Team wants Fayetteville Market House to be an educational space, exact plan uncertain :: WRAL.com

Fayetteville, N.C – Fayetteville City Council members shared an update Monday night on the plans for the historic Market House.

During the meeting, city leaders decided to gather more public input before deciding on the future of the building.

The vote came after the Justice Department updated panel members on their listening sessions with about 80 people, who largely decided they wanted to see the Marketplace used as an educational icon with art that reflects the culture and history of African Americans.

The Justice Department said it stands ready to help facilitate discussions before formal recommendations are made.

Last April, after months of debate, the Fayetteville City Council voted to repurpose the historic Market House, a 200-year-old house in the middle of the city that was once sold into slavery.

Although there is no specific word on how city officials will take the project, many options have been put forward. These included a complete structural change, creation of an art display, the creation of a Black history display, the creation of a marketplace for Black vendors, and repositioning as an event space. .

Several previous council members said they wanted to turn the Market House into a museum of black history, but the building did not meet the requirements listed in the Americans with Disabilities Act. It has no elevator and only one bathroom, located on the second floor.