The City of Niagara Falls has started construction on the Niagara Falls Exchange Culture Hub and Market. The deteriorated Sylvia Place Market structure on the site has been demolished to make way for this much needed community asset. (Image above courtesy of the City of Niagara Falls)
An article in the Ontario Construction News reported that the culture hub and market was designed by DTAH and will be a vibrant centre of activity in the community. It will have shared spaces for artists, musicians, food vendors and patrons and will be a place where local businesses can come together and create.
The site is located in the historic Main and Ferry district, adjacent to the Niagara Falls History Museum and will include the following:
- Large culture and market hall
- Cafe
- Artist studios
- Creative workshops
- Indoor and outdoor exhibition space
- Surrounded by two multi-functional civic plazas interconnecting the adjacent streets
The Market Hall will house the regularly scheduled Farmers' Market and will feature:
- Music events
- Theatre
- Lectures
- Other weekend markets
According to Toronto.com, the new 370 square metre farmers market project stems from a cultural plan the city commissioned in 2013 that determined Niagara Falls was lagging behind cities of similar size when it came to arts amenities.
The project will be built by Oshawa-based contractors, Garritano Brothers Ltd. and is budgeted at $15.2 million. The completion date is estimated to be around Canada Day 2022.
The Niagara Falls Exchange - Lets Talk states that the project will attract and retain talent, providing quality of life and supporting creative businesses as strategic objectives.
On August 11, 2020, after several years of study and planning, Niagara Falls City Council approved funding for the construction of the Niagara Falls Exchange, a new market and cultural hub. This area has the potential to become the cultural and social heart of the Niagara Falls community.
This past week, the construction team has added shoring to the foundations of the property and over the coming weeks will continue to move on this project. The team is looking at working on the West wing of the building and start setting the foundations for the property and start getting utility conduits onto the site.
DataBid is currently reporting on this project - Niagara Falls Cultural Hub Complex Construction - (0058021120)
