New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a total $24 million in state and federal funding has been secured for construction of protection measures for the historic Montauk Point Lighthouse in Suffolk County.
The money will be used to reconstruct the area’s ocean banks to help ensure the Montauk Point Lighthouse, located on the easternmost point of Long Island, remains intact.
“Generations of visitors have experienced the culture and beauty of Montauk Point, and New York is committed to ensuring this historic landmark remains a sought after attraction on Long Island for decades to come,” Cuomo said in a statement. “This investment provides the resources needed to secure the ocean bank, protect the historic structures at the Montauk Point Lighthouse site, and preserve New York history for future generations of visitors.”
Montauk, the first lighthouse ever built in New York, is a National Historic Landmark on the Federal and State Registers of Historic Places. The lighthouse was commissioned by George Washington and constructed in 1796 roughly 300 feet from the receding edge of the bluff.
Over the years, the site has become increasingly dangerous and less stable for visitors and the structures at the Long Island destination. The deteriorating stonework revetment is the only thing left protecting the lighthouse from being lost to the ocean due to erosion.
Construction is planned to begin later this year and expected to take up to 18 months. The project cost is an estimated $24 million, with the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) funding 35 percent and the federal government funding the remaining 65 percent.
