Construction Begins Monday on Palace Brick Wall

By Amber Lester Kennedy Sunday, August 14, 2011

Contractors will begin work to replace a portion of the Governor’s Palace brick wall on Monday.

Because the 80-foot stretch runs along Lafayette Street, the eastbound lane will be closed briefly, primarily during the initial demolition phase. The adjacent sidewalk and bike lane will also be close for the duration of the project.

In addition, Colonial Williamsburg visitors will not have access to the Palace Ice House during the work. The equipment and materials used will be placed in a staff parking lot behind the palace, however. The project is expected to be completed by late September.

The brick façade replacement project began in March. A structural engineer’s assessment found that the concrete wall is structurally sound, but the 80-foot section has to be replaced. In the first phase of work, temporary bracing was installed to reinforce the façade. Now, workers will remove and replace it with special brick manufactured to match the existing color and texture of the wall. Some of the old brick, which was first laid in the 1930s, will also be used.