ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — The United States Naval Academy's iconic chapel dome, whose patina has turned green with age, is set to be replaced with a shiny new version.
Naval Academy spokesman Lt. David McKinney says the copper dome was originally going to be repaired, but the severity of its deterioration has prompted officials to replace it entirely. It will take about 20 years for the dome to turn green again.
An $8.9 million repair project on the dome began in November. It's unclear how much it will cost to replace it instead.
This marks the seventh refurbishment of the chapel, which will remain open for visitors, services, funerals and weddings. Officials say there is a backlog of about 108 academy maintenance projects, estimated to cost a total of $736 million.
