COSTILLA COUNTY — The San Luis Peoples Market has completed a months-long lead paint and asbestos removal project, and the interior is being refurbished for an opening scheduled for Oct. 19.
Devon Pena with the Acequia Institute (TAI) has announced the completion of the environmental mitigation work at the historic R&R Market at 317 Main St., renamed the San Luis Peoples Market.
Weecycle Environmental Consulting Inc. of Lafayette issued the mitigation report on the market stating, "The area is clear for re-occupancy."
Under the leadership of Pena, the store is being renovated, and recently, a specialized contractor, Adept Solutions of Colorado Springs, worked on removing lead-based paint and asbestos.
With the help of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund, the institute, which is working on behalf of the market, received a grant on May 14 for $200,416. The grant was to cover the cost of asbestos abatement and lead-based paint and mold removal, making it possible for the market to reopen. Initially, the market was set to reopen in July, and now, with the work completed, a reopening is set for mid-October.
Earlier this year, Governor Jared Polis said, "As the only full-service grocery store in San Luis, Colorado, the reopening of San Luis Market will help ensure Coloradans in the valley have access to healthy food in a safe store, and I am glad the state could provide a grant to help reopen this community landmark."
Now that the clearance to reoccupy has been issued, TAI crews and contractors will work for four to six weeks on a complete remodeling and reset of the interior of the San Luis Peoples Market.
The grocery section, meat department, and hardware areas were completely gutted out for the abatement project.
The San Luis Peoples Market Annex at 303 Vega St. remains open. In the meantime, the market will continue to serve the community from that location under a lease with Rocky Mountain SER. The annex hosts cooking and nutrition classes, occasional food pantry events, community cultural events, and local artisan craft bazaars. Sales of bolita beans, chicos, and pozole are available depending on supply.
The annex is the location of commercial kitchen operations and a unique volcanic rock corn mill. Once it reopens, the kitchen will produce shelf, cooler, and freezer-ready local foods for sales at the Market, including stone-ground heirloom red, white, and blue tortillas and other masa harina products.
The improvements, upgrades, and remodeling work for the interior of the San Luis Peoples Market on Main Street are largely funded by two grants totaling $100,000 from the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA). Among the improvements that are part of the interior remodeling and reset: a new two-hour firewall first-floor ceiling to protect the second-floor apartments and offices from life-threatening events which are funded by TAI reserves.
