FOLEY, Ala. — Despite near daily and sometimes heavy rain, work at the site of the future Foley Farmers and Fishermen’s Market has carried on.

Crews poured the concrete flooring foundation for the 30-stall facility last week. Then Monday, steel beams for the structures began going up.

According to MCS Contracting Inc. President Myles Bishop, the project is going smoothly.

“We’re on track for an Oct. 1 opening date,” he said at the site.

Previous work included felling three trees and readying the ground for construction.

“We had to take down two pecan trees for the parking lot,” Bishop said, gesturing to the southwest corner of the site, “and one tree over to the right for the emergency exit.”

The main entrance will actually face County Road 20.

“It’ll be a two-way entrance beside Wolf Bay Lodge,” Bishop said.

He explained that sign announcing the endeavor is actually further out than the initial entrance will be. However, it will eventually be used.

“That’s the second phase,” Bishop said.

As previously reported, work on the first phase started in July with clearing dirt and grass from the site. At that time, 30 area farmers had committed to being part of the endeavor. Then two weeks ago, Market Manager Heather Pritchard held an informational meeting, with approximately 40 members of the agriculture and fishing community, as well as reprensentatives from Alabama Department of Public Health, Baldwin County Extension Office, Marine Resources Division and the state Famers Market Authority attending.

The city of Foley acquired a $313,000 grant from B.P. for the project and is seeking additional funding for the year-round project that has an estimated total cost of $750,000-$900,000.

At press time, the market’s fall season is scheduled to open Oct. 1 and run through Nov. 16. Subsequent seasons will then follow.