications, and
operations. The Market’s budgets for these items in the past two years include:
Expenses
Personnel
Administration $103,700 $72,600
Personnel $217,200 $219,300
Security $116,900 $161,900
Subtotal $437,800 $453,800
Operations
Janitorial $27,000 $27,000
Maintenance/repair $15,600 $19,600
Supplies $600 $600
Utilities $51,600 $54,000
Waste removal $32,700 $33,300
Subtotal $127,500 $134,500
In Phase 1 (year 1), all personnel and cost of operations hold steady because no new
vendor space is added to the Market while Shed D is under construction. Marketing and
communications increase 200% to $34,800 so there are adequate resources to provide
information to customers about the construction process and minimize attrition.
In Phase 2 (year 2), Shed D is operational and Shed C is under construction. The model
assumes that Administrative and Security costs increase 5% and Personnel increases 10% since
Operating
Construction Open
Budget
Expenses
Personnel
Administration $72,600 $72,600 $76,230 $76,230 $76,230
Personnel $219,300 $219,300 $241,230 $253,292 $260,890
Security $161,900 $161,900 $169,995 $178,495 $178,495
Subtotal $453,800 $453,800 $487,455 $508,016 $515,615
Operating expenses increase from $599,900 in the base year to $772,313 in year 4, an
increase of 29%, reflecting the greater amount of square footage under management and the
more substantial marketing budget.
4. Profit (Loss)
Based on the assumptions described herein, the Market is profitable in all but one year
of the three year construction process (Year 3 when Shed B is closed). The loss is estimated at
$42,168 that year. Once construction is complete in year 4, profitability doubles from $124,639
in the base year to $245,855. In Year 5 net income continues to rise to $279,205 as the
storefront buildings become fully leased and Shed D is fully occupied.
Expenses
Personnel
Administration $72,600 $72,600 $76,230 $76,230 $76,230 $76,230
Personnel $219,300 $219,300 $241,230 $253,292 $260,890 $260,890
Security $161,900 $161,900 $169,995 $178,495 $178,495 $178,495
Subtotal $453,800 $453,800 $487,455 $508,016 $515,615 $515,615
5. Conclusion
This financial model demonstrates that the proposed master plan changes to the
Rochester Public Market will result in substantial new revenue for the Market and modest
additional expenses. The proposed changes do not require reorganization of the Market’s
management or operations, simply some additional resources to account for the increase in
vendor spaces and the expected increase in winter utilization. The marketing budget increases
from under $12,000 per year to a more healthy $43,500 per year, reflecting the need to protect
Number Rate Revenue Number Rate Revenue Number Rate Revenue Number Rate Revenue Number Rate Revenue
Source Area FY12 FY12 FY12 Shed D construction Shed D added, C construction Shed C winterized, B construction All open
Vacancy Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4
Impact of construction on Shed A, daily, other from base year (FY12) -5.0% -5.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Impact of construction on Shed C (1/3 constructed at time) -5.0% -33.3% 0.0% 0.0%
Number of Shed D tenants -20.0% 0.0% -10.0%
2. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 2
3. Methodology ........................................................................................................................... 3
2. Introduction
This report on Economic Impact Analysis accompanies the Market Analysis and the
Financial Analysis conducted by Market Ventures, Inc. (MVI) as part of its work on the
renovations of the Rochester Public Market Shed B (the “Wintershed”) and surrounding site.
The economic impact analysis models the projected impacts based on the master plan for the
Rochester Public Market developed by the consultant team led by TYLin.
The economic impacts to the region will consist of direct benefits in increased sales,
indirect benefits that flow from increased purchases of other materials and services, and induced
benefits to household incomes and consumption. For purposes of economic impact modeling, it
is assumed that all of the master plan elements are completed as proposed and the impacts begin
when construction is completed.
The master plan includes the following elements:
1. Creation of a new open Shed D in the space between Shed A and Commissary Row.
2. Winterization of existing Shed C with roll-up garage doors, which will provide
indoor selling space for existing Wintershed vendors during renovation of Shed B.
3. Redevelopment of Shed B at the same location and with approximately the same
footprint, except with expansion to accommodate the prepared food “kiosks” and
restroom facilities to replace the existing bathroom building.
3. Methodology
The methodology for measuring economic benefits of specific projects or programs on
affected regions is well established in the field of urban economics. Systematic analysis takes
into account inter-industry relationships within regions, because these relationships largely
determine how regional economies respond to project or program changes. The tool of regional
input-output (I-O) multipliers, developed by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) and
customized for specific regions as RIMS II Multipliers, accounts for highly disaggregated inter-
industry relationships within regions. It is based upon BEA’s 2002 national benchmark I-O
table, which accounts for the input and output structure of more than 500 U.S. industries, and
BEA’s 2008 regional economic accounts, which show each region’s industrial structure and
trading patterns.
RIMs II Multipliers can be estimated by BEA for any region composed of one or more
counties and for any industry in the national I-O table. For purposes of measuring the
economic benefits of the Rochester Public Market, RIMS II Multipliers were customized for the
five county region around Rochester that make up the Rochester Metropolitan Statistical Area.
These counties include:
• Livingston
• Monroe
• Ontario
• Orleans
• Wayne
The table below shows the Final Demand multipliers for various industry sectors. The
Final Demand Multipliers account for all regional economic repercussions of generating an
additional dollar of sales or construction output.
The multipliers listed under Final Demand Multiplier include Output, Earnings, and
Employment. The Output column represents the total dollar change in output that occurs in all
industries in the regional economy for each additional dollar of output delivered to final demand
by the industry sector corresponding to the row entry (e.g., Food services). In this case, $1.00
of new sales in Food Services creates $1.40 in new economic output.
Entries in the Earnings column represent the total dollar change in earnings of
households employed by all industries in the regional economy for each additional dollar of
output delivered to final demand by the industry sector corresponding to the row entry. Here
$1.00 of new sales in Food Services accounts to $0.42 in earnings among all households.
Entries in the Employment column represent the total change in number of jobs that
occurs in all industries in the regional economy for each additional one million dollars of output
delivered to final demand by the industry corresponding to the row entry. Because employment
multipliers are based upon 2008 data, the output delivered to final demand in this instance is
represented in 2008 dollars. Here $1 million in new sales of Food Services creates 17.5 new
jobs in the region.
For a number of relevant industries, BEA also provides multipliers for Direct Effects.
This information is used for estimating the impact of sales of goods produced within the region.
