Wednesday, May 2, 2012

The Supreme Court's iconic front will soon be covered with scaffolding, as workers begin almost two years' worth of repair to an area where some of the building's marble fell a few years ago.

The court announced Wednesday that repairs will begin next week on the west front of the building, which faces the U.S. Capitol. The scaffolding and repair work is not expected to impede entry and exit to the building for the public.

A basketball-sized piece of marble molding fell from the facade over the entrance to the Supreme Court in 2005. Court officials have had netting placed over the marble on the front pediment ever since to prevent any more marble from falling to the ground. The court says repair and cleaning will take approximately 21 months.