Zingerman's plans expansion, west side farmer's market

Wednesday, April 7, 2010 | Source: Concentrate

Zingerman's is making moves in Ann Arbor's downtown and the city's west side as the world-famous deli prepares for an expansion of its main Kerrytown location and helps the West Side Farmer's Market get on its feet.

Zingerman's submitted its expansion plans for 422 Detroit St last week. Those plans call for renovating most of those buildings and adding a denser structure behind its 2-story commercial building. That would replace a couple of smaller houses (including one that was burned), a plan which the local historic district has previously found objectionable.

"It's very expensive (to incorporate those buildings into the new plans) and we would hope to take them down," says Paul Saginaw, co-founder of Zingerman's.

Zingerman's is requesting a "notice to proceed" from the city, which would allow the company to go forward with a project that benefits the Ann Arbor community. To do that, Zingerman's must have all of its ducks in a row, including city approval and financing arranged.

Zingerman's is also helping get the West Side Farmer's Market get back on its feet this year. The Thursday farmer's market is held around the Zingerman's Roadhouse at the corner of Maple and Huron roads. Zoning issues nearly killed the 4-year-old market last year, but new zoning rules look like it will allow things to move forward.

"I have not heard anything that would tell us 'no' so we're moving ahead as if it were going to happen," says Corinna Parker, market manager for the West Side Farmer's Market and a Zingerman's employee.

The market expects to expand from last year's average of 21 vendors to 25 this year. About 600 people regularly patronized the market, which is open Thursdays 3 to 7 p.m., June through September.

The idea behind the farmer's market is it to create more opportunities for farmers to sell their wares (there is a waiting list for the Ann Arbor Farmer's Market downtown) and more times for people to get fresh produce.

"We have people who came who couldn't come to a farmer's market before," Parker says.

Source: Paul Saginaw, co-founder of Zingerman's and Corinna Parker, market manager for the West Side Farmer's Market
Writer: Jon Zemke