ABOUT

Address

433 Ice Ave., Lancaster, PA 17602

MISSION & VALUES

We believe everyone is born equal, and we’re passionate about building a space that thrives on diversity, equity, and inclusion. At Lancaster Workshop & Tool Library, we’re all about capturing the dynamic spirit of Lancaster—celebrating its unique mix of people and backgrounds! Our mission? To make skilled trades, access to tools, and mentorship not only available but genuinely exciting for everyone. Whether you’re exploring a trade as a career, a new passion, or discovering awesome ways to give back to your community, we’ve got you covered. Lancaster Workshop & Tool Library is all about opening doors, boosting visibility, and creating a buzzing, safe place for learning and collaboration.

Lancaster Workshop & Tool Library loves keeping history alive while blazing trails for the future. Imagine hands-on workshops in historic trades—think woodworking, plasterwork, masonry, window restoration, and more—guided by masters of the craft in a welcoming space fit for all ages. Our bustling tool library is like a treasure chest for creators, and our mentors are eager to pass down their expertise, so these amazing skills don’t disappear. Quality, sustainability, and community are at our core, and we’re committed to making tools, training, and mentorship accessible to everyone. Serving Lancaster with pride, we’re on a mission to offer preservation education, develop the next generation of Lancaster stewards, and empower the whole community. By mixing classic guild traditions with increased access, Lancaster Workshop & Tool Library is paving new paths into careers and bringing fresh energy to workforce development. Step into our intergenerational, equity-driven adventure—where learning is hands-on, creativity knows no bounds, and every participant can shine while building a brighter, more sustainable future!

Two men working together on woodworking project in a workshop with exposed brick walls. One man is young with glasses and a tool belt, the other older with gray hair, using a power drill. Various wood pieces and tools are visible.

OUR TEAM

An elderly man with a gray mustache, wearing a gray cap, blue shirt, and red vest, standing in a woodworking shop. He is holding a chisel and working at a large wooden workbench with various woodworking tools and wood pieces. The background shows organized tools, wood carvings, and shelving.

GENE SHAW

Gene Shaw moved to Lancaster, PA, in 1972 after receiving a Fine Arts Certificate from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Philadelphia College of Art. While at PAFA, he received numerous awards, prizes, and grants, including the J. Henry Scheidt European Traveling Scholarship (1971), the Wilson Woodrow Graphics prize (1969, 1970, 1971), and the Klein grant (1969, 1970).

Once in Lancaster, he combined his fine art/design training and his love of woodworking, a skill he learned from his father, to establish The Wooden Plane, a custom cabinetry and home-restoration business. He and his wife built a new home in the city of Lancaster which was featured in the 25th anniversary “Houses” issue of Fine Home Building Magazine in 2006. The Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County (HPTLC) awarded him the C. Emlen Urban award twice; in 1989, for preservation leadership and, in 2003, for new home construction in an historic district.

To encourage young people from his hometown high school in Grundy Center, Iowa, to pursue careers in art, he established the Gene A. Shaw Art Travel Fund through the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa. He also funds an annual fine art scholarship at the school.

Since 2005, he has traveled to Maine annually to attend the Woodenboat School in Brooklin, ME. While at school, he has made numerous sketches which are the basis for the woodcuts he creates upon his return to Lancaster, PA.

He has exhibited his work at the Benjamin Mangel Gallery in Bala Cynwyd, PA, Gallery Doshi in Harrisburg, PA, Chestnut House Gallery, Lancaster Country Day, and Lancaster Art Walk, all in Lancaster, PA

A woman in safety gloves and glasses is sawing a piece of plywood with a jigsaw in a woodworking shop hanging a colorful scarf on her head. She is wearing a pink t-shirt and a green apron. In the background, there are stacks of plywood and a brick wall.

EMILY FRITZ

A dreamer, creative, lifelong environmentalist, unofficial food critic, and lover of all things Lancaster. Emily’s background ranges from musical theater to sustainability consultation, restaurant management, corporate supply chain and ESG development. Emily is a single mom to her amazing teenage daughter, Mira. Always “making do” on creative and home improvement projects while struggling to afford the right tools, the space to store them, and knowing how to use them, Emily is eager to take all the classes, learn as much as possible, and finally know how to bring her creative projects to life. Emily loves being outside, waterfalls, wildflowers, starry firefly nights. She’s an introvert who cherishes her friends and family as well as solo-time and loves people in small doses and/or at a distance. She loves dancing, playing, riddles, mischief-making, mischief-makers, and belly laughing. Emily loves gardening, although you couldn’t tell by the general state of her garden. You’ll find her downtown with her daughter (Mira), walking or jogging with puppy (Winnie), and snuggling up with cat (Nome Chompsky). Her lifelong dream is to learn how to build a boat, how to sail that boat, then sail that boat into the sunset.