The Pacific Aviation Museum says the stabilization of the historic Ford Island Control Tower in Pearl Harbor is due to officially begin this week.

The tower is where a radioman issued the first radio broadcast of the Dