Visitors attending the 162nd Great Allentown Fair might ask the 125-year-old Allentown Fairgrounds, "Wie geht`s?" (pronounced vee gates), German for "How are you?"

If it could answer, the Fairgrounds might answer, "Toll!," German for "Great!"

"Wee gates!" indeed.

The new Allentown Fairgrounds gates aren't so "wee" and neither is the new one-mile long black ornamental fence that replaced dull silver chain-link fencing around the West End Allentown landmark. Twenty-six brick, concrete-topped pillars punctuate the fence and new gates at most of the eight Fairgrounds entrances.

The changes give an old-time charm to the Fairgrounds. The Fair continues noon - 11 p.m. Aug. 27 - 31 and noon - 10 p.m. Sept. 1.

"This has been a dream of the Society for years," says Bonnie C. Brosious, Marketing Director-Talent Buyer for the Fair, run by the Lehigh County Agricultural Society (LCAS), which owns the 46-acre Fairgrounds at 17th, Liberty and Chew streets.

The Fairgrounds project is second phase of the $3.2-million West End Theatre District Streetscape Project, financed through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, which included a match by the City of Allentown and an LCAS contribution. Last year's first phase included 19th, Liberty and Allen streets improvements.

The $1.4-million Fairgrounds' phase includes the fence, gates, brick columns, handicapped ramps, curbing, benches, and planters, according to Lauren Giguere, Grants Coordination Manager, Allentown. Construction firm is Marino Corp., Skippack, Montgomery County. Fence architect is Christian Brown, Brown Design Corp., Allentown.

Raymond Hoffman, chairman, Executive Committee, LCAS, is overseeing the project, with finishing touches, including landscaping, to be completed in October.

The LCAS board approved borrowing $1 million for additional Fairgrounds work, including repairs to buildings damaged in 2012 during Hurricane Sandy. Newly-painted red roofs contrast smartly with the new black fence.

Red steel roofing replaced worn-out coverings on the 40,000-square foot William T. Harris Agricultural Hall and repairs were made to the rubber roof on the 18,000-square-foot Ed Charles Exhibition Hall, both of which comprise the 58,000-square foot Agri-Plex.

Energy-efficient industrial florescent lighting was added to exhibition halls. Four high-capacity exhaust fans were installed and higher-grade insulation was placed in Harris Hall, the exterior of which was painted. Storm water runoff system improvements were made.

Roof repairs were made to the 1902 Poultry Building, Century Building and Farmerama Stage.

Red-brick colored shingles crown the Ritz Barbecue Restaurant, Grandstand cupola, Gate 8 ticket booth and MainGate Nightclub north side.

Rubber roofing was applied to the Grandstand building west end, Box Office rear roof and Gate 1 roof. Box Office window awnings were replaced with a fiberglass covering.

The Grandstand received infrastructure and aesthetic improvements, including wire-wheel cleaning to molding that spans the 466-foot-wide building roofline and to tops of first-story archways. Silver paint was added to match molding. Tudor-style pediments above glass panes on the east and west walls were repainted to match the Fairgrounds' cream and red color motif.

The property includes the 1904 Fairgrounds Hotel, MainGate Nightclub, Pines Dinner Theatre, Ritz Barbecue Restaurant, Allentown Fairgrounds Farmers' Market, Agri-Plex, Wells Fargo bank drive-through facility and Santander Bank branch. The LCAS sold a parcel for Fairgrounds Medical Center and parking deck.

The 1911 Martin H. Ritter Grandstand seats 7,000. Concerts at the Fair list a record 10,500 for track seating and 14,500 for standing-room on the track. The Fair typically draws 350,000 - 500,000.

The Allentown Fair dates to 1852, first held at Fourth and Walnut streets, then the Sixth and Liberty streets area before the West End.