Farmers' Market Opens in Fashion District

Aside from organic apparel, the Los Angeles Fashion District now has organic produce thanks to a new farmers’ market, which will be set up each Thursday from 4–7 p.m. in the Santee Village loft development’s courtyard at 716 S. Los Angeles St. The market is open to the public.

Santee Village developer Mark J. Weinstein of Santa Monica–based MJW Investments, Fashion District Executive Director Kent Smith, Los Angeles Councilmember Jan Perry and representatives from Councilmember Joseacute; Huizar’s office marked the opening on Oct. 3 with a bread-breaking ceremony. The market will feature about 30 vendors that specialize in organic produce direct from California’s San Joaquin Valley.

“There are 1,000 people living here and 4 million square feet of office space within a couple of blocks, so there’s a need,” said Weinstein.

“It’s another way people can experience the Fashion District,” added Smith. “This is the first one in the district.”

Santee Village is the Fashion District’s first adaptive-reuse project. MJW took over 10 dilapidated old manufacturing buildings and converted them to rental and for-sale lofts. The city estimates there will be about 3,000 housing units in the area by 2009. —Robert McAllister