Madison Public Market Groundbreaking: ‘A Place Where Dreams Come True.’

The construction phase is officially underway for the City’s new Madison Public Market. The City of Madison, Madison Public Market Foundation and project stakeholders hosted an official groundbreaking Monday, Nov. 27, 2023.

The groundbreaking was held at 202 North First Street, Madison, Wis., site of the new Madison Public Market (MPM). During the groundbreaking, city leaders and project stakeholders shared information about the project and its anticipated impact. Speakers shared historical highlights of the effort while celebrating the progress made to date and hopes for the future. 

City of Madison Mayor, Satya Rhodes-Conway thanked all who worked to see the Madison Public Market come to fruition. She noted the significant effort put in by the city, foundation and community members to ensure appropriate funds for the project.  

“This is going to be a place where dreams come true and where wealth is generated. And that to me is really the point …,” Rhodes-Conway said. “… It’s about wealth building and really it’s about small businesses and their success in our community. It’s part of a larger ecosystem that we have built and are trying to build to support small businesses and small, food-based businesses.”

The MPM will be a vibrant, year-round public marketplace where new entrepreneurs and long-established Madison favorites will grow their businesses and find success. The Market emphasizes equity through entrepreneurship and through the innovative MarketReady program, the Public Market is already being embraced as a place in Madison where businesses owned and operated by people of color can get their start.

“People will be able to come to Madison, come to this building and get a taste of what our community is like,” Rhodes-Conway said. 

TruStage MarketReady Hall will house a food incubator for food processing and production  that will support the growth of small businesses that wish to create food related products. In MarketReady Hall, entrepreneurs will be offered shared, affordable access to commercial food production equipment and infrastructure that are often beyond the reach of typical low-capital start-ups.

“Today and this event truly represent a dream come true, and so many dedicated people believed in and envisioned this dream that will before long become a reality,” Madison Public Market Foundation President Karen Crossley said.

Wisconsin Department of Administration Secretary-Designee Kathy Blumenfeld shared how important it is to support small businesses and diverse entrepreneurs, sharing how the MPM aligns directly with the state’s goals.
 
“It’s always a great day when the state can invest in local communities and help build for the future. And the Madison Public Market has been a dream for this community for decades,” Blumenfeld said. “We are excited to be on the threshold of finally making this dream a reality.” 

The adaptively reused facility will hold 30+ vendor stalls designed to provide a variety of goods and services. Public seating and event spaces are also located within the facility alongside support spaces like public restrooms, storage, and service spaces. The 48,000-square-foot Market is surrounded by patio spaces, planting areas, and transportation infrastructure – bike parking, bus routes, and vehicle parking. 

MPM is scheduled to be open in spring 2025.