PUBLIC FOOD MARKETS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20875, 15 November 1929, Page 11

PUBLIC FOOD MARKETS

FRANKFURT’S COLOSSAL CENTRE. GERMANY HAS WORLD’S REST. MARVELLOUS EFFICIENCY. In the further development of public food markets other cities might jwell study the new colossal food market recently opened in F rankfurt-on-Main, Germany, a city of approximately 500,000 inhabitants. This municipal market project, readily accessible from all parts of the city, provides for the reception, storage, distribution, and finally the retail selling of such domestic food supplies as fruit, vegetables, fish, meat, eggs, etc. Ample facilities for perishable products are provided by cold storage warehouses. The " Grosso Markt Halle ’* (its native name) is the main building. On tin: floor of this enormous, well-lighted and ventilated building the housewife can make personal selection and purchase of supplies from the market stalls. Because the end wiugs of this structure rise seven storeys in height, the market floor has a clear overhead space of nearly 150 feet to the roof arches, creating a virtual daylight effect and providing unusual ventilation. The long side walls are practically all glass. At the back of the main building ia a storage adjunct, called the "Import Halle,” for the reception and storage of foodstuffs coming from beyond the borders of the. country and requiring Customs control. Bstween these two major buildings there is provided a series of unloading platforms served by spur tracks, thereby expediting tbe unloading of freight with the 'help of the newest platform trucks and equipment. Everything appears to move without counter interruption because of tlie fact that there is a threelevel scheme in operation. Now for some of the novelties end ingenious devices employed to facilitate the functioning of the market. The. movement of all material is in one direction only. For this purpose the main floor of the Grosse Markt Halle has two runways extending the length of the building. The available floor space is subdivided into stalls for which the market men bid and pay rental to the community. Each stall lessee is provided with storage and refrigerating service in the basement. Electric warehouse trucks of the newest type arc employed for delivery service between the storage compartments and the individual stalls on the market floor. An ingenious feature of the market hall is the two open balconies extending entirely across the building and used a* restaurants. Here the stall owner may be served with food while in full view of his business. Another novel feature is the installation of a stupendous kitchen where food is prepared for poor and under-nourished school children and then delivered to the schools by motor trucks just prior to meal time. The cost of this work is paid for by the municipality, which finds itself enabled to huy food supplies at the source and at a minimum cost. Still another feature is a provision for housing a nucleus of employees so as to remedy (he tramportstion problem arising from the unusual working hours in the market industry. A limited number of U\itc; quarters for. the Workmen nml lk>!‘ familic, is therefore a pui-i of v!,;< project.