(as described in Impact of Local Production, below). In each table under Direct Effect, entries
in the Earnings column represent the total dollar change in earnings of households employed by
all industries for each additional dollar of earnings paid directly to households employed by the
industry corresponding to the row entry. Entries in the Employment column represent the total
change in number of jobs in all industries for each additional job in the industry corresponding
to the row entry.
4. Impact of Sales
Determining the economic impact of the Rochester Public Market requires an estimate
of total sales generated at the Market. MVI utilized what it believes to be reasonable daily
average sales estimates for the vendors and per square foot estimates for the retail businesses in
the new storefronts, coupled with estimated vacancy rates for each calendar quarter. The sales
of any business in the Market could be appreciably more or less than these estimates. In fact,
the Market is made up of large, high volume vendors and small, low volumes ones.
Wintershed 58 52 -6
Shed C 66 66 0
Shed D 0 48 48
Kiosks 4 4 0
Storefronts 0 4 4
The following chart provides a method for estimating current Market sales. The chart
shows the number of stalls within each Market shed, the days of operation per week, and an
estimate for average vendor sales within each shed. Vacancy rates are estimated for each
calendar quarter. The sales projections are the product of the number of stalls, days per week of
operation, vacancy rates, and sales. This method estimates current total Market vendor sales at
$22.0 million.
Vacancy
Jan-Mar 50% 60% 10% 25%
Apr-Jun 25% 30% 25% 20%
Jul-Sep 10% 20% 35% 10%
Oct-Dec 25% 30% 25% 20%
Sales
Jan-Mar $ 1,790,100 $ 720,720 $ 1,832,220 $ 175,500 $4,518,540
Apr-Jun $ 2,685,150 $ 1,261,260 $ 1,526,850 $ 187,200 $5,660,460
Jul-Sep $ 3,222,180 $ 1,441,440 $ 1,323,270 $ 210,600 $6,197,490
Oct-Dec $ 2,685,150 $ 1,261,260 $ 1,526,850 $ 187,200 $5,660,460
Total $ 10,382,580 $ 4,684,680 $ 6,209,190 $ 760,500 $22,036,950
The next chart uses the same methodology but substitutes the expected number of stalls
in each Market shed following implementation of the master plan, with the major addition
being the creation of a new Shed D. The model assumes that the vacancy rate for the combined
sheds A and D increases because there are now more stalls available, and it assumes that the
vacancy rate for Shed C decreases because the shed is winterized and therefore more attractive
to both vendors and customers in the winter. Similarly, the vacancy rates for the Wintershed
decrease once the facility is rebuilt and the physical environment is made much more inviting.
Post Construction
Shed A&D Shed C Wintershed Kiosks Total
Stalls 156 66 52 4 278
Days/week (Jan-March) 3 3 3 3
Days/week (April-Dec) 3 3 3 3
Average daily sales $850 $700 $1,100 $2,200
Vacancy
Jan-Mar 60% 40% 5% 20%
Apr-Jun 30% 25% 15% 15%
Jul-Sep 15% 20% 20% 5%
Oct-Dec 30% 25% 15% 15%
Sales
Jan-Mar $ 2,068,560 $ 1,081,080 $ 2,119,260 $ 274,560 $5,543,460
Apr-Jun $ 3,619,980 $ 1,351,350 $ 1,896,180 $ 291,720 $7,159,230
Jul-Sep $ 4,395,690 $ 1,441,440 $ 1,784,640 $ 326,040 $7,947,810
Oct-Dec $ 3,619,980 $ 1,351,350 $ 1,896,180 $ 291,720 $7,159,230
Total $ 13,704,210 $ 5,225,220 $ 7,696,260 $ 1,184,040 $27,809,730
Employing the RIMS II multipliers for each type of business results in the following
economic impact:
To estimate how much of the Market’s sales come from local production sources, the
total quantity of sales was divided by the number of stalls in the Market associated with those
products. Based on information provided by Market management, there are 326 vendor stalls in
the Market. As part of the Market Analysis, each vendor was categorized as follows:
The same percentages were then applied to the sales expected when the master plan is
implemented:
Final Demand
Value Output Earnings Employment
Construction $13,319,300 1.3890 $18,500,508 0.4723 $6,290,705 9.6888 129.0
Real estate $1,051,518 1.1872 $1,248,362 0.1885 $198,211 8.5552 9.0
Total $14,370,818 $19,748,869 $6,488,916 138.0
The total economic effects of constructing the improvements to the Market would
represent a one-time increase of $18.5 million by all industries affected by the construction
activity. Earnings in the region would increase $6.3 million and employment would increase by
129 jobs. Upon completion of the master plan improvements, the economic effects of
construction on the output of the region would come to an end.
The annual operations of the Market will increase the region’s output by $1.2 million
annually, increase earnings by $198,211 and support 9 additional jobs in the regional economy.
Compared to the current operation, real estate management costs will rise $450,000, resulting in
$536,000 in economic output, $85,000 in additional earnings, and 4 additional jobs.
The second chart shows the difference between current operations and implementation
of the master plan. Aggregating these various benefits, the changes to the Market stimulate
$34.4 million in annual economic output, increase regional earnings by $10.8 million, and
create 291 jobs. Over ten years, the economic impact of the changes to the Market is
estimated at $177 million.
Consumer Survey
Overview ......................................................................................................................................... 2
Methodology ................................................................................................................................... 2
Findings........................................................................................................................................... 3
Demographics ............................................................................................................................. 3
Residence, method of transportation, and travel time................................................................. 7
Purchasing Trends ....................................................................................................................... 8
Visit Characteristics .................................................................................................................. 10
Preferences for Year Round/Indoor Market ............................................................................. 19
SNAP ........................................................................................................................................ 20
Additional Products and Restaurants .................................................................................... 20
Challenges and Comments ........................................................................................................ 22
Written Responses ........................................................................................................................ 24
Why not visited ......................................................................................................................... 24
Additional Products .................................................................................................................. 24
Particular Food Businesses ....................................................................................................... 26
Challenges or Problems ............................................................................................................ 29
Ideas for Improving RPM ......................................................................................................... 38
Additional Thoughts ................................................................................................................. 48
Methodology
Market Ventures, Inc. (MVI) designed the online survey instrument using a methodology
and core question set that has been used successfully at other public markets around the country,
modified to meet the needs of RPM. After being reviewed and edited by the project team and
the client, the online survey tool Zoomerang was used to administer the survey. A paper version
of the survey instrument is attached to the end of this report.
Once the survey was ready for distribution, the client publicized the link to the survey
using a variety of methods, including a press release, the RPM website, and the Friends of the
Market Facebook site.
The survey was launched November 4, 2011 and closed on December 8, a total of 33
days. The survey was viewed a total of 640 times and 306 surveys were completed.
