Scaffolding a Legend

Scaffolding a legend. Lucy the elephant, Margate NJ.

You can’t miss her. They say you can see her from eight miles away. She’s big, bold, beautiful and a survivor!  Lucy the Elephant, the six-story tall piece of zoomorphic architecture located in Margate, NJ, is a national landmark constructed of wood and tin sheeting featuring several rooms accessed through staircases in her legs. She was built in 1881 by James V. Lafferty to promote real estate sales and attract tourists to Margate and the Jersey Shore. And boy has she delivered.

As the world’s oldest surviving example of zoomorphic architecture, she is getting a major facelift. Lucy the Elephant is having her 12,000 square feet of metal skin replaced because more than 50% of its exterior has degraded beyond repair.

So it’s only fitting that after living an incredible life that she be given her magic back. Superior Scaffold was honored to be just one part of this giant puzzle to bring Lucy back to her full glory. Thanks to GC, Lucy the Elephant for bringing us in on this prestigious project.

The project involves removing her entire tin skin and repairing the damaged wood beneath, and then re-tinning the elephant exterior. The wood beneath the tin is a special red cedar that is only available from one factory out of Connecticut to keep to the original design. Finally, painters will put the final touches on Lucy with a custom 40 mill thick paint that is being specially made to the exact specifications of her original paint and color so she will shine and last another one hundred years.

For all of the details read the blogpost here!

Thanks to everyone involved. Here’s to another 150 years of Lucy the Elephant!