When the Central New York Regional Market Authority (CNYRMA) in Syracuse needed to expand one of the largest farmers’ markets on the East Coast, they realized that they could save money and reduce sprawl if the new building could do double duty: farmers’ market and flea market by day, concert venue by night. Based on its ability to construct cost-effective, durable, customized tension fabric buildings, Legacy Building Solutions was a logical choice to create the new facility.
“The building is our fourth year-round shed and adds 75 stalls to our market,” says Ben Vitale, executive director of CNYRMA. “It’s used almost every weekend for the farmers’ market and hosts concerts in the evenings. We’ll probably find even more uses than we originally planned.”
The custom fabric and steel structure engineered and erected by Legacy Building Solutions is sturdy and flexible enough to accommodate this variety of uses. Its green steel cladding blends in with the existing market sheds, which date from the 1940s. The clearspan design, which allows use of the entire 22,000-square-foot floor space, can accommodate concert crowds of 2,500.
During daylight hours, the translucent fabric roof allows abundant natural light to permeate the interior, reducing reliance on the grid. Roof studs are incorporated for the future addition of solar panels. An LED lighting system is in place for the interior offices and evening use. The building is heated in the winter and equipped with a sprinkler system. Air quality inside the shed is enhanced by an active circulation and exhaust ventilation system, as well as passive ventilation in the soffit and peak. Additionally, a wet sprinkler system and heating units are suspended from the ceiling. Syracuse winters can be daunting, but the building is designed to withstand 90 mph winds, 50 pounds per square foot (PSF) ground snow and 33.5 PSF roof snow.
Due to challenging soil conditions on the market site, the customized tension fabric building was built on a floating concrete slab.
Locals refer to the concert venue as the F-Shed. “We have about 20 events planned this year,” says Dan Mastronardi, concert promoter and talent buyer for Syracuse-based Creative Concerts. “The building provides a unique environment for concerts, and the sound quality inside is amazing. It’s a terrific venue.”
It has two seasonal configurations. In the warmer months, the venue sides are open and the venue is partially outdoors but still 100% covered. In the colder months, the venue is completely indoors and temperature controlled.
“It was a very enjoyable experience working with Legacy Building Solutions,” says Vitale. “I was pleased with the communication between our engineering teams, and the end result exceeded my expectations. It’s a real joy to see people’s faces when they walk into the building.”
Legacy Building Solutions specializes in the innovative design, engineering and construction of fabric-covered buildings for several different industries and applications. For more information, contact Legacy Building Solutions at 19500 County Road 142, South Haven, MN, 55382, call 320-259-7126 or 877-259-1528, or visit www.legacybuildingsolutions.com.
