FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Lancaster Architect Advises Carlisle Central Farmers Market

Lancaster, PA - Eugene Aleci, principal architect with Community Heritage Partners, has been engaged by the Cumberland County Housing and Redevelopment Authority as market design advisor for the Carlisle Central Farmers' Market. The newly-founded public market is scheduled to open in late 2007 in a vacant, 22,000 SF building on North Hanover Street in the Borough of Carlisle.

Plans for the new Farmers' Market include consolidating the existing outdoor "Old Pomfret" downtown market with vendors from the York Road Market which will close later this year when the property is sold. While the new market program is being developed, the board of directors intends to sponsor a daily prepared-foods area within the renovated building, along with a twice-weekly farmers' market for 20-25 vendors. Eventually, the entire building will be developed to support the public market.

As the only firm in central Pennsylvania that combines urban and local food system planning with architecture and town planning, Community Heritage Partners will consult on building renovations and urban site development, while Aleci advises the market board and redevelopment authority on design principles of successful markets, such as product mix and display, aisle widths, stall sizes, lighting and graphic images.

"After near-extinction in the U.S., public markets are experiencing a revival," says Aleci. "Over the last 15 years, farmers' markets have flourished nationwide as Americans have become more conscious of eating higher-quality, local or regionally-raised foods.

"The recent cover article of Time reflects this growing concern," continues Aleci. "People are beginning to recognize that their spending habits affect whether local farmers can stay in business and farmland can be spared from sprawl and development."

Originally created in the 18th and 19th centuries when cities assumed responsibility for reliable access to safe and fairly-priced food sources, clean water, education and other essentials, most public markets gradually closed as the private sector took over the food distribution system around 1900. "Today, public markets are seen as a key component of a city's livability and sustainability," concludes Aleci.

In addition to the Carlisle market, Community Heritage Partners is finalizing redevelopment plans for a new public market in downtown Portland, Maine. The firm has also worked on York's Central Market, the Columbia Market House Re-Activation Plan, and contributed advisory services to Lancaster's Central Market.

Founded in 1985 by Eugene Aleci, RA, AIA, AICP, Community Heritage Partners specializes in urban planning, architecture, preservation and policy consulting. It is the only area architectural firm whose principal has earned certification by the American Institute of Certified Planners and the American Planning Association. Recent local projects include the Stevens-Smith Historic Site and the Lancaster-York Heritage Region Action Plan.

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