The Broad Street Market sign suffered storm damage over the winter.
The Broad Street Market needs some help from the community—or at least, its iconic sign does.
The market is initiating an online fundraiser to help pay for the cost of repairing and upgrading the large sign attached to the front façade of the 160-year-old stone market building.
“The Broad Street Market’s sign is a very special symbol of Harrisburg’s Midtown community,” said Josh Heilman, the nonprofit market’s executive director. “We appreciate the support to rebuild it so that it can be enjoyed by everyone who visits our historic market and the city of Harrisburg.”
In December, a windstorm damaged the sign, which is now missing two letters. Upon closer inspection, the sign showed significant deterioration and was determined to be structurally unsound, the result of weather exposure over 25 years.
Funds raised will go towards repairing damage, updating the sign to represent the market’s current branding, adding energy-efficient lighting and making it more structurally sound, Heilman said.
Harrisburg-based RPM Signs & Lighting is slated to do the job.
The GoFundMe fundraiser officially kicks off on Saturday, though early donations are being accepted already.
The market hopes to raise $40,000 to pay for the work—$25,000 through the crowd-funding effort and another $15,000 through organizational sponsors.
According to Heilman, the market is self-supporting, receiving no funds from the city. He said that this is the first time in the market’s long history that donations are being solicited from the public.
Once the money is raised, the project should take four to six weeks to complete, he said.
The sign is actually much younger than the market, mounted only in 1996 during a general market renovation. However, it’s become a landmark of its own during that time.
“We want to take this opportunity to upgrade the sign’s materials and improve its durability,” Heilman said. “We hope then it’ll last at least another 50 years.”
To donate, visit the online fundraiser for the Broad Street Market sign.
Sponsorship opportunities are also available. Interested parties should visit www.broadstreetmarket.org for more information.
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