Major renovations are about to start at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. The project will take at least 18 months to complete, according to the National Park Service.
Scaffolding will soon cover the 210-foot lighthouse. Massachusetts-based Stone & Lime Historic Restoration Services will then get to work on repairing and restoring every part of the 150-year-old structure. The company also rehabilitated the Fort Jefferson Lighthouse at Dry Tortugas National Park in the Florida Keys.
A new Fresnel lens will be fabricated for the beacon. Window ornaments and ironwork will also be restored. The National Park Service says visitors will enjoy better access to the lighthouse with wider walkways and more historical interpretation features.
The surrounding park will remain open during the restoration, while access to the lighthouse "will vary through the course of the project and temporary closures will occur," according to the Park Service.
“After a lengthy and thoughtful planning process, we are excited to take this significant step towards preserving an iconic historic landmark,” park superintendent David Hallac said in a statement. “We thank our visitors for their patience and understanding as the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and its surrounding landscape are restored and enhanced over the next couple of years.”
The project is estimated to cost $19 million. It comes 25 years after the lighthouse was moved a half-mile inland to keep it from falling into the sea.