City leaders said Tuesday there’s a reason plans to renovate the market building are going seemingly so slow.

Mayor David Bowers explains how they could get some money to help with the major renovations.

After seeing a computer animation, city council and some of the vendors were impressed

The architects hired by the city won’t be ready to present their plan to Roanoke City Council Monday.

We don’t know about Chico, but his customers are likely happy that they’ll still be able to get a slice of pizza at the Roanoke City Market building

The bill for just the first floor is above six-figures

All of the vendors passed the inspection

The hope among vendors is to pass inspection and reopen for lunch Saturday, which is also the popular yearly festival “Oktoberfest” downtown

The Roanoke Market controversey is mess.  The last thing we need is more input. 

“It wasn’t my intention in any way to suggest the calamity down at the City Market building is in any way compared to the tragedy and loss of life on 9/11 in New York,“  Bowers said.

City leaders officially axed a DRI plan at a retreat Tuesday and talked of “major renovations” at the City Market this Spring.

Market vendors say each day the market is closed puts their livelihoods at risk.  The city says it will make some adjustments to the rent—and give vendors a longer period of time to pay it.

Updated from earlier today.  City says evidence was a trap that had been tripped.

Mayor Bowers says he wouldn’t have eaten at the market had he known that it hadn’t been cleaned in about 10 years

Images might be considered graphic