Since people choose whether to take an online survey and they require Internet access to
reach it, an online survey is not a random sampling procedure. It is likely that those people most
interested and passionate about RPM responded. The demographic profile of online survey
takers is also different from the general population: it is younger, wealthier, and less racially
diverse. Therefore, answers to the survey should not be assumed to be representative of the
entire population but rather a set of ideas and opinions that might provide insight into the
Market’s development.
In addition to Zoomerang, copies of the online survey were printed and volunteers at the
Market asked shoppers to complete the survey on Saturday November 26. Again, these
respondents were not randomly selected. 91 paper surveys were completed. The demographic
profile of people who took the survey at the Market is different from the online respondents:
older, less wealthy and more diverse. Therefore, the results from the two groups are presented
separately in this report.
The survey aimed to gather information about perceptions of the Market as well as
opinions about potential changes to the Market. The survey asked about where people usually do
their shopping for fresh fruits and vegetables. Those respondents who have visited RPM were
asked their mode of travel, travel time, and frequency of visits. A series of questions focused on
comparing the Market with other places they shop. The survey also solicited all respondents for
their opinions about having certain items at a new indoor market as well as any specific local
food businesses they would like to see at the Market. There were two opportunities for
respondents to provide their open-ended feedback and opinions about the Market and proposed
changes.
Age
50.0%
45.0%
40.0%
35.0%
30.0%
25.0% Paper
20.0% Online
15.0%
10.0%
5.0%
0.0%
Under 25 25-39 40-54 55-70 Over 70
In the surveys collected at the Market, the largest age group was respondents 55-70 years
old (45%) while the largest groups of respondents online was 25 – 39 year olds (34%). The
smallest group for both surveys was those shoppers over 70.
Household sizes ranged from 1 to 10, with the average being 2.7 and a median of 2 in
both the online and paper surveys. As the charts illustrate, most survey respondents live in
households with two people:
Household Size
60%
50%
40%
30% Paper
Online
20%
10%
0%
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
In terms of household income, online survey respondents were skewed toward upper
incomes while respondents at the Market were more representative of all income levels. 23% of
paper survey respondents reported 2010 total household income below $25,000 compared to 9%
of online survey respondents. In both data sets, the largest grouping is customers reporting
earnings between $25,000 and $75,000 (55% at the Market and 54% online). A much larger
percentage of online respondents (38% compared to 22%) reported household income above
$75,000.
<$25k
>$75k <$25k 9%
22% 23%
>$75k
38%
$25-75k
$25-75k 53%
55%
25.0%
20.0%
15.0%
Paper
10.0% Online
5.0%
0.0%
Less than $15,000 $25,000 $35,000 $50,000 $75,000 $100,000 $150,000
$15,000 to to to to to - or more
$24,999 $34,999 $49,999 $74,999 $99,999 $149,999
Respondents were asked their current occupation. In both data sets, the largest group of
respondents was those who work full time (61% on paper and 68% online). The respondents in
the Market were more likely to be retired.
Occupation
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
Paper
30%
Online
20%
10%
0%
Work Full Work Part Stay at Student Retired Not Other
Time Time Home Employed
Parent
The majority of respondents online and at the Market were women, and the majority of
respondents for both data sets were white, although the online respondents have a larger
percentage women and less diversity than the in-Market respondents.
Gender Gender
(Paper) (Online)
Male Male
Female 40% 35%
60% Female
65%
White White
81% 89%
Respondents at the Market reported living in 36 different zip codes while those online
covered 48 different zip codes. In both data sets the large majority of zip codes were from the
City of Rochester (73% at RPM and 71% online). Only 1% of respondents for each data set
were from out of state. The largest concentrations of respondents came from the Market’s zip
code (14609) and zip code 14620.
Outside Outside
Rochester Rochester
26% 28%
Rochester Rochester
73% 71%
14624
14622
14621
14612
14610
14580
14618 Online
Paper
14450
14534
14617
14607
14620
14609
Purchasing Trends
In both data sets, almost all survey respondents (94%) were the primary shoppers for
their household. When asked how often they typically shop for fresh fruits and vegetables at
their local grocery store, a majority of respondents from both data sets reported about once a
week, although respondents at the Market were more likely to shop more than once per week.
50%
40%
30% Paper
20% Online
10%
0%
> Once/ ~ Once/ Every 2-3 Once/mo or Never
week week weeks less
When asked how often they shopped at public markets or farmers’ markets, the large
majority of respondents surveyed at RPM shop at a market at least once a week while online
respondents were split fairly evenly between “about once a week,” “every 2 or 3 weeks,” and
“once a month or less.”
How often do you typically shop for fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers or specialty foods at a
public market or farmers' market?
Where does your household purchase most of its fruits and vegetables this time of year?
50%
40%
30% Paper
Online
20%
10%
0%
Wegman's RPM Palmer's Other Aldi
Visit Characteristics
Almost all online respondents (98%) had visited RPM at some point and 96% of survey
respondents had been to RPM during the past year. The 4% of respondents who had not been to
the Market in the past year were asked why not. The eleven responses can be found at the end of
this report. The reasons they mention include the Market’s location, being too busy, the
Market’s hours, and no longer living in the Rochester area.
Respondents who had been to RPM in the past year were asked a series of question about
their visits.
Market shoppers were asked when they typically decide to visit RPM. A little over half
of online respondents plan their visits one or three days in advance compared to 44% of Market
respondents. 30% of online respondents decide to visit the Market the morning of their visit
while 37% of Market respondents decide that day. This information can help guide marketing
decisions: potential shoppers need to be reminded of the opportunity to shop at the Market very
close to the day of their visit.
50%
40%
30% Paper
Online
20%
10%
0%
Morning of visit 1-3 days before visit 4+ days before visit
As the charts entitled “Travel Time to Market” show, in both data sets the largest group
of respondents (50% paper and 54% online) traveled between 5 and 15 minutes to reach the
Market. Many customers travel fairly long periods to reach the Market: the next most common
travel time was 16 - 30 minutes.
How long does it typically take you to get to the Rochester Public Market?
Travel Time to RPM
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0% Paper
20.0% Online
10.0%
0.0%
Less than 5 5 - 15 16 - 30 31 - 60 61 - 120
minutes minutes minutes minutes minutes
Market shoppers were asked if they generally go to the Market with family, friends or
others or did they go alone. Respondents were asked to check all that apply and the largest
number of responses was for family members. The next most common response was alone.
