JEFFREY POLICICCHIO
This is a figure ground drawing of Eastern Market in Detroit, Michigan. Located one mile from Downtown Detroit the sites border is heavily felt by Interstate 75 on the West and Gratiot Avenue to the South. Opened in 1841 at a different location, the market has operated at its current site since its’ relocation in 1891. The market is operated by a quasi public-private group named Eastern Market Partnership.
This image shows the core of Eastern Market’s 43-acre boundary from a Western aerial perspective. The highlighted building, Shed 3, is the central and most known building within area. The largest historic public market in the United States, Eastern Market draws on average 40,000 attendess every Saturday to purchase various food items and enjoy the culturally diverse gathering place. Currently, the market core and surrounding area are undergoing significant changes. The new activity is due to the Eastern Market Partnerhship 2025 Plan and also heightened private development group interest. The area is also home to annual mural festival “Murals in the Market.”
This drawing highlights the activity surrounding Eastern Market’s Shed 3 on a typical Saturday afternoon. Open year-round every Saturday from 6am-4pm the market is consistenly bustling with market vendors, street performers, and attendes of all different ages and ethnic backgrounds. Vehicular circulation to the area is accessed by Russell Street on the West side of Shed 3 and Riopelle Street to the East. Side street’s bounding Shed 3, Division Street and Adelaide Street, are blocked off during market hours for vendor use and pedestrian access.
This Actor-Network Map follows the path of the purchase of food items at a typical farmer’s market venue. Highlighted are the actors, such as food vendors, and the impact that purchases made at farmers markets have on a local economy compared to shopping for groceries from large, nationally scaled businesses.
Eastern Market is a historic area that is also going through major changes due to heightened developer interest. This image aims to offer the idea that change may not always need to be new or incorporate the latest technology. It may even be possible to be “better” by reverting to original methods; especially at an experience-based setting such as a farmer’s market.