Repairs begin to preserve Fire Island Lighthouse
Fire Island National Seashore Superintendent Alexcy Romero says the lighthouse tower will remain closed while crews are working.
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Repair work officially began Tuesday on the Fire Island Lighthouse.
Fire Island National Seashore Superintendent Alexcy Romero says the lighthouse is not used for nautical purposes anymore, but repairs are still needed to preserve a piece of Long Island's history.
"This landmark contributes to that history, so not only for the boats sailing, crossing over the Atlantic Ocean or even on the Great South Bay," Romero says. "It is that beacon, it is that landmark, although it doesn't serve for nautical purposes, what it was intended for, it is still a landmark, no different to me than the Statue of Liberty is in the New York City harbor."
Romero says the National Park Service hired a contractor to remove concrete and brick from the northeast side of the lighthouse terrace. The terrace has been closed to visitor in March following a windstorm
Once crews are done with the removal of the concrete and brick, Romero says the next project will be to stabilize the structure.
Workers will do that by wrapping a steel mesh around a part of the lighthouse.
Romero says the tower will remain closed while crews are working on both projects. He says the Lens Building, Keepers Quarters and museum store are open.
There is no date for when the tower will reopen, but Romero says they will regularly post updates on the Fire Island website.
