Dawn Inc. of Warren employees, from left, Eric Easton and Brendan Solarz in the excavator are removing trees from the plaza in front of the Thomas D. Lambros Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse at the corner of Market and Front streets. The former decorative pavers on the plaza also are being replaced. The project began last week.

YOUNGSTOWN — The 25-year-old Thomas D. Lambros Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse at the corner of Market and Front streets is getting an exterior makeover.

Dawn Inc. of Warren started the project Monday as workers removed the decorative paver stones and trees along Market Street in front of the courthouse.

The paver stones and trees will be replaced with new ones, and the same type of work will be done on the Front Street side of the building, which is across Market Street from the Mahoning County Courthouse downtown.

In place of the former trees, 11 new Armstrong Freeman maples, six new river birch trees and one Galaxy magnolia will be planted, along with more than 420 new perennials, said Cat Langel, public affairs officer for the Great Lakes Region of the U.S. General Services Administration, which helps manage and support the functioning of federal agencies.

The project also will upgrade the landscaping on the Market and Front street areas as well as adding bollards along Market and Front streets, Langel said. Bollards are steel posts or reinforced concrete casing anchored into the ground to provide security for a building, especially from vehicles.

They also protect landscaped property, according to a General Services Administration publication. For decorative purposes, a casing is often added to a bollard to give it architectural character.

The project is expected to be complete in late November, Langel said.