Shopping Groups
60%
50%
40%
30% Paper
Online
20%
10%
0%
Alone Family Friends Others
Respondents to both surveys have been visiting RPM a long time. Nearly half of the
online respondents and a third of Market respondents had first visited more than 10 year ago.
Only 13% of respondents at the Market and 16% of online respondents reported their first visit
was within the last 2 years.
When did you first begin visiting the Rochester Public Market?
Respondents were asked what days they have visited the Market district in the past three
In the past 3 months, what days of the week have you visited the Rochester Public Market
district? Check all appropriate boxes
When asked how many times they had visited RPM in the past three months, the majority
of respondents in both data sets reported visiting 1 – 5 times. There is a core group of very
dedicated Market customers who shop at least once a week: 27% of the paper respondents and
23% of the online respondents reported coming 11 or more times in the past three months. Only
8% of online respondents reported not visiting at all.
Visits to RPM
in Past 3 Months
50%
40%
30%
Paper
20% Online
10%
0%
0 1-5 6 - 10 11 - 15 16+
Respondents at the Market showed a high degree of likelihood to shop at the Market
year-round: nearly 60% reported shopping at the Market during the winter months, compared to
less than 40% of the online respondents. There was also a large spread between the likelihood of
shopping during the fall, with online survey respondents dropping to 54% compared to 87% of
those interviewed at the Market (since the paper survey was administered within the Market in
November, all of these respondents should have reported visiting the Market during the fall
season).
In the past 12 months, which time periods have you visited the Rochester Public Market?
Check all appropriate boxes.
Seasons
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50% Paper
40% Online
30%
20%
10%
0%
Jan - Mar Apr - Jun July - Sep Oct - Dec
The largest group of both online and paper respondents reported always having known
about RPM. Many have also heard about the Market through word of mouth from family,
How have you heard about the Rochester Public Market? Check all appropriate boxes.
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Always known Friend, family, Newspaper, Internet Drove/Walked Radio, TV Other
about it co-worker magazine By
Paper Online
Market shoppers were asked how satisfied they were with their visits to RPM and if they
would recommend the Market to others. Overall, both groups of respondents are satisfied with
their visits. However, customers in the Market showed overwhelming satisfaction: 62% rated
the Market a 10 and 85% rated it either a nine or ten, compared to 31% of online respondents
who rated the Market a ten and 53% who rated it either a nine or ten. Frequent visitors (those
who reported visiting the area at least six times in the past three months) were more satisfied
with the Market and more likely to recommend the Market to others.
60%
50%
40%
Paper
30%
Online
20%
10%
0%
1-5 6 7 8 9 10
Again, both groups showed strong likelihood to recommend RPM to others, with in-
Market respondents more likely to rate the Market a nine or ten (97%) compared to online
respondents (80%).
Market shoppers were asked to compare different attributes of RPM to other food stores
in the region using a five point scale that ranged from one “Does not describe at all” to five
“Completely describes.”
For prices and value of products, RPM rates consistently high among both groups of
respondents, with mean scores of about 4. Interestingly, the Market scored slightly higher for
For each attribute, please indicate how the Rochester Public Market ranks compares to other
food stores in the region. If an attribute does not apply to your visits to the Market, leave
blank.
RPM Ratings 1
5.0
4.5
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5 Paper
2.0
1.5 Online
1.0
0.5
0.0
Better quality Better value Better variety Lower prices
and bargains
RPM scored highly among the next series of comparisons, ranking very high for “Feels
like shopping in an authentic market” and “better availability of locally grown products,” as well
as “More fun to shop here.” The Market scored lower for being clean and there is a statistically
significant difference between how this was rated among respondents with different household
income levels. Upper income respondents scored the Market lower for cleanliness compared to
lower income respondents (mean of 3.7 for upper income, 3.8 for middle income, and 4.2 for
lower income). Men rated cleanliness lower than women but otherwise there were no
statistically significant differences between men and women for these ratings.
RPM scored lower, and there was more variation between the two groups of respondents,
for the next set of comparisons. Respondents (and particularly online respondents) compared the
Market less favorably for “Easy to move about” and “Adequate parking is available.” Less
frequent shoppers rated the parking at 2.7 compared to frequent shoppers at 3.2. Personal safety
at the Market and feeling their car is secure ranked fairly high for both sets.
RPM Ratings 3
5.0
4.5
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5 Paper
2.0
Online
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
Easy to find Easy to get Easy to move Feel safe Adequate Feel car is
what want there about walking parking secure/safe
The Rochester Public Market is exploring the potential for creating more indoor vending space
and increasing the days of operation to encourage local residents to visit throughout the week
and during the winter. Please indicate your level of interest in having each item below available
at the Market.
New Items 1
5.00
4.50
4.00
3.50
3.00
2.50 Paper
2.00
Online
1.50
1.00
0.50
0.00
Add'l ethnic Add'l public Cooking demos Indoor seating Local music
foods gathering spaces areas performances
In the second group of questions, there was strong interest for more storefront businesses
and for the Market to be open on Sundays. There was less interest for the Market to be open on
Fridays, particularly among online respondents. There is a statistically significant relationship
between employment status and interest in Friday hours: full time workers were less interested
in Friday hours than non-full time workers (mean of 3.2 compared to 3.9). Upper income
households were less interested in Sunday hours, with a mean of 3.8 compared to lower income
households with a mean of 4.5 and middle income households with a mean of 4.0. Interestingly,
infrequent shoppers were more interested in seeing Sunday hours (mean of 4.1) compared to
frequent shoppers (mean of 3.8). Similarly, infrequent shoppers were more interested in having
more storefront businesses (mean of 4.3) compared to frequent shoppers (mean of 4.0). This
suggests that infrequent shoppers might shop more regularly if the Market had Sunday hours and
more storefronts.
SNAP
Respondents were asked if they were aware that SNAP (food stamps) can be used at
RPM. 87% of the in-Market respondents knew that SNAP could be used in the Market,
compared to 73% of online respondents. Lower income respondents were significantly more
aware than upper income ones: 82% compared to 66%.
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Many of the above themes were reiterated as ideas for improvement: expanding the size
of the Market, heating the Wintershed to make it more pleasant during the winter, decreasing
the number of produce wholesalers and “junk” vendors, increasing the number of local vendors
and extending the hours of operation. Some other themes for improvement included:
x Provide maps or offer tours of the Market so shoppers know what products are available
x Distinguish between local and non-local vendors with clear signage
x Increase advertisement of RPM through local media to attract suburban shoppers
x More public seating options
x Organize Market by type of vendor: separate food vendors from non-food vendors and
separate seafood from produce vendors
x Cooking demos with recipes using products that are abundant that week. NOT high
profile chefs making restaurant fare. Teaching cooks who make approachable fare for
The additional comments were generally positive. Most respondents took the opportunity
to express their love and appreciation for the Market. Several people stated that the Market is the
reason they do not move away from Rochester. Many respondents were also concerned that
improvements might “commercialize” the Market. Respondents clearly appreciate the “rawness”
of the Market and want to maintain the current atmosphere. There was also a great deal of
appreciation for Market management and improvements already made. Below is a sample of the
additional comments:
Why have you not visited the Market in the past year?
