Bay Pines Soldiers’ Memorial
Bay Pines National Cemetery, Saint Petersburg, Florida
The Bay Pines Soldiers’ Memorial is a grand Art Deco monument at the center of the National Cemetery. Consisting of a five sided tower, the monument is carved from beautifully figured Etowah Fleuri marble from Georgia. The monument was severely damaged after being struck by lightening in 2009. An entire face of the tower was blown off, other stones were destabilized, and not surprisings, many stones were irreversibly damaged. The Veterans Administration contracted with Conservation Solutions to restore the monument to its original condition, repair damages and install a lightening protection system. Work occurred in 2010.
A careful survey of the monument was performed and all losses were mapped on CAD drawings. Shop drawings were prepared for new stone units to replace the lost ones. Conservators traveled to the Georgia Marble quarry to select one of the rare stone blocks that still existed with a coloring and veining similar to the 70 year old stock used in the monument. Units were then carved to match the damaged ones. When they were ready to ship, CSI mobilied on site and restored the monument. Failed caulking was cut out and dislocated stones were carefully removed and salvaged. The hollow brick core was restored and a lightening protection system run through it from the uppermost stone to the monument base.
Damaged historic stones were repaired with dutchman using stock from the original stones that were to be replaced. The new stones were then installed, and the entire monument was repointed and cleaned. Lead cap strips were installed on the uppermost joints to seal the core.
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