Phase 1 Completed 2020
3,000 square feet
Historic Rehabilitation | New Construction

In collaboration with the Stonington Historical Society since 2012, OEA is now in the construction phase of a renovation and expansion of the Old Lighthouse Museum in Stonington, CT. Built in 1840 and on the National Register of Historic Places, the gem-like, load-bearing stone structure has operated as a local history museum for the past ninety years and had been in need of significant restoration and repair. Key institutional goals have included the long-term preservation of the lighthouse, upgraded climate control systems and a new accessible museum entry. Organized by a network of new pathways and low stone retaining walls, a reinvented public entry sequence leads visitors from the street to a new "visitor center" located on the back side of the historic structure. The new addition overlooks Fishers Island Sound and accommodates the new accessible entry to the museum, a new info/ticketing desk, a museum store, public restroom and lead-in exhibits that explain the history of the lighthouse. Inside the lighthouse proper, restoration efforts center on the preservation and rehabilitation of historical materials, as well as full replacement of damaged or diseased building elements. OEA has been collaborating with CT State Historic Preservation Office to ensure the project meets the Standards for Rehabilitation as governed by the Secretary of the Interior. OEA has also been directly involved in the historic Stonington Borough project approvals process.