Will there be automatic markdowns on dented apples and not-so-fresh lettuce? Hair-pulling fights over heirloom tomatoes?

Boston mayoral candidate Michael Flaherty suggests that the huge pit in the middle of Downtown Crossing that used to be Filene’s department store be put to good use (hat tip: Universal Hub): 

Located in the heart of the bustling financial district, accessible by the various MBTA stations and to the numerous area employees, residents and tourists, a public market offering organic produce will serve as a significant asset to the neighborhood.  The Boston Public Market Association offers locally grown, healthy and affordable fresh food and is a refreshing alternative to the various fast food restaurants in the area.

It does seem like a solution to two problems, the big hole that threatens to become a permanent fixture of Downtown Crossing and the city’s lack of a public market bigger than a typical McDonald’s. One hitch is that someone has to pave over the pit. (Flaherty says the developer that has halted work on the site should be forced to do it.) There’s also the danger that a “temporary” public market will be erected on the cheap (think of rickety stands and portable toilets). If a tacky market is a failure or only a middling success, will it kill any chance for a real public market in Boston?

Creative Commons photo by Spinstah.