Group wants Fayetteville Market House to become educational space, exact plans uncertain

In the meeting city leaders decided to gather more public input before deciding future of the building.

The vote came after the Department of Justice updated council members on their listening sessions with about 80 people who largely decided they would like to see the Market House used as a symbol of education with art that reflects African American culture and history.

The Department of Justice said it is willing to help facilitate more discussions before formal recommendations are made.

Last April, after months of debating, the Fayetteville City Council voted to repurpose the historic Market House, a 200-year-old home in the middle of the city where enslaved people were once bought and sold.

While no specifics were given as to which direction city officials will take the project, multiple options were presented. These include changing the structure altogether, creating an art display, creating a Black history display, producing a marketplace for Black vendors, and repurposing as an event space.

Some council members previously said they wanted to turn the Market House into a Black history museum, but the building doesn't meet requirements listed in the Americans with Disabilities Act. It has no elevator and only one bathroom, which is located on the second floor.