'Sconset Trust plans restoration
Sankaty settles into new home
BY PETER B. BRACE INDEPENDENT WRITER
Sankaty is home now, firmly connected to her new concrete foundation by two-and-a-half feet of new concrete.

Working with local contractor Gerald Minihan, International Chimney of Buffalo, N.Y. on Oct. 15 built concrete forms around the bottom of the lighthouse from its foundation up.

Later that day, International Chimney's crew, working with Minihan and concrete contractor the Toscana Corp., pumped concrete from the inside of the lighthouse into a four-foot thick, two-and-a-halffoot tall space to form a connector between the lighthouse and its new foundation. An additional six to 12 inches of concrete were pumped up into the column of the lighthouse to form the sub-floor of the lighthouse. Later this week, Minihan and Expert House Movers will pour in another two to three feet of concrete inside the column of the lighthouse, over which a brick floor will be laid to allow the spiral stairs to reach the ground, said 'Sconset Trust President Bob Felch.

Their work completed for the time being, Expert House Movers President Jerry Matyiko and his crew, which did the actual moving of the lighthouse, left the island last week with the lighthouse sitting directly over its new foundation. They returned on Sunday and, after determining the recently poured concrete sub-foundation was cured and strong enough to hold the lighthouse, began on Monday backing down the jacks supporting it, pulling out the beams protruding through the base of the lighthouse and bricking in the holes they cut for the beams, said Felch.

ROB BENCHLEY/The Independent Along the edge of Sankaty Head Golf Club's fifth fairway, a Toscana crew pours concrete under the lighthouse. The steel I-beams that have suspended the lighthouse since Sept. 18 were removed Tuesday.

Away from the move site, Felch and International Chimney are already working on the preservation portion of the lighthouse move.

"Right now, we're reviewing with International Chimney the early phases of the restoration plan, which includes three elements: the restoration of the lantern housing, restoration of the interior of the lighthouse column, including the spiral staircase and the exterior brick surface of the lighthouse."

Felch said he expects the lantern restoration work to occur before the end of the year and the restoration of the light's interior and exterior to take place in the spring. As for funding for this part of the project, which Felch said will cost between $400,000 and $500,000, the 'Sconset Trust is applying to the Community Preservation Committee for $250,000 and rely on donations for the rest.

"The focus of all of that work is on preserving the historic nature and fabric of the lighthouse," Felch said. "The final phase of the project next spring will be the re-landscaping of the property and establishment of a commemorative setting for the old lighthouse site."

Felch said the trust, which now owns the former lighthouse site, will likely open the grounds in September or October 2008.

As for the light itself, Felch hopes to have the beacon shining during the week of Thanksgiving this year, with a symbolic relighting next summer to

formally mark the move. I