Washington Market & Shops

It’s raining, and the interior of the old Smith Furniture building lets in some of the drizzle. A cold light comes through a hole in the ceiling, but as I stare, I can imagine awarmer, more inviting light, admitted by a third floor skylight.

I can hear the spatter of rain against the bare concrete. Standing here, we hope this time next year, this sound will be replaced with hot coffee pouring into a ceramic mug.

Standing here, I can see the future of 15 S. Washington: a family enjoys smoothies from a juice bar in the food court. A baker pulls fresh sourdough bread from a massive oven. Where there are now only bare pillars, I imagine a case filled with fudge and doughnuts tempting those who only stopped in for some locally-grown produce.

These visions are crucial. They are the uniting force for the owner, investors, and tenants that will transform 15 S. Washington into a nexus of the best in local food offerings. Even massive renovations begin by simply asking: what’s possible in this space? What would be perfect?

When we’re finished, this property will be much more than a place to simply buy food. In the proposed scenario, there will be a full service, 10,000 sq ft grocery store on the ground floor. Other specialty vendors, such as a butcher, a baker, and a juice bar will offer their wares.

The most exciting centerpiece may well be a kitchen “incubator.” Many local food entrepreneurs may not have the means to make their ideas a reality, but that doesn’t mean their ideas aren’t great. An incubator provides the opportunity for creative culinary folk to schedule the use of a professional kitchen facility. This allows someone whose operation may have been bottlenecked in his kitchen to blossom inside a larger space. This also means we will be seeing a new wave of culinary masterminds emerging from the local scene--people whose creations would otherwise never see the light of day.

Above the incubator, we hope to utilize the roof of the building for a greenhouse. Farm-to-table takes on a new meaning when you’re eating produce grown on-site. Eating fresh local produce is about more than novelty or buzzwords. It’s about empowerment.

We’re thinking of 15 S. Washington as a lot more than a market or set of merchants. This building is about giving the community access to healthy food, grown and prepared locally. Using local food sources means less overhead for the markets and chefs, which in turn means reduced costs and diminished environmental impact.

It’s a sad truth that food free of unnecessary processing and additives (AKA local, healthy food) is often more expensive. In addition, local restaurants and markets don’t have the buying power of national corporations. By creating a network of like-minded entrepreneurs and businesses on the local level, the agency of our local community is enhanced, prices are reasonable, money is reinvested in the neighborhood, and the end product is fresh and healthy. I’m much more apt to buy a boutique pastry when I know the money is going into the baker’s pocket, and not into a megacorp’s coffers.

This project already has a lot of momentum. There is a network of us dedicated to making Ypsilanti a destination for local, sustainable, and gourmet fare; it only makes sense that we combine our forces. I have letters of intent from some major players in the local food scene, indicating their interest in becoming tenants at The Washington Market +Shops.

Work is already underway on the transformation. The interior will be cleaned out by the end of November. A whole new roof, complete will usable rooftop and skylight, will be installed. We’ll add new insulation, and lay the groundwork for an elevator. A new set of stairs, fresh paint, and a comprehensive HVAC system will come after. New power and lighting systems are essential. Production bathrooms will be modernized and improved.

The finished product is going to be a clean, modern building with scores of amenities. It’s going to be a haven of great food and big opportunities. Regardless of the form it takes, the building will be a mosaic--a truly collective endeavor, greater than the sum of its parts.

It’s hard to believe that the building I stand inside will come to achieve all this, to represent a new era of destination fare and cooperation. But I know it will come to pass. That’s why I love what I do.

I’m fortunate to have so many talented and capable people on this project. The line between crazy and visionary is often a matter of how many people share your vision. I’m inspired, in turn, by the flurry of great ideas from the people attached to this space. I know that with enough planning and heart, we can do our best ideas justice.