Lucy the Elephant

Built in 1881 as a seaside folly by contractor James Lafferty, Jr., Lucy the Elephant has served many roles over time, including a private residence, tavern, and rooming house, before being donated to the City of Margate in 1970. Rising six stories and weighing approximately 90 tons, the iconic structure is visible for miles along the New Jersey coastline on a clear day. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Lucy now operates as a museum and historic landmark.

In 2006, Keast & Hood was engaged following a lightning strike that damaged the howdah located on Lucy’s back. The initial scope focused on repairing the roof framing; however, once the howdah was removed, extensive corrosion was discovered in the underlying steel framing concealed beneath the wood trim. As a result, the roof framing and the lower portion of the howdah structure were fully replaced with galvanized steel. In 2007, the restored howdah was lifted back into place and reanchored to the new steel framing system.

In 2021, Keast & Hood provided structural engineering services for repairs to Lucy’s exterior skin and supporting column system. This phase addressed deterioration of the wood lattice skin structure and associated vertical supports, ensuring continued stability while preserving the historic appearance of the landmark.

In 2022, the structural scope included a detailed review of the existing structural steel columns and the structural wood lattice skin system. Repair details were developed and provided during the construction phase to support ongoing maintenance and preservation efforts.