Rebirth of the Dallas Farmers Market

The Dallas Farmers Market has long been one of the city’s most glaring missed opportunities, especially when compared to more successful markets in cities such as Seattle, Portland, and Los Angeles. But the market’s fortunes may be turning. In late August, the private ownership group that purchased the majority of the market from the city for $65 million in 2013 opened The Shed, the first step of a multiphase redevelopment that will see the addition of new restaurants, apartments, retail, and an outdoor amphitheater in coming years. The Shed is a solid indication that the new ownership group has its heart in the right place. Parking is no longer allowed in The Shed, and the enclosure has been turned into a pedestrian plaza with room for lots of new stands. New rules require vendors to display signs that notify customers about where their fruits and veggies originate and whether they are organic. With the continued development of new townhomes and apartments around the market, the once neglected southern corner of downtown may finally be emerging as a real downtown neighborhood with a vibrant commercial district at its heart.