HANDOUT
Damaged fuel tanks are seen at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. The museum, which remains closed to the public, sustained major infrastructure damage from Hurricane Sandy and the exhibits have been placed in storage.
Hurricane Sandy was an unwelcome new arrival to Ellis Island.
The national landmark has been closed to visitors since the October storm — and will remain closed for up to a year — even after an infusion of more than $20 million in federal recovery money, The Post has learned.
“The progress we made on Ellis Island over the past decade was extraordinary,” said Janis Calella, president of Save Ellis Island. “The devastation set us back.”
Sandy’s floodwaters were able to breach the sea wall and inundate the island, a historic point of entry for immigrants between 1892 and 1954.
Water rose to just below the first floor of the Immigration Museum.
And the Ferry Building, which just underwent a $3.5 million rehab, was washed out. A $400,000 exhibit dedicated to the medical care that was offered to immigrants was completely lost.
“We have had to cancel a full schedule of programs for 2013 and we don’t know when we’re going to be able to start them up again,” Calella said.
All of the island’s utility systems — electric, ventilation and communications — were wrecked.
“Almost all of our infrastructure is in the basements,” David Luchsinger, the chief Park Service administrator told The Post. “It was pretty much submerged and destroyed.”
Seawater flooded every basement and even destroyed the administration offices that had been restored only three months before the storm.
Luchsinger — whose home and belongings on Liberty Island were also destroyed — said it was only fortunate that most of Ellis Island’s historic artifacts were not damaged.
Eighty percent of them have since been moved to Maryland for safe-keeping because the island doesn’t have climate or air-control protection for them.
After decades of neglect, sections of the island were slowly rebuilt in the past 25 years and transformed into a tourist destination.
The island is part of the National Park Service and run by the federal officials who also operate the nearby Statue of Liberty.
Officials said they tried to prepare for Sandy as it approached but they could never have been ready for the storm’s power.
josh.margolin@nypost.com
Ellis Island to remain closed for up to a year after Sandy devastation
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Ellis Island to remain closed for up to a year after Sandy devastation
