History

The Market originated in a parking lot with six vendors in 1968 and has since grown to be one of the oldest, largest, and most successful growers markets in the country.

With diminishing open space in the downtown area for vending, the Market was presented with the possibility of having to move to the outskirts of town. The Institute was founded in 2002 to support the Market and to lead the campaign for the Market Pavilion project. The Institute owns the Market Pavilion and has an 80-year lease on the land from the City of Santa Fe.

About the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Building

The Institute has provided the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market with the Most Energy Efficient and Sustainable Farmers’ Market facility in the Country. The Institute raised over $4.5 million, signed an 80-year lease, built and now manages the Market’s new facility in the Railyard. We are proud to have provided the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market with a LEED-Gold Certified building, awarded by the US Green Building Council. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is the USGBC’s rating system for designing and constructing the worlds greenest, most energy efficient and high performing buildings. The Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Building is the first new construction in downtown Santa Fe that is LEED Gold certified, and the first newly constructed farmers’ market building in the nation incorporating the most energy efficient and green standards.

The design of the Market Pavilion was completed by Huitt-Zollars (Albuquerque), a full-service firm offering comprehensive engineering, surveying and architectural services. John L. Jarrard, AIA, was the project lead for the building. Construction was completed by Cameron Construction, a Santa Fe based construction company.

For information about leasing the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Building, click here.