Military Avenue Business District kicks off fundraising for permanent farmers’ market spot

GREEN BAY (WLUK) — The Military Avenue Business District has a problem.

“For eight years, we have had a market for summer and winter on Military Avenue, and we move around to vacant spaces whenever there’s a vacancy — and we’ve been too successful about having those get rented, so we’re kind of working ourselves out of a spot,” says Leah Weycker, the executive director of the Military Avenue Business District.

Military Avenue Business District kicks off fundraising for permanent farmers’ market spot (WLUK)

Weycker recognizes that having a growing business district is obviously a good problem to have, but nonetheless, they need a solution. So, they’re building one.

“48 10-by-10 spots, so moving things around, you can probably fit at least 50 vendors in there,” she says.

Officials are fundraising for a brand-new “Market on Military” building, designed specifically to host year-round farmers’ markets.

Va Farm offers produce at the Market on Military on July 13, 2023. (Photo credit: WLUK)

“It’s great. I love it, because we get a permanent home,” says Derek Rosek. “Right now, we’re jumping around from site to site because of buildings, stuff being built and rented, and stuff like that. So it’s always great to have a permanent location.”

Rosek owns FramPa’s Acres and has been a vendor at both the summer and winter markets on Military since 2018, bringing dozens of varieties of pickled goods and other locally grown products.

As he stands in the current space used for the winter Military markets — an empty storefront next to the Sketchers store on Military — he thinks ahead to what the new building could bring.

“One of the things I’m hoping is that it’ll draw more vendors, especially vegetable vendors,” he says. “With our limited space, we’re limited on how many [vendors] and over at the new place, it’s gonna open up more room for people, for us to grow and become a bigger market.”

On Tuesday, the Military Avenue Business District got final approval from the Green Bay Common Council to begin fundraising for the $4.9 million project. Weycker says they have already received $700,000 from an anonymous donor.

The new ‘Market on Military’ building will be a dedicated space for Military Avenue’s farmers markets and will double as an indoor pickleball court for public use. (WLUK/Leah Weycker)

Anyone interested in donating or learning more information can visit the Military Avenue website, where Weycker says more information will be posted soon.

With fundraising just beginning, there’s no construction timeline yet. But in a perfect world?

“How long it takes? I hope it’s fast,” Weycker says. “Our location for the farmers’ market for the winter market is going to get rented, so we’re out of space for next year, and I’ll have to try to find another space if we can’t get this rolling fast. It would be great to have this done by next winter.”

Weycker says once it’s all built, the building will be donated to the city of Green Bay, which will then own it.

Military Avenue Inc. and the business district offices will occupy the space. On days when the business district isn’t hosting farmers’ markets or other events, the building will be utilized for other things.

“I think of it as a great access for the neighborhood to use. Neighborhood association meetings, Parks and Rec will use it for indoor pickleball or dance classes, things that need big open spaces,” Weycker says. “There will be bathrooms. It’ll be open to the park on the outside for when we’re not open.”

The new building will be located in Murphy Park, facing Military Avenue, next door to Parkside Animal Care Center.

Sweet Dirt Acres out of Seymour sells products at the Market on Military on July 13, 2023. (Photo credit: WLUK)

“We did work with the city on saving the trees that really are important, so we’ll minimize the effect of losing trees. It’s a beautiful park that people will now get to enjoy in a different way,” Weycker adds.

As of now, the building is projected to have an office space for the Military Avenue Business District offices, a commercial kitchen and storage space along with restrooms that can be accessed by those using Murphy Park. Weycker says there will be at least three indoor pickleball courts.

Officials hope to break ground once they’ve procured 75% of their fundraising goal.