$8.5 million has been put into renovating Shed 5 at Detroit’s Eastern market, and it was unveiled to the public on Saturday May 2. The building required structural and mechanical upgrades, but the renovations also included the addition of a community kitchen, an indoor event space, and an outdoor plaza.
The much anticipated community kitchen will offer rentable, commercial space for start-ups, established chefs, businesses, and the public. In addition to offering a venue to prepare food for events, family reunions, and an array of other activities, the kitchen will be used to host cooking classes.
“This transforms the way Eastern Market interacts with the community, helping to set a national standard for regional food hubs,” said Dan Carmody, president of Eastern Market Corp., the nonprofit organization that runs the market.
Another exciting addition is the outdoor DTE Energy Foundation Plaza. The space will seat 200 and is designed as a space where people can eat, listen to music, and hold special events.
This is the third major Shed completion since 2006, following the transformation of Shed 2 and Shed 3 into the open-air, all season spaces where customers and farmers mingle in the market as we now know it. There has been $16 million in total investment for all three Sheds.