A large indoor marketplace — expected to include a farmer’s market, auctions, retail stores, and a flea market — has scaled back its initial plans for the facade of the renovated mall it will occupy. The Farragut Public Market will fill the former Farragut Outlet Mall, which has lain neglected and deteriorating for years. After an evaluation of the structure, it was determined that the building could not support the original 60-plus arch atop the main entrance in the original proposal, nor the cupolas on the sides. Those elements can still be seen in an artist’s rendering of building:
According to a report in the Farragut Press of Farragut, Tenn., “The new designs remove planned cupolas and gables, as well as a ‘false front’ to the building and the 63-foot arch. The new plans add a flat canopy to the front of the building and reduce the size of the arch to 46 feet at its highest point.” The newspaper reports that Farragut’s Municipal Planning Commission unanimously approved the changes at its July 15 meeting.
When it is ready to open, the indoor flea market will host about 600 vendor spaces. The force behind the project is Charles Atchley Sr., the founder of the Great Smokies Flea Market.