Village Board OKs lighthouse repair contract
The Village Board has approved a $354,188 contract with New York Drilling for repairs and storm-resistance work at the Saugerties Lighthouse.
The project will include restoration of the bulkhead and seawall, and partial removal of the concrete pier.
A $175,000 grant for historic properties from the Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Assistance program, funded by the National Park Service, will cover part of the cost. The balance will be paid withNew York Rising money that was awarded following Tropical Storms Irene and Lee in 2011.
Lighthouse keeper Patrick
Landewe said the work is needed to deal with wear causes by such Hudson River forces as tide, ice, wind and waves.
“The seawall was completely
submerged in Sandy (the October 2012 superstorm) and subsequent to that we noticed voids opening up within the seawall,” Landewe said. “So the project
for the seawall is pointing the stone on the exterior and fill the voids with grout.”
The seawall consists of the limestone blocks that make up the round supporting base platform for the lighthouse. During Sandy, the storm surge that came up the Hudson River resulted in 6 inches of water inside the lighthouse.
Work on the concrete pier is needed to resolve a safety hazard that has resulted from visitors walking on the large cement block.
The bulkhead consists of timber pilings that protect the south side of the seawall.
“That’s necessary to make the lighthouse more resilient to storms,” Landewe said.