The offices of Martha's Vineyard Marina got a lift this month. The 54 by 36 foot building on Lagoon Pond Road was lifted and moved over to the side so that new supporting spiles could be installed. The building will be seven feet higher.

The boat shop was formerly the boatbuilding shop of Erford Burt. He built many boats at the site. Years later, when it became the home of Maciel Marine, the building sitting on spiles became primarily offices and a shop. But it was always vulnerable to high tides and big storms.

The project got the approvals from the town and the blessing of the Martha's Vineyard Commission.

Lifting began on March 11. Once the building was lifted, it was moved to the side. New spiles, replacing the old, were put in the ground on Wednesday, March 19. The work is being done by Watercourse Construction of Tisbury.

The building could be moved back to its original site, by the middle of next week, and it will be 10 feet from the ground.

George J. Rogers, who with his wife Sheryl L. Roth Rogers, purchased the boatyard in November, changed the name of the business from Maciel Marine to Martha's Vineyard Marina. They also own Edgartown Marine.

Mr. Rogers said that the office building has continued to be used during this move. The electricity is still on.

Key impetus to raising the building higher also had to do with economics. Mr. Rogers said: "We are in a 10-foot velocity zone, as far as FEMA is concerned. It became a priority when FEMA wacked me with insurance premium that went through the roof."

Obviously, Mr. Rogers said, there will be a big storm in the future. "We are trying to avoid the inevitable, a storm coming along. Plus, it gives us peace of mind.. We going to make some improvements to the old building, that will be asethetically good for the community."

Prior to being moved to its present location, the building was once a church in North Tisbury and later a home.

Erford Burt, took the building apart and reassembled its present location sometime in 1945 after buying the property.