The Old Point Comfort Lighthouse dome at 58 feet tall undergoes remediation work. (Photo/Hana Engineers)
Hana Senior Environmental Engineer Marc Gutterman works on the tower of the Old Comfort Point Lighthouse. (Photo/Hana Engineers)
Hana Engineers and Consultants, LLC recently began remediation of an early 19th century lighthouse off the coast of Virginia that continues to serve as a navigational beacon under the direction of the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Old Point Comfort Lighthouse on the edge of Fort Monroe National Monument overlooking the Chesapeake Bay was built in 1802 on the remains of Fort George, which dates to 1728.
The U.S. Coast Guard owns and operates the lighthouse and will soon be transferring ownership to the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Fort Monroe Authority (FMA) will be taking over responsibility for the lighthouse once that happens.
Before the FMA takes over lighthouse operations, Hana Engineers is conducting remediation work on the surface of the tower and surrounding soil. The Virginia-based engineering firm has years of experience working on former military sites and conducting environmental investigations and cleanup, remediation, and restoration in accordance with federal and state environmental regulations.
Work crews build the scaffolding that will hold the environmentally safe shroud covering the Old Point Comfort Lighthouse in Virginia. (Photo/Hana Engineers)
David Stroud, Historic Preservation Officer for the Fort Monroe Authority, advised Hana on several site-specific areas, including information on cultural investigations of Fort George in the surrounding area, logistics coordination for water and electrical, in addition to navigating other ongoing maintenance and operations projects in the area. Stroud also facilitated communication with FMA’s Real Estate Office to inform nearby neighbors of project details and schedule. Mr. Stroud shared with Hana that he appreciated Hana’s open communication and project coordination.
At Old Point Comfort, Hana’s work involved removing lead-based paint and asbestos-containing material from the lighthouse and then replacing potentially contaminated soil with clean soil.
Hana’s work crews safely secured any contaminated soil and disposed of the material at a certified hazardous waste facility. The lighthouse was wrapped in a plastic covering or shroud that provided a sealed environmental “bubble” to allow Hana’s environmental professional to safely work on the lighthouse. The shroud included a sealed air-filtering system to catch contaminants and release only clean, filtered air into the environment.
Hana Project Manager Susan Herbert said Hana used a special abrasive material that allowed removal of the paint and other surface material without damaging the structure of the historic lighthouse. Hana also provided archaeological monitoring during work on the lighthouse, including consulting with local, state, and federal officials and other agencies to identify area of significance and to carefully document any artifacts or structures that might be uncovered.
President Thomas Jefferson approved plans in 1802 for the building of the lighthouse on the remains of Fort George, letters kept in the National Archives show, but Old Point Comfort was known to have served as marker for passing vessels in Chesapeake Bay since at least the 1700s.
The lighthouse’s history continued to be intertwined with American history. British forces seized the lighthouse during the War of 1812, and union forces used the lighthouse during the Civil War to help enslaved people find their way to freedom. The longest serving lighthouse keeper, John B. Jones, was a former enslaved man who kept the light burning at Old Point Comfort for 30 years.
Hana Project Manager Susie Herbert said site preparation for the work on the lighthouse has been carefully planned with the U.S. Coast Guard, including painstaking setup, subsequent cleanup, and eventual teardown of the framework encircling the lighthouse tower to ensure the air and soil are safely managed.
“The Old Point Comfort Lighthouse is one of Hana’s signature projects this year,” Herbert said. “While the lighthouse has served as a navigational beacon for more than 223 years, the preservation of this historic structure ensures a tangible piece of American history will live to tell the story of Fort Monroe, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the story of America.”
About Hana Engineers and Consultants, LLC
Hana Engineers and Consultants is an engineering and consulting firm based in Richmond, Virginia, with offices in Charleston, South Carolina, and Hadensville, Virginia, and operations across the U.S. The company specializes in geotechnical, environmental, construction management, civil works, drilling, and field services for a variety of federal, state, and commercial clients. For more information about Hana, including a list of capabilities and other projects, visit hanaengineers.com.