▁serious ▁damage ▁to ▁the ▁first ▁floor ▁gallery ▁and ▁le aks ▁into ▁the ▁foundation . ▁Bro ken ▁and ▁jam med ▁windows ▁and ▁doors ▁allowed ▁se ag ull s ▁into ▁the ▁interior . ▁Some ▁rep airs ▁were ▁made , ▁but ▁more ▁significant ▁changes ▁were ▁made ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 – 8 7 , ▁when ▁the ▁light ▁was ▁converted ▁to ▁solar ▁power . ▁The ▁new ▁be acon ▁was ▁placed ▁outside ▁the ▁lan tern , ▁and ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁a ▁more ▁substantial ▁renov ation ▁was ▁done ▁in ▁an ▁effort ▁to ▁rem edy ▁the ▁damage ▁and ▁neglect . ▁However , ▁ins pe ctions ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁showed ▁that ▁the ▁decl ine ▁of ▁the ▁light ▁continued . ▁ ▁Const ruction ▁of ▁the ▁Mon itor - M err im ac ▁Memorial ▁Bridge - T unnel ▁produced ▁a ▁background ▁to ▁the ▁light ▁which ▁t ended ▁to ▁obsc ure ▁it . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁the ▁be acon ▁was ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁interior ▁of ▁the ▁lan tern , ▁and ▁the ▁characteristic ▁changed ▁to ▁red ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁make ▁it ▁more ▁visible ▁against ▁the ▁bridge ' s ▁lights . ▁ ▁This ▁light ▁was ▁among ▁a ▁group ▁offered ▁to ▁non - pro fit ▁groups ▁under ▁the ▁National ▁Historic ▁L ighth ouse ▁Pres ervation ▁Act ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁There ▁were ▁no ▁tak ers , ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁put ▁up ▁for ▁au ction ▁and ▁purchased ▁by ▁the ▁Bill ings ley ▁and ▁G ons ou lin ▁families ▁with ▁a