ANKENY, Iowa —Plans for the $1.5 million Ankeny Market and Pavilion are beginning to take shape.

"This is really the first face lift for good old uptown in the past 140 years," project chairman Ron Sampson said.

An empty lot with an abandoned railway path will soon be home to a collection of open air buildings, according to project plans. The project is designed to bring in fans of bike riding, the farmer's market and big public spaces.

"It's going to have lots of parking, lots of area for people to have their farmers market, for bikers, for families to have reunions, it's going to have a lot of good usable space," Sampson said.

The plan will connect bicyclists to three of the area's most popular trails, including one that connects with the High Trestle Trail over the Des Moines River.

"As a biker, it's exciting that they are expanding and keeping people like us in mind and using our tax dollars in a good way, I suppose," bicyclist Bryan Gilbert said.

Business owners should benefit too, as more people in the area should translate into more dollars spent, project planners said.

"It will really vitalize this part of the community, and having my business here and living here, it gives us another thing to do," business owner Terry Peter said.

Ankeny leaders will kick off a fundraiser for the project at Parkview Middle School at 6 p.m. Wednesday. Gov. Terry Branstad is expected to ride an antique John Deer Bike to start the event