1. Convenience of the Fpt farmer's market during the season. Busy Saturdays the rest of the
year
2. Ghetto neighborhood
3. Have a young child now and have less time to do things
4. I forget and the hours are not convenient as I am a night shopper.
5. I forget its available, and just go to Wegmans as it is closer to my home
6. I live way too far away.
7. It is in the city, the hours are inconvenient, location is inconvenient
8. Moved away from the Roc
9. The Rochester Public Market is one of the biggest things I MISS about Rochester. I grew up
going to the market and I go EVERY Saturday when I am in town. I have lived in Texas for
40 years and LITERALLY think of the market EVERY SATURDAY.
10. To crowded. to many rude people. vendors are hawking.
11. We now have two young children (toddler and infant) who make it difficult to visit Public
Market. It is easier to bring them to the supermarket where they can sit in grocery cart.
Additional Products
Question 22: Please list up to three additional products you would like to see offered at the
Rochester Public Market.
Other Products
Florist such as Fiorvanti's or other local
Add a craft supply store. venders.
Affordable spices Flowers
Any other local products Freeze-dried foods
Beauty Products Freezing/canning supplies
Beer Brewing Supplies Fresh herbs
Beverages Fresh herbs and spices
Bird food. Fresh pasta
Candy Gluten free
Canned goods/non-perishables Ground coffee to purchase
Hoping still vendors for Christmas trees. We
Chef's supply shop for tree every yr. here, and vendors have
Specialty Foods
A nut vendor like Rocky Peanut co. in
Michgan Olives
Finger Lakes prepared products (squash oil,
honey, Allen's Hill apple molasses,
dressings, rubs) Roast Chestnuts for cold days!
Granolas Specialty teas
Homemade bulk granola Variety of nuts
Locally made specialty foods, i.e.
chocolates, pasta etc. Salt varieties/regionals
Nuts in the winter (Niblack closes down in
winter).
Prepared Foods
Authentic Food Carts like in NY and More Food Vendors
Non-Product Comments
A place where the non-food vendors can be
together to I can avoid them Jobs
Better labeling of organic/ locally grown
foods… Less imported produce
Less of the Junk Vendors (Shirts, Candles,
Better parking/traffic flow Incense)
Better product information (organize vendor
types together) More actual producers and fewer wholesalers
Better protection from the weather in the
winter More Amish/Pennsylvania Dutch items
Better range of foods... More days to shop
Buy as i need. Not the whole basket of More effort to distinguish locally grown or
apples, but just one or two processed food
Canned classes More indoor shopping during the winter
I cant think of anything else. its just about More live local musicians, especially young
perfect people
More locally grown products (less commercial
I find just about everything I need already! vendor items)
Inside seating Pretty much has everything one could want!
It offers pretty much everything Programs on teaching kids to eat/cook healthy
Challenges or Problems
Question 24: What do you feel are the biggest challenges or problems facing the Rochester
Public Market?
Online responses
Paper Responses
1. Access for people in cars (or better public transit); winter weather protection (much
improved already)
2. Adequate parking in warmer months
3. Automobile parking; Lack of adequate bicycle parking; Need bicycle valet area
4. Community awareness
5. Congestion
6. Crowded/parking
7. Flow of crowd
8. Food from China and Canada
Question 25: What ideas do you have for improving the Rochester Public Market?
1. A parking Garage, regulating farmers who have too many of the same items and making
the market more of a community social spot.
2. Add substantially more indoor space to have a selection of goods year round
3. Adding another shopping day
4. Additional hours and days that it is open.
5. Advertise in town Parks and Rec. brochures an activity where people can register for a
market tour (I would say on a Thursday morning). Make it a free event, or charge a$5 and
include coffee and a donut or something. I use the Town Rec. Dept. to find out about a lot
of activities in the area.
6. Advertising as well as better and more free parking.
7. Again, get rid of the 5and dime vendors or restrice them to the one area closest to RailRoad
street. Or restrict them to Thursday only.
8. All vendors should take the farmer's coupons and the EBT coins. Better pricing signs and
names of vendors on display and where they're from, also organic farms.
9. Although its crowded, there are underutilized areas, which could better contribute to the
function and character. More sitting places for folks who need a rest would be excellent.
10. An online directory on the city's website of the vendors (permanent vendors) and/or local
farms would be great information.
11. Arrangements w/ live local musicians --completely different in reality than described over
phone apparently & vendors have the ability to complain & send a musician packing, a
musician who is working hard on their craft, has prepared for their brief time to play,
traveled, parked, needs to earn $
12. Art galleries...
13. Ban strollers and wagons on Saturdays. Babies are not triremes! Wake up early or get a
sitter! Also, improved bus access.
14. Better Landscaping around main office and entrances; Pedestrian bridge over Union;
Allowing some permanent outdoor structures, like shelving, for vendors that have the same
continuous spot; create wind barrier for worst side of outdoor sheds for nicer experience in
bad weather
15. Better parking and more open days
16. Better parking is the primary one
17. Better pedestrian/car flow. more trash cans throughout the main market booths. Please don't
let the port-a-potty company empty them DURING market hours.
18. Better traffic direction on busy Saturdays.
19. Better visual of what is local and what is not locally produced
Paper Responses
Additional Thoughts
Question 33: Last question! Please share any additional thoughts or comments about the
Rochester Public Market.
Online Responses
1. It is the most interesting and wonderful place in Rochester. It would be better if the
surrounding areas were better, with better/safer multi-modal access to the Market. Would
also like to see Market as a demonstration site for green technology and initiatives
2. A great place,don't kill it. More auto-free zones at the market except for handicapped
access like the center court area. The special events at the market are good. A better tie to
Paper Responses
SEPTEMBER 2011
Table of Contents
Parking Page 3
Structural Page 11
HVAC Page 12
Plumbing Page 12
Electrical Page 12
Rochester Public Market Wintershed
Existing Conditions Report September 2011
Section I. Executive Summary
The Rochester Public Market Wintershed (Shed ‘B’), constructed in 1977-78, is currently filled to capacity
with vendors and is a popular destination for customers of the Market. The building is currently operating
and is structurally sound, but has deficiencies with regards to its size, circulation, code compliance, and
amenities.
