St. Augustine Lighthouse undergoing $880K renovation over the next 2 weeks

The St. Augustine Lighthouse is obtaining a clean coat of paint this spring.

The job, which consists of portray the interior and exterior of the tower and get the job done on the building’s metallic stairs and railings, ought to be concluded in about two months.

“We paint the exterior of the lighthouse each individual five to 6 several years,” Kathy Fleming, government director of the lighthouse said, “but this is the initial time in about 30 several years that we have painted the within.”

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The undertaking, which is expected to price more than $880,000, is currently being funded by means of an appropriation from the Florida Office of State, Division of Historical Methods, as perfectly as private donations and funding from the Florida Lighthouse Affiliation, Fleming reported. The lighthouse hopes to raise extra cash to offset some of its expenses.

Tarps surround the top of the St. Augustine Lighthouse as part of a painting and restoration project ongoing at the historic structure on Anastasia Island in the city on Monday, May 9, 2022.
The project, which includes painting the interior and exterior of the tower and work on the building's metal stairs and railings, is scheduled to be finished in about two weeks.
"We paint the outside of the lighthouse every five to six years," said Kathy Fleming, executive director of the lighthouse. "But this is the first time in about 30 years that we have painted the inside." — Tarps surround the top of the St. Augustine Lighthouse as element of a painting and restoration venture ongoing at the historic structure on Anastasia Island in the city on Monday, May well 9, 2022. The undertaking, which involves portray the inside and exterior of the tower and operate on the building’s steel stairs and railings, is scheduled to be completed in about two weeks. “We paint the exterior of the lighthouse every single 5 to six many years,” stated Kathy Fleming, govt director of the lighthouse. “But this is the initially time in about 30 a long time that we have painted the within.”

“The museum is nevertheless quick – about $400,000 – of funding the complete project,” she said. “So we are still doing work to raise funds.”

Portray a 165-foot tall tower that is more than 140 a long time previous is no straightforward activity.

“We are going to use much more than 200 gallons of paint on this career,” stated Roy Fischer, internet site foreman for ICC Commonwealth, who is performing the venture, “The lighthouse is in terrific shape, and we are doing work to preserve it that way.”

Get the job done ought to be total in 2 months

Fischer has done restoration do the job on much more than 30 lighthouses all-around the region.

Immediately after the interior portray is finished, personnel will get started on the outdoors of the tower, portray by hand when suspended from the top rated deck.

“We have swing levels like window washers use. We rig cables and go up and down the outdoors,” Fischer explained. “The painters get a good perspective.”

Even though the tower is closed for the venture, the lighthouse keeper’s dwelling museum and other reveals are however open up at the attraction, which receives more than 225,000 people a year.

“The tower is heading to be gorgeous when this is carried out,” Fleming reported. “It will shine in excess of St. Augustine for a very lengthy time to appear.”

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This posting at first appeared on St. Augustine File: St. Augustine Lighthouse going through $880K inside/exterior renovation