Lancaster Central Market Lancaster, PA

Project Background

It’s a sobering proposition when you take an electric grinder, hammer and chisel to a structure that has been at the center of the public life for over a hundred years.

The restoration of the Lancaster Central Market had been a dream of city planners for years, and they spent considerable time and money on planning and designing the renovations. The Witmer Group was part of the team who provided the meticulous restoration of this historic landmark.

During the process, a large portion of the brick around this base had to be removed and replaced. If a brick was badly eroded, it had to be replaced with a new hand-made brick. A pure and natural lime mortar, specifically blended with a fine dark sand and shipped from New Jersey, was used for repointing and laying the replacement brick. The mortar was made from limestone deposits found in France that had been used by the Romans two thousand years ago in the building of the aqueducts and other ancient buildings. The very same limestone was used in the restoration of the Lancaster Central Market by the skilled hands of The Witmer Group craftspeople.