2026 Rock and Dock Renovation
The East End Seaport Museum proudly announces it has raised the $880,000 needed to complete the “Rock and Dock” phase of a multi-year plan to restore the iconic Long Beach Bar Lighthouse, affectionately known as Bug Light. The “Rock & Dock” phase includes stabilizing the Lighthouse’s rockpile foundation and constructing a new landing dock and access ramp.
The funding was raised through foundational gifts from individuals in the community totaling $690,000, which allowed EESM to secure matching grants from the David Robert Gardiner Foundation and the Empire State Development’s Regional Economic Development Council Capital Funds Program.
“Our committee is grateful to the generous community members whose early, meaningful commitments made this project possible,” said Heather Wolf, Co-Chair of the Keep Bug Light Shining Campaign. “They represent this community’s love for the lighthouse and a desire to preserve it for generations to come.”
Marine construction will be led by Chesterfield Associates, a firm with deep expertise in coastal engineering and marine construction projects spanning from Virginia to Maine. Restoring a historic lighthouse on a small, weather-exposed island in Gardiners Bay presents unique challenges, requiring daily marine transport of crews and materials, the use of specialized marine-grade and historically appropriate components, and the precise placement of multi-ton stone using high-capacity cranes.
Materials purchasing is underway and construction is scheduled to begin in February, with barges and cranes mobilized at the lighthouse site to reinforce the rockpile foundation and construct a safe, accessible dock. The project includes a new forty-foot, two-level pier built with environmentally friendly Greenheart lumber; a twenty-foot wave-mitigation screen along the south side of the pier; five dolphin structures to support boat docking and manage ice flow; and a new 161-foot walkway formed by installing a series of two-ton, flat-faced granite blocks along the existing perimeter.
“Preserving Bug Light begins with its foundation,” said Executive Director, Erin Kimmel. “This critical first step stabilizes the structure and sets the stage for Bug Light’s return as a community landmark for education, culture, and inspiration.”
Bug Light is a defining feature of the North Fork’s waterfront, but decades of exposure to tides, storms, and saltwater have taken a toll. Without intervention, deterioration of the foundation and access structures would jeopardize the lighthouse’s future. Completion is anticipated by mid-June, in time to welcome visitors for the museum’s summer lighthouse cruises.
Individual Philanthropy Meets Institutional Support
Early and generous contributions from a dedicated group of lead donors and philanthropists made these matching opportunities possible, leveraging a $293,840 matching grant from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation and $139,000 in matching funds from Empire State Development’s Regional Economic Development Council Capital Funds Program. Together, these investments have made it possible to commit to this critical phase of restoring and revitalizing the East End’s cherished Bug Light.
“The matching grants are a powerful affirmation of what our community has already shown—that Bug Light matters,” comments Paul Kreiling, Museum Trustee Emeritus and a driving force behind the Keep Bug Light Shining campaign.
“Community investment enabled us to unlock these matching awards and move from planning to action,” said Board of Trustees Chair Sarah Sands.
“Bug Light has always belonged to the community,” said Andrew Wolf Campaign Co-Chair. “These grants recognize not only the importance of the lighthouse, but the extraordinary commitment of the people who stepped forward early to help save it.”
A Strategic, Phased Approach
East End Seaport Museum & Marine Foundation launched the Keep Bug Light Shining Capital Campaign in 2024. Sands, who spearheaded the campaign, described the project as “carefully structured into phases to allow visible progress, responsible fundraising, and improved public access as early as summer 2026.” She described the phases:
Phase One: Rock & Dock (now funded) stabilizes the rockpile base and replaces failing docks and ramps.
Subsequent phases will address structural restoration of the lighthouse itself, followed by modernization and enhancements that support exhibitions, tours, and educational programming.
“This phased approach ensures both fiscal responsibility and measurable progress while honoring the historic integrity of the site,” she added.
Building Momentum: A Living History Site for the Future
Since 1993, the East End Seaport Museum has welcomed visitors to its home in the former Long Island Railroad terminal on Greenport Harbor’s fishing wharf. Through exhibits, lectures, youth programs, cruises to Bug Light, and community events the Museum deepens appreciation for Long Island’s maritime legacy and the waters that define the region.
Restoring Bug Light is central to that mission. Once fully restored, the lighthouse will function as a living history site, offering immersive tours, maritime arts and cultural exhibits, and educational programming that explores coastal trade, navigation, lighthouse keeping, and the East End’s enduring relationship with the sea.
With Phase One now moving forward, EESM will continue fundraising for later phases, which include structural renovations to the lighthouse itself, an expanded wraparound balcony with 360° views of Peconic Bay, a patio at the lighthouse base for community gatherings, upgraded amenities including restrooms, as well as solar power for sustainable, off-grid energy independence. The East End Seaport Museum & Marine Foundation is thrilled to be bringing new vitality to the Greenport waterfront and ensuring Bug Light shines—stronger, safer, and brighter—once again.
For further information, contact: director@eastendseaport.org