LACKAWANNA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Crews are nearing the final stages of restoration work on the iconic dome of the Basilica of Our Lady of Victory in Lackawanna.
Monsignor David LiPuma said the restoration is nearly 80% finished, with fall weather allowing crews to make headway before winter.
"It's been beautiful," Monsignor LiPuma said. "It's been a great fall, which means that we can really move along on restoring that beautiful dome."
One of the latest developments involves the cupola, the structure atop the dome. Crews are preparing to remove its copper and install a protective covering for the winter months.
Baker said the temporary covering allows the team to monitor how it performs through the winter before returning in the spring to replace the copper and continue work on the dome.
Crews are expected to continue working in December, weather permitting, before taking a winter break.
The current timeline calls for the restoration, including the cupola, to be completed in July 2027. All scaffolding is expected to come down in August, allowing visitors and passersby to see the restored dome in its entirety.
"If the weather continues and things move along, by the end of July, we should have the dome completed with the cupola and by the end of August, all the scaffolding will be down, and we'll be able to see it in its entirety," Monsignor LiPuma said.
The project is part of a broader effort to preserve one of Western New York's most recognizable religious and architectural landmarks.
Baker said the restoration is about ensuring the dome is part of the region's landscape for generations to come.
"It's amazing that, at this time in history, we can restore it for the next 100 years because it lasted 100 years; that copper dome lasted 100 years," Monsignor LiPuma said.
