Boldt Castle to finish its makeover

ALEXANDRIA BAY, NY (AP) - The international agency that operates a bridge linking the U.S. and Canada in northern New York plans to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to finish a project aimed at preserving a landmark in the Thousand Islands region on the St. Lawrence River.

The Watertown Daily Times reports that the Thousand Island Bridge Authority will spend $800,000 to wrap up the exterior rehabilitation of Boldt Castle's Alster Tower by the end of the year. The bridge authority owns the historic site located on Heart Island, just of Alexandra Bay in Jefferson County.

The project is the last phase of a four-year effort to stabilize the distinctive stone structure's foundation, its seawall and properly weatherproof the tower.

The bridge authority is hoping to reopen the 114-year-old tower to visitors in 2014.