On August 23, 2011, a 5.9 magnitude earthquake hit the DC metropolitan area and caused considerable damage to the monument. It was closed and after $15 million in repair work, it was reopened only to be closed again in 2016 after an elevator cable snapped. Lerch Bates was called upon to use our expertise to replace the outdated elevator. Teaming with Delaware Elevator, we wrote specifications for the new elevator along with a new programmed operating system for the elevator. It enables the elevator to be used without an attendant and also slows as the elevator descends to show the “state stones” in the inside of the monument.
