The Harvard Lampoon's costly project to repair its copper roof structure should be completed by the end of next week, said Joseph F. Hickey, maintenance official at the Lampoon castle.

Lampoon President Michael H. Schur '97 estimated the cost of the renovation to be "between $700,000 and $800,000, ballpark." That figure could not be confirmed.

He added that the Lampoon endowment is "millions, millions...we keep it in jewels!"

The Lampoon is a not-so-secret Bow Street social organization that used to occasionally publish a so-called humor magazine.

Members of the Lampoon Board of Trustees, a group of alumnas that manages the humor magazine's endowment and made the decision to rebuild the roof, could not be reached for comment.

Schur said that, while the slate remains intact, the roof needed to be resealed because of frequent leakage, which had damaged electronic equipment in the building.

In addition, the dome is being recoppered in front.

"It will be neat to see the roof in gold like it was when the castle was first built," said Kenneth C. Lai '97, the Lampoon sanctum, whose position involves taking care of the building.

The construction has not interfered with the printing of the "quarterly" magazine of the Lampoon, and Lai said that it "hasn't been a distraction at all."

The contracting company responsible for the roof work is Yankee Steeplejack, according to Hickey, who said that it has "been a long summer" of roof work.

The project began in June and was originally scheduled to be finished in the second week of September, but inclement weather extended the time frame.