Physically, repairs are needed on specific areas throughout the shed, including, but not limited to, the
concrete floor slab, concrete columns, overhead coiling doors, polycarbonate transom windows, and
aluminum storefront entrances. The radiant heating system is inadequate, and the vendor stalls are
lacking appropriate water service and are not tied into the sanitary sewer system. The center aisle,
currently at 8 feet wide, prohibits proper circulation during peak market times. In general, the building is
physically in good condition, but is in need of improvements.
Programmatically, there are issues that prohibit the facility from operating to its fullest potential. In
addition to the inadequately narrow center aisle, the individual vendor stalls, at 64 square feet each, are
deemed too small. With solid metal overhead doors, and discolored transom window panels, the building
lacks transparency, which would allow customers to clearly see into the shed from the exterior, as well as
provide views to the exterior from within. The entrances are not particularly prominent and are unable to
be clearly viewed from the major market entrances off of Union Street and Railroad Street. The four food
kiosks adjacent to the Wintershed do not meet current fire and plumbing codes.
Based on our physical needs and program assessments, the existing Wintershed and its adjacent food
kiosks should not operate in their current state without significant improvements, both physically and
programmatically, that would bring the buildings up to current code and contribute to satisfying the goals
of the City of Rochester to create expanded, modern enclosed facilities. We recommend that the existing
Wintershed (Shed ‘B’) be upgraded in a transformative yet cost-effective manner that addresses the
building’s greatest weaknesses while potentially utilizing much of the existing structure to achieve the
following goals:
It is our recommendation that these goals will be achieved by maintaining the structural framework of the
existing building, while reconfiguring the layout to provide ample circulation and vendor spaces, and
expanding the building footprint to incorporate the food kiosks, restrooms, vendor storage and cooler
spaces, and mechanical room. The massing of the rehabilitated shed would take cues from the existing
Sheds ‘A’ and ‘C’, with a new gabled roof. Entrances would be located on the gable ends with canopies,
signage, and transparent glazing so they are clearly viewed from major market entrances to the east and
west.
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Rochester Public Market Wintershed
Existing Conditions Report September 2011
Section II. Background & History
The Rochester Public Market has operated on its current site since 1905. In the first decade of the 20th
Century, the City of Rochester’s population reached 200,000, and with it brought a substantial increase in
farm marketing. The entire food chain was accommodated by the Market, as a wholesale venue for both
farmers and intermediate vendors in a central location.
As the Twentieth Century progressed, the Rochester Public Market went through changes, both in policy
and physical renovations. Originally built for the wholesale trade, retail sales were introduced nearly a
decade later. This proved to keep the Market active, even as public markets in many cities closed,
unable to compete with population shifts to the suburbs and the rise of suburban stores. The Market went
through major renovations in 1931, including the addition of the central, curved shed.
By the 1960s, the Market and its surrounding neighborhood had been adversely impacted by the
continued population shift to the suburbs and the success of the ‘supermarket’. In response to the state
of the Market area, the federal Neighborhood Development Act of 1974 led to funds that contributed to
the construction of the current Wintershed in 1977-78.
During the past thirty years, the Wintershed has gone through several maintenance campaigns, but
issues exist with regards to its size and needed improvements. Despite its deficiencies, the Wintershed
remains filled to capacity with vendors and customers on major Market days.
In 2010, the Rochester Public Market was named “Favorite Large Farmer’s Market” in the Country by the
American Farmland Trust. With the current success and renewed interest in the Market, the Wintershed
has been the focus of the City to study its condition and operation, and identify potential opportunities for
improvements.
The Public Market site has seen a number of improvements in recent years including a restoration of
Shed A, the entry gates at Union Street and Railroad Street, enhancements to the parking area on the
eastern end of the site, and a new surface parking lot across the street on the west side of Union Street.
Vehicular circulation through the market site is generally comprised of one-way drive aisles with adjacent
parking. Vehicles enter the market site from three different access points: the entry gate at Union Street,
the entry gate at Railroad Street, and a curb-cut on Pennsylvania Avenue in the northeast corner of the
site. Trinidad Street, which runs parallel to Pennsylvania Avenue along the south side of the storefront
building at the market, essentially functions as a one-way west bound through lane and parking lot aisle
rather than a true city street. The drive aisles along Shed A and the Wintershed run one-way eastbound,
and allow traffic entering the site from Union Street to flow east toward Railroad Street or the parking lot
at the eastern edge of the market site. The area within the center of the site (roughly triangular in shape
and defined by Shed A and the Wintershed) is primarily closed off to public vehicular access and is
reserved for outdoor vendor stalls and vendor parking. The public is allowed access to a through aisle
that runs eastbound between the Wintershed and large warehouse building owned by Trippi Foods,
located south of the Wintershed. This drive aisle has some parallel parking along it, but also provides
access to the south side of the Wintershed so that vendors can back their trucks up directly to their stalls,
which are accessed via overhead doors.
The Wintershed currently has four adjacent outbuildings that house individual prepared food
vendors: Zimmerman’s on the west side, Juan & Maria’s Empanada Stop, Cherry’s European,
and Scott’s II on the east side. These buildings are constructed of combustible materials, and are
currently not connected to the sanitary sewer. The east side buildings are grouped close to each
other which raises questions on required building separations. Each of these structures would
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Rochester Public Market Wintershed
Existing Conditions Report September 2011
need to be upgraded to meet current building code standards, including plumbing and fire
protection. The buildings were not accessed as part of the Wintershed survey.
Parking
The market site is highly used, and on the weekends in summer hundreds descend on the site
within a small window of time. Providing adequate parking has been a long term goal, and in
recent years a number of improvements have been made to both on-site and off-site parking. As
noted on Map 1, currently there are approximately 420 parking spaces located on the market site.
The parking lot at the eastern edge of the site includes the majority of these with 229 parking
spaces located throughout the lot. There are 86 spaces along what was Trinidad Street in front of
the storefront buildings, and just south of these there is a row of 33 parking spaces, 30 of which
are designated as handicap parking for the market site. Incidentally, only nine handicap
designated spaces are required for parking lots between 401-500 spaces, therefore, this far
exceeds what is required. Approximately 42 spaces are located in a lot in the southwest corner
of the site along Union Street, and 30 spaces are located along the north wall of the Trippi Foods
building and near the Railroad Street gate. In addition, there is capacity for approximately 26
vendor vehicles along the south side of the Wintershed, and 10 on the north side. Sheds A and B
have a combined capacity for approximately 90 vendor vehicles along their perimeters.
