D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty toured the Eastern Market Wednesday; 15 months after the historic landmark caught fire.

For Fenty, there was never any doubt about the future of a place as storied as Eastern Market.

And on Wednesday, Fenty toured the 135 year old building. He was eager to point out all the progress made in the south hall. "Everything is being redone, [everything] is new," said Fenty.

The market went up in flames in April of 2007 and most of its south hall was destroyed. Renovations have been underway since the fire broke out.  D.C. officials say repairs have been made to the roof , windows and walls of the historic market.

The repairs come as the city works to reopen the 135-year-old Capitol Hill landmark by next spring. The project's next steps include the guts of the building, utilities, plumbing and air conditioning, along with an all-important sprinkler system to prevent the kind of fire that nearly doomed a city fixture. The structure will also get new restrooms.

Eastern Market was built in 1873 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Until the fire, it was the longest continuously running public market in the city. Many of the vendors have been operating at a temporary facility nearby until the market reopens.

City officials hope to reopen Eastern Market in the spring of 2009 at a cost of a $14 million.

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