Photo: Kim Tunnicliffe (WBZ NewsRadio)
SCITUATE, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Construction crews will remove the lantern room at the top of the historic Scituate Lighthouse, the 11th oldest lighthouse in the United States.
The removal comes after town officials in Scituate became concerned over the lantern room's safety and conditions. An evaluation of the tower by the Spencer Preservation Group in September revealed that the iron columns that connect the lantern room to the tower are severely corroded, and the lamp room's slab floor is "fundamentally separate" from the catwalk slab.
"It’s weathering over the years and corrosion of the structural members," Project Director Rick Pomroy of Pomeroy Associates told WBZ Newsradio. "It’s just not safe to stay up there."
Crews used a small boom lift to prepare for the lantern's removal on Wednesday, with the actual removal scheduled for Thursday morning using a 50-foot crane.
"We’ll take all the unstable steel, remove that, bring the cupola down, remove the handrails, some of the copper decking that’s up there, cover it with rubber until further work gets underway," said Project Supervisor Ross Burr of contractor Cenaxo LLC.
Following the removal, the lantern room will be completely rebuilt through a $2 million project funded by the Community Preservation Fund. This will include a new frame, new window frames, and glazing and new copper cladding.
"Once the lantern is down, we’re going to come up with restoration plans for the entire tower and a new lantern to go on top," said Pomroy.
The project is expected to be completed by the late spring/early summer of 2023.
WBZ's Kim Tunnicliffe (@KimWBZ) reports.
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