Across Union Street from the market site, a large surface parking lot was recently constructed.
That lot contains 158 parking spaces, including eight handicap designated spaces, and is linked
to the market site via pedestrian crosswalks at Union Street, but also a new tram service that
shuttles market goers back and forth. There are plans to expand and enhance this service in the
near future, as the northern CSX rail bridge over Union Street has been acquired by the City, and
will be rehabbed to serve as a bridge to allow the tram service to shuttle between the market and
west parking lot uninterrupted by traffic on Union Street. The existing 158 space parking lot will
also be expanded westward all the way to Scio Street and will include approximately 180
additional parking spaces. The shuttle will help transfer people from this long stretch of parking
directly into the market site, then back again. The additional parking will help alleviate some of
the parking congestion in the area, and may allow for new opportunities on the market site where
parking currently exists. It is important to note that many also park on-street (Union Street
Railroad Street and other side streets), as well as in other privately owned parking lots which
charge for the convenience of parking (typically around two dollars).
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Rochester Public Market Wintershed
Existing Conditions Report September 2011
Map1:Existingpublicparkingonsite
Over the 3 decade life of the Wintershed, the City has identified the following repair projects:
1996 Clerestory windows replacement
1999 Electrical service upgrades
2006 Roofing repairs and new roof drains and piping
2008 New gas-fired radiant heating system
2010 New pendant light fixtures
The Wintershed is 290 feet long with only three access/egress points on the north elevation through
aluminum storefront doors at the east end, the center, and the west end of the building. The current
layout includes an 8-foot-long double-loaded central aisle with vendor stalls on the north and south sides.
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Rochester Public Market Wintershed
Existing Conditions Report September 2011
The central aisle is the only means of circulation through the shed. It is very narrow and impedes
pedestrian circulation through the building, and bottlenecks frequently occur on busy market days.
The vendor stalls are 8-feet deep, which ideally should be deeper to maximize vendor operations. There
is a coiling overhead steel door at each bay for vendor access to load and unload their vehicles. The
shed is not connected to the City’s sanitary sewer, and the water and debris from the vendor sinks
currently empties onto the existing concrete floor slab and eventually into the storm sewer. On market
days, refuse accumulates in and around the shed. The building is currently functional, but is in need of
repairs as well as code, spatial, and circulation improvements.
Architectural: Roof
The existing Wintershed contains a flat roof with an asphalt built-up roofing system and a
protective gravel layer. The roofing system is terminated at the perimeter edge with an aluminum
standard gravel stop coping (Figure 1).
The roofing system was replaced in recent years and appears to be in good condition. We have
been told by City staff that asbestos containing roofing has been previously identified in
hazardous material testing reports, but it was not abated. Rather, it was deliberately
encapsulated by the recently installed roofing system.
The structure of the roof is not pitched, and was initially designed to drain to cast-in-place
concrete scuppers on the east and west ends (Figure 2). Due to the roof’s extreme length (290
feet), the original system of drainage was problematic in that water would overflow the perimeter
gravel stops before draining through the scuppers. This is evidenced by water stains and
damage on the sides of the structural concrete columns and arched buttresses (Figure 3). As a
remedy, five (5) roof drains were installed along the roof’s mid-span during its recent replacement
to minimize the potential for water overflow (Figure 4).
The roof surface was not pitched to these roof drains with tapered insulation, so the issue of
standing water on the roof was not resolved, and water overflow of the gravel stops can still
occur. A result of installation of the roof drains was that PVC drain leaders were introduced
below the interior finished ceiling (Figure 5). The structural deck is a glue laminate wood deck
which serves as the exposed finished ceiling as well as the structural roof deck.
The structural integrity of portions of the wood roof deck may have been compromised by the
installation of the roof drains. Effort was made to remedy this by installing 2 x 12 supports
adjacent to several of the roof drain penetrations where they occur at mid-span of a structural bay
(Figure 5). Due to their high visibility, the exposed PVC roof drains and dimensional lumber
supports may be deemed an unsightly remedy.
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Rochester Public Market Wintershed
Existing Conditions Report September 2011
Figure1:Builtuproofwithperimetergravelstop Figure2:Concreteroofscupperoneastend
Figure3:Waterstainsonfaceofarched Figure4:Roofdrainatmidspan
buttresssupport
The original heating system included gas fired heaters placed on thickened slabs-on-grade. The
heaters were removed and replaced with a ceiling-hung gas-fired radiant heating approximately
three years ago. This system is vented through the roof with four (4) b-vents (Figure 6). The
integrity of portions of the roof deck may have been compromised by the random placement of
these vent penetrations.
Overall, the roofing system of the Wintershed is working well and is quite safe. Limited repair
work is required on the exterior of the shed under the eaves where overflow water from the roof
has damaged the glue laminate deck. A future roofing system maintenance plan should include
proper drainage to the roof drains or a gutter system, and be properly flashed to shed water away
from the building.
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Rochester Public Market Wintershed
Existing Conditions Report September 2011
Figure7:Viewofnorthfaçadeshowingconcrete Figure8:ClearspaninteriorofWintershed.
endwallwithconcretecolumnsandarched
buttressbeams
The existing Wintershed includes two (2) cast-in-place reinforced concrete endwalls, and cast-in-
place reinforced concrete columns and arched buttress beams in between (Figure 7). The
concrete columns and beams are spaced at 18 feet on center (east to west) and support the
structural wood deck. The deck is supported on the east and west ends on a steel angle
anchored to the inside face of the endwalls. The columns and beams provide a clear-span of 24
feet wide on the interior of the shed along its entire length (Figure 8).
The concrete endwalls show the impressions of the original formwork, which is vertical
dimensional board lumber on the exterior surfaces, and plywood sheets on the interior surfaces.
The exterior also exhibits regularly-spaced formwork tie holes (Figure 9). The concrete endwalls
are in good condition. However, the exterior surfaces show evidence of weathering with
intermittently exposed aggregate, which is consistently exposed along the vertical lengths of the
corners (Figure 10). The interior surfaces of both endwalls have several visible vertical cracks
(Figure 11).
The concrete columns are in good condition with two consistently notable exceptions: 1.) The
bases of most columns exhibit severe cracking / spalling at the bottom 18 inches (Figure 12).
