Photos by The Roanoke Times

File 2008 Under a schematic design for the Roanoke City Market Building, food court vendors would have larger stalls and potential access to the street.

No one wants concrete dust as a condiment for their burger, spring roll or pizza slice.

A preliminary design concept shared with the Roanoke City Council on Monday afternoon projected that a $6.3 million top-to-bottom renovation of the historic City Market Building downtown will require the structure to be closed for nine to 12 months.

A schematic design presented by Cunningham Quill Architects of Washington seemed to be well received both by members of the city council and, somewhat surprisingly, by at least two food court vendors who attended the session.

"It's the most practical plan anybody has come up with yet," said Anita Wilson, co-owner of Burger in the Square and an advocate for other food sellers in the building.

Georgia Crump, owner of Nuts & Sweet Things, agreed.

"I like it," Crump said. "It's everything I imagined it would be."

Councilman David Trinkle described Cunningham Quill's work as "a great report."

For now, a report is all it is. If the council decides to keep the project moving, the next step would be paying for the creation of construction drawings. That drafting process would require six to nine months, according to Lee Quill, a principal of Cunningham Quill.

And, of course, the city will have to decide where the market building work ranks among other capital improvement projects contemplated for the years ahead. It recently entertained proposals for a new amphitheater downtown.

As envisioned, among other changes proposed for the city-owned building, a makeover would yield a vendor in the center of the ground floor that would sell flowers, fruit and produce. Quill said the stand would provide a colorful visual lure through new glass doors for passers-by and return to the sale of products historically available at the market building.

The top floor assembly hall would be rehabilitated for community use, with added restrooms and another elevator.

Food court vendors would have larger stalls and potential access to the street. Extended sidewalks would allow outdoor dining. The mezzanine's dimensions would be reduced to allow more natural lighting.

Food vendors have long worried about the fate of their small businesses during a prolonged shutdown. Most are now on month-to-month leases.

Juan Garcia, co-owner of Paradiso Cuban Restaurant, recently said his business will leave the building if a shutdown lasts two months or longer. David "Chico" Estrada sold his pizza business and shut down Feb. 28. Nick's Pig N Chicken is for sale.

The redesigned building would offer spots for existing retailers and eight food court vendors. There have been 10 food court vendors.

Among other issues with the market building, Quill said its aged plumbing is "in grave repair," with no substantial work since the 1930s, and it's not clear where some of its wastewater drains.

He said the ideal approach would complete all the renovation work at once and that a full-scale renovation would take time.

"I know this is not what a lot of people wanted to hear," Quill said.

He said that jackhammers breaking concrete, airborne dust and the serving of food don't mix.

According to several sources, including nomination papers for the National Register of Historic Places, the Georgian Revival structure was built in 1922. Cunningham Quill reported a later date. Quill said the company will double-check its research.

The city has managed the facility since a real estate management company from Richmond resigned four years ago. That arrangement has not been especially palatable for either the city or the building's tenants. Revenues from the food court and retail operations have not covered city expenses in recent years. Operations lost about $123,000 in fiscal 2008, the city reported.

Of course, many say the building's true value, as an iconic draw to the city center, cannot be estimated.

Few argue that the structure doesn't need help. But there has been contention aplenty about how to proceed with renovations and about their potential effects on existing businesses, many of which have loyal followings. Quill and Councilman Sherman Lea agreed that discussions should continue about how to work with current tenants to help them return after renovations.

Monday's presentation seemed to generate some nascent consensus.

"I'm very impressed with what you've shown us," Councilman Rupert Cutler said. "I like it very much."

He asked City Manager Darlene Burcham what the next step would be.

Burcham said discussion is set for late May or early June about possible capital improvement projects to give the green light for development. Money for capital projects typically comes from the sale of bonds.

For the market building, Cunningham Quill said it will provide an estimate of costs for proceeding with construction drawings, which would then inform the soliciting of bids for the work -- something not likely to happen until 2010. Burcham said the cash-strapped city will have a better idea by then of its financial position.

Vendors and retailers would not be affected until construction began.

Mayor David Bowers expressed enthusiasm Monday for Cunningham Quill's preliminary design, for which the city allocated $120,000. The design built on two previous studies of the building's potential renovation and reuse.

"We know we're obviously in tough times," Bowers said. "But looking ahead as we should be, with that possible project -- the amphitheater -- and the City Market Building, those are good capital projects for our city."

News researcher Belinda Harris and staff writer Mason Adams contributed to this report.