The City of Westport has devoted nearly two decades fighting water intrusion into the Destruction Island Lighthouse Lens Exhibit Hall interior from the cupola atop its roof. The building was completed in 1998 on the Westport Maritime Museum campus to house the 125-year-old Destruction Island Light House Fresnel lens located inside.
The lens is on long-term lease from the U.S. Coast Guard and subject to removal if the historical artifact is not protected and insured for close to a million dollars.
Several failed attempts to solve the problem over the years included regular resealing of the area where the cupola attaches to the flat catwalk on the roof and, in 2011, a design change that included the construction of small, sloped roof sections over the catwalk to the base of the cupola windows on all four sides.
The latest water damage in 2013 resulted in wood rot that compromised the cupola, resulting in soaked sheetrock and water falling on and around the 125-year-old working Fresnel lens on display inside the building directly under the cupola.
Repair delays
The City Council included money for repairs in its 2014 budget, but a municipal emphasis on sprucing up for the City’s Centennial celebration that year placed cupola work on the back burner.
In early 2015, a repeated request for repairs from Historical Society Executive Director John Shaw was met with a promise that while the work could not be done during the winter months, the City was willing to tarp the building should it become necessary to protect the lens until repairs could be completed last fall. However, again no work was scheduled.
Following discussions with then Mayor Michael Bruce in early December regarding the then-imminent danger for major damage to the lens, Historical Society representatives attended the Dec. 14 City Council meeting to plead their case and were met with a positive response. Bruce informed the group that then Public Works director Dennis Benn and Interim City Administrator Rex Bell had been directed to come up with a plan for the repairs and to facilitate getting them done this spring.
Preparation for work
In preparation for the repair work, in January, Shaw and other Historical Society board members completely enclosed the lighthouse lens by reassembling plywood sheathing that had been used during the fall of 2008 repairs to the interior of the cupola and surrounding ceiling that suffered major water damage during 2007.
Contract awarded
On May 20, the City awarded the contract for the repair work to Lupo Construction (the only bidder) of Aberdeen at a cost of $18,675 plus tax and building permit costs. The City originally budgeted $15,000 for the work, but the Council passed a request from Mayor Bearden to raise that amount to $25,000 at their regular May 19 meeting.
Work begins
Last Friday, May 27, after loosening it from its moorings, Lupo subcontracted with Westport’s Brumfield Construction to lift the cupola from the building via crane and load it onto a flatbed truck. It was then transported to the City shops lot.
When rebuilt off site by city crews, the cupola will be returned to the top of the building as an attached decorative element in keeping with the original look of the structure.
That same day, the construction crew replaced the underlying water-damaged wall framing around the cupola’s base. Brumfield then lifted into place a new flat deck structure that was constructed on the ground to fill the exposed hole in the roof. The building is now completely enclosed from the elements.
Additional contracted work currently in progress includes shingling, siding, and trim work on the outside of the building, along with replacement of the damaged drywall inside. Painting both inside and outside surfaces to match the existing structure will follow those projects.
Exhibit reopening
According to Shaw, the repairs on the building are expected to be done by mid-June with the lens building open once again for public viewing and tours.