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Rochester Public Market Wintershed
Existing Conditions Report September 2011
This is due to salt-saturated snow and ice accumulation during the winter months. Several
column bases show exposed steel reinforcing in addition to spalling (Figure 13). And, 2.) At
nearly every column, there are horizontal hairline cracks at approximately 24 inches on center
vertically (Figure 14). At several column capitals, rusted anchors are visible between the
columns and arched buttress (Figure 15). Intermittent deterioration is visible at the top of several
columns (Figure 16).
Overall the Wintershed concrete walls and columns are in good condition. However, repairs are
needed on nearly all column bases and at locations exhibiting intermittent spalling.
Figure10:Exposedaggregateatverticaledgeof
concreteendwall
Figure11:Interiorviewofconcreteendwallwith
verticalcrack
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Rochester Public Market Wintershed
Existing Conditions Report September 2011
Figure12:Exampleoftypicalspallingat Figure13:Severedamagetobase
baseofconcretecolumn ofconcretecolumnwithexposed
steelreinforcing
Figure14:Typicalhorizontalhairlinecrackingat Figure15:Exposedsteelanchorattopofconcrete
concretecolumn column
Figure16:Spalledareaattopof Figure17:Aluminumbasedamagedadjacenttoeast
concretecolumn entrancedoorsonnorthelevation
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Rochester Public Market Wintershed
Existing Conditions Report September 2011
Architectural: Fenestration
The Wintershed fenestration consists of aluminum and glass storefront entrances, coiling
overhead steel doors at each service bay, and polycarbonate clerestory windows in aluminum
framing.
The aluminum and glass storefront entrances are located at three points along the north façade:
The far east end, the center, and the far west end. All three pairs of the aluminum and glass
entrance doors appear to be recently installed, although our conversations with the City staff
confirmed a window replacement project in 1996, which may have included the storefront
framing. The storefront framing and entrance doors appear in fair to good condition and
operating well, and the glazing is intact, except that the aluminum framing base to the right (west)
of the east entrance doors is damaged (Figure 17). There are numerous scratches and gouges
intermittently located throughout the framing.
There are twenty-nine (29) pairs of galvanized coiling overhead doors. The doors appear to be
original and have been painted a medium bronze to match the aluminum breakmetal above and
the storefront framing. Peeling paint is exhibited on nearly all coiling doors and frames (Figure
18). We were unable to observe the operation of the doors to assess their working condition.
Polycarbonate glazing panels run the length of the north and south elevations above the
overhead doors. These panels have yellowed and discolored to the extent that it is difficult to see
through them (Figure 19). The aluminum framing appears to be in fair condition, with some
panels on the south side exhibiting white staining (Figure 19). We do not have confirmation if the
polycarbonate panels were replaced during the 1996 window replacement project.
Figure18:Paintpeelingand
wearonoverheadcoiling Figure19:Polycarbonateclerestoryglazingexhibiting
door yellowing/discolorationandwhitestainingonthe
framing
The floor of the Wintershed is a 6” thick cast-in-place concrete slab-on-grade. The slab was
constructed in two separate pours with an expansion joint in the center. The slab exhibits
intermittent hairline cracking throughout, and the expansion joint is significantly spalled (Figure
20). The perimeter walk is constructed of cast-in-place concrete, and exhibits intermittent hairline
cracking, particularly at column locations. The north walk is flush with the asphalt drive, while the
south walk has approximately a four-inch step. The concrete walk is worn and chipped at its
edge along the entire length of the south side. In some areas, several inches of concrete is
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Rochester Public Market Wintershed
Existing Conditions Report September 2011
missing (Figure 21). Overall the concrete floor slab and walk are in fair to good condition, and
general maintenance repairs are needed.
Figure21:Wornandchippedconcreteedgeofwalkonsouthside
ofshed
Figure20:Spalledconcreteatexpansion
jointinslab,interiorofshedatcenter
entrance
Structural
Overall, the Wintershed is in good condition. As identified in other areas, several items do need to
be addressed, including:
x The slab-on-grade has some cracking throughout and minor spalling at the center
expansion joint. We recommend that this spalling be repaired since it is a tripping
hazard. The cracks should be routed and sealed with a polyurethane sealant.
x Several columns have cracking and have spalled at the column base, with reinforcement
exposed at several locations. This is probably the result of salt-laden snow being piled
up against these columns. The deterioration levels are not significant enough to be a
structural concern at the present time but should be repaired to extend the useful life of
this structure. We also recommend once repaired, a waterproofing membrane be placed
at the base of these columns.
x Joints between columns and concrete buttresses need to be cleaned and re-sealed due
to minor levels of deterioration.
In regards to the cast-in-place concrete end walls, the west end wall is in good condition, with
some minor map cracking. The east end wall has map cracking and some efflorescence at the
top of the wall but it does not appear that there are active leaks at the present time. The location
of this efflorescence seems to coincide with a roof scupper that is no longer utilized.
There were no visible signs of active leaking in the roof. Roof drain penetrations were placed
recently and supplemental supports consisting of 2x stringers added. Some of these stringers
appear slightly warped and twisted but this may be due to the long span and may have been the
condition at installation. No supplemental support framing was added to the roof at the hot flu
penetrations.
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Rochester Public Market Wintershed
Existing Conditions Report September 2011
HVAC
The mechanical system of the Wintershed is a gas-fired radiant heating system that is anchored
to the interior ceiling and vented through the roof with type b-vents. The system was installed in
2008. The system is functioning but is not ideal for the current shed use because it provides
direct heat to the users and the food stored in the shed. The shed has a 2½” incoming gas
service that is distributed in the ceiling space to the radiant heater and is in good condition with
minimal corrosion.
It is anticipated that a new heating system would be included in any rehabilitation plans for the
shed. The new heating system for the building should be an indirect type heater that will not
provide direct heat on the users of the shed. A forced air unit heater system or a forced air
furnace system with ductwork would be ideal for this application.
Plumbing
The Wintershed currently has 1½” domestic water piped to specific vendor areas in the ceiling
space. There currently is no sanitary sewer and the sinks are piped to empty out onto the
concrete floor slab and eventually into the City’s storm sewer system. This is not in compliance
with code. There are no floor drains in the shed to direct any runoff into the sewer system. If the
building is to be expanded to the south, three fire hydrants would have to be relocated because of
their close proximity to the building (approximately three feet). There is no fire sprinkler system in
the building.
Electrical
The electrical system of the Wintershed consists of a 120/208 volt 800 amp service with a main
distribution panel and 2 sub panels, ceiling-hung pendant fluorescent light fixtures, and column-
mounted electrical outlets. The building contains minimal emergency lighting and would need to
be upgraded to meet code. According to the City of Rochester, electrical service improvements
were made in 1999 and the light fixtures were replaced in 2010.
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