Although the heyday of Raleigh’s City Market had been in decline for years before I snapped this photo on a slow day in the mid-1970s, it continued to serve downtown Raleigh as an open air produce venue for the remainder of that decade.

Following a city-funded renovation in the early 1980s, Greenshield’s Brewery and Pub moved into the market building in 1989. The popular restaurant and brewpub occupied the space until a fire closed them down five years ago. It has been vacant ever since.

Last year, Showtime Events, a “full service event production and entertainment company,” announced it would be opening “Cobblestone Hall” in the City Market building. My understanding is that they would cater to a variety of “closed,” private activities, such as wedding receptions and corporate events. Utilized in that fashion, the historic building would thereby lose its function as a public space for the community, as an integral component to a very public park — Moore Square.

Showtime Events initiated a makeover last fall, and the interior of the building was gutted down to its original white tile walls and concrete floor. That was months ago, and I haven’t noticed any activity at all down there since then. Looks like just another slow day at City Market to me. I, for one, would rather have the produce vendors back.