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Celebrity chef Michael Symon is helping lead the final fundraising push for Cleveland’s $70 million West Side Market transformation. Cleveland 19 reported on Oct. 23, 2026, that Symon and retired Sherwin-Williams CEO Chris Connor will co-chair a capital-campaign committee. More than $60 million has been raised, leaving approximately $9 million to secure; organizers hope to close that gap within the next few months, but they have not announced a final completion date.
What is Michael Symon doing for the West Side Market?
Symon is co-chairing the committee responsible for raising the remaining money for the market’s overhaul, alongside Chris Connor. The committee also includes Dee and Jimmy Haslam of Haslam Sports Group and the Cleveland Browns, Allison Howard of the Cleveland Sirens, and Kristen Warzocha, president and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.
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Symon has described the market as central to his childhood and his understanding of food. “It’s a really special, magical place, and there’s nothing like it in this country,” he said, calling it unique not only to Cleveland but to the United States. He also said preserving the market would let him bring his grandchildren to the place that shaped him.
How much money is left to finish the renovation?
The transformation has a stated budget of $70 million. News 5 reported that more than $60 million had been raised and that about $9 million remained. Those figures are campaign updates rather than a final audited total, and no firm date for completing construction has been published.
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| Project measure | Reported figure or status |
|---|---|
| Total transformation budget | $70 million |
| Raised | More than $60 million |
| Remaining need | About $9 million |
| Fundraising target | Organizers hope to close the gap in the next few months |
| Final completion date | Not announced |
What has changed at the West Side Market?
The KeyBank Produce Arcade opened in January 2026. The completed work addressed basic operating problems that had affected merchants and customers, including temperature control, storage access and movement between floors.
- Air conditioning and heating were added.
- Heated floors improve winter conditions.
- Each produce merchant received a refrigerator; the arcade previously had no refrigeration.
- A new elevator connects the arcade with basement food storage.
- Customers can access each merchant’s products more directly.
As of the News 5 report, crews were still working in the basement on electrical systems, backup generators and coolers. A teaching kitchen, event space and first-floor restrooms remained to be delivered.
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What is still planned in the master plan?
The City of Cleveland’s master plan describes a broader modernization program intended to improve vendor infrastructure while preserving the market’s public-market character.
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Vendor and building infrastructure
- Individual walk-in coolers and expanded cold-storage capacity
- A direct elevator between the produce arcade and basement
- Pallet-jack charging facilities for deliveries and stock movement
- Prepared-food production spaces
- Electrical upgrades and backup generation
Customer access and amenities
- Accessible bathrooms and customer elevators
- Retractable courtyard hallways
- A mezzanine for events and seating
- First-floor restrooms
Education and programming
A shared commercial kitchen and a teaching kitchen are planned for classes, demonstrations, chef dinners and nutrition education. An event space and the mezzanine could also create new ways for the market to host community programs and generate programming revenue.
When will the West Side Market transformation be finished?
There is no published final-completion date. The project is advancing in phases: the Produce Arcade is operating, while basement systems and other planned spaces remain under construction or fundraising. The schedule therefore depends on both construction progress and the campaign’s ability to raise the approximately $9 million still identified by organizers.
Why does the project matter to Cleveland?
The building opened in 1912 and is described by its official market site as Cleveland’s largest and oldest public market. It currently houses 60 small businesses selling produce, meat, seafood, baked goods, prepared food and other goods. That makes the overhaul both a preservation effort and an investment in the daily infrastructure those businesses need.
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Rosemary Mudry, executive director of Cleveland Public Market Corporation, said Cleveland has an opportunity to become “the best public market in America.” The planned refrigeration, loading and elevator improvements are aimed at making the market more workable for vendors, while accessible facilities, event areas and teaching spaces broaden its role for visitors and residents.
Who will own and operate the market?
Cleveland will retain ownership of the building. The city plans to transition management and operations to Cleveland Public Market Corporation, a nonprofit focused on the market. That lease and management agreement requires authorization from Cleveland City Council, adding a governance step alongside fundraising and construction.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What should visitors expect during the remaining work?
Visitors can use the renovated Produce Arcade, but other parts of the building may continue to change as basement systems, restrooms, kitchens and event facilities are completed. Construction phasing is intended to keep the public market functioning while upgrades are delivered, although access routes and available amenities can vary during active work.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How can people support the West Side Market campaign?
The market’s official site has promoted Restaurant Month partnerships in which participating restaurants offer meals or drinks and direct a portion of proceeds to the transformation. Customers should check the current promotion terms with the market or participating business because availability and conditions can change.
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The master plan envisions classes, cooking demonstrations, chef dinners and nutrition education. That programming would give the market a regular educational function in addition to its retail role.
Why are coolers and elevators a major part of the project?
Reliable refrigeration protects perishable inventory, while direct elevator links and pallet-jack facilities make it easier to move products between merchants, deliveries and basement storage. Those changes address the behind-the-scenes logistics that customers rarely see but vendors depend on.
What approval is needed for the nonprofit management plan?
Cleveland City Council must authorize the lease and management agreement that would shift day-to-day operations to Cleveland Public Market Corporation while the city continues to own the building.
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