The cement inside has long since sloughed off into the sea. If the lighthouse's pilings are in good condition, it could arguably survive another 100 years, perhaps with another coffer dam and protective rocks placed around it. But an earlier, albeit cursory, study suggested that timbers in the grillwork and pilings nearest the ocean are deteriorated. If the foundation shows evidence of giving way, the lighthouse could be lifted and placed on a new foundation. Or it could be moved, though it's not clear where.
Sandy shoals shift daily in the dynamic inlet where the lighthouse stands.
While it will likely cost millions to restore the lighthouse, it's too important a monument of the city's maritime history not to, said Robert New, co-chairman of Save the Light. It's part of our history. It's part of our culture. It's part of the soul of this community. The lighthouse's future now rests on the 264 pilings Hains designed.