Just as many homeowners have started outdoor projects with the coming of summer weather, our New York State Fair has undertaken some improvement projects on the grounds. Two caught our eye on a recent visit, the first the latest installment of the Restaurant Row renovation project that has been underway for over a decade.

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Those handsome brick paving stones that surround many food stands are now in place on both sides of the venerable Baker Chicken Coop. The roofs that covered the dining areas have been removed. We don’t know if there are plans in the works to replace them, but we’ll try to find out.

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Meanwhile, the main entrance to the Dairy Products Building—the one facing Chevy Court and the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que—has been demolished and a replacement is being constructed. It looks like stairs will replace the ramp that had been there for many years. That would mirror a change to the dairy barn side of the colonnade, where steps have replaced ramps. There are still ramps on the north and south ends of the complex to allow for wheelchair accessibility.

Your State Fair Hound will keep an eye an changes happening and have more reports as the summer progresses.