Mithoff renovation is underway

LANCASTER – The renovation of the Mithoff on West Main Street at the corner South Columbus Street will begin in earnest this weekend.

Construction crews were in the nearly 200-year-old Mithoff building early Friday to begin the renovation of the building.

Representatives of Lancaster and the Lancaster Port Authority signed over the deed to the property to Penny and Brad Hutchinson on Friday. The Hutchinsons have been negotiating with the city about transferring the property, at 162-168 W. Main St., since November.

"We started delivering equipment to the site today and plan to have volunteers coming in over the weekend to help clean out some of the trash in there," Brad Hutchinson, owner of Company Wrench in Carroll, said Friday. "We are excited to start getting in there and begin work."

Workers and volunteers were working throughout the building Friday.

"Right now, we want to get some natural light in here and secure the building," Hutchinson said as he helped organize crews building window frames that will allow light into the dark interior. They also started removing trash from inside the building.

Hutchinson said he plans to have an architect and structural engineer come in to take a detailed look at the building once the trash is removed.

"There is a 6-inch bow in one of the walls, and once we get this cleaned up a bit, we'll get the architects in here to look at the building," Hutchinson said. "We want to save as much as possible."

The demolition is estimated to cost around $10,000, with completion by September. Early renovation plans by the Hutchinsons include a restaurant and a retail space on the first floor, with more space for professional offices on the second and third floors.

A tentative timeline presented to Lancaster City Council members has the project being completed in 2020, with costs estimated to be as much as $4 million.

"But I really would like to see it done earlier," Hutchinson said. "While we are going to get a small mortgage on the building, most of it is going to be done out of cash. So it really depends on how well Company Wrench is doing. Last year, we had a great year and if it continues, I expect we will get the project done even quicker."

Hutchinson said he also is getting some help from other companies in the area who wanted to help with the project.

Fastenal and Holmes Lumber have donated supplies, and Porta Kleen has given them a discount for their services.

"Everyone we've contacted about the project has been very open and offered to help," Hutchinson said.

For Deward Watts, former president of the Fairfield County Heritage Association, the contract signing and work beginning to rescue the building was a great step in preserving the heritage of downtown Lancaster. He had worked with the city to prevent the building's demolition and to find potential saviors for the building.

"I"m ecstatic over it," Watts said. "It's great to see history being preserved and being put to use for future generations to enjoy."

Davis Scheffler, executive director of Destination Downtown Lancaster and the Lancaster Special Improvement District, walked around the building Friday after work had begun.

"I just wanted to get some photos to document the progress," Scheffler said. "It's very exciting to see all this going on downtown now. We are fortunate to have people like the Hutchinsons wanting to get involved."

The city bought the building in 2008 for $205,000 from a New York realty company.

cburnett@lancastereaglegazette.com

740-681-4346

Twitter: @CarlBurnettJr