Alpha Building Marketplace and Community Collaborative
Due to open 2012
Here is the Market Level Letter of Intent Application Packet to participate in the Alpha Community Collaborative. There are still spaces available, so download yours and drop it off as soon as possible!
(For a more detailed outline, including square footage and in-depth description, click here.)
About the Alpha Community Collaborative:
Mission and Vision
The Main Level
The Mezzanine
The Lower Level
Management
Disclaimer
Mission and Vision:
The Alpha Building Marketplace and Community Collaborative is envisioned as a people’s marketplace and community center serving both local residents and travelers. Located in the historic Alpha Building at the foot of Broad Street, it is the gateway to Nevada City’s historical downtown shopping district.
The Alpha Building Marketplace and Community Collaborative would:
Feature local culture, food and services, operating as a community gathering place on the main or plaza level for the celebration of local and regional foods and products;
Celebrate community collaboration through a non-profit collaborative, embracing the benefits of shared spaces and collective business services on the mezzanine level; and
Assemble the tools for our community’s current and future food security while contributing to our economic sustainability by offering a number of community food resources on the daylight basement/lower level.
We envision the Marketplace showcasing
- local and regional farmers
- artisan producers
- independently owned and operated local businesses
- non-profit public benefit organizations
The Alpha Building Marketplace and Community Collaborative would further serve as an incubator for such groups who are committed to supporting local, sustainable agriculture and production and to stewarding Nevada County’s economic, ecological and social/cultural well being.
The Marketplace and Collaborative in concept is committed to enhancing a more shoppable, walkable and bikeable downtown Nevada City guided by the principles of sustainability, ensuring that economic power resides locally to the greatest extent possible, and sustaining vibrant, livable communities and healthy ecosystems in the process.
The Main Level
The main level would serve as the heart of the marketplace. We anticipate rental space for up to 15 small business entities (in approximately 250-300 square foot kiosks). An additional 3,000 square feet would be utilized as rental space for community events, performances, temporary market space (i.e., an off-season indoor farmers market, etc.).
Market Level Letter of Intent Application Packet
The Mezzanine
The mezzanine would pilot a non-profit collaborative, where local, community-based organizations would house their offices while sharing common spaces (such as conference and meeting rooms) and innovating shared business services and equipment.
These community organizations would be comprised of those whose mission is to promote the economic, ecological and social/cultural health and well being of our community. This level would also house the management office of the Alpha Building.
The Lower Level
The lower or daylight basement level would provide an economic engine and incubator for agricultural producers wishing to develop value-added products. It would also contribute by making it possible for community programs that rely upon certified kitchens to thrive (i.e., a school lunch program, etc.). The basement could house
- a certified community kitchen
- a creamery
- large walk-in refrigerators and freezers
- storage space
- possible additional retail space
Management
The marketplace would employ a manager who would coordinate the services, operations and maintenance of the marketplace and collaborative and would establish an internal accounting system to buffer the building owners from the complexity of interfacing with multiple tenants.
Disclaimer
This concept proposal does not constitute a business plan, merely the articulation of the mission and vision of this proposed project. The property owners have approved this concept in principle, and we have commenced a robust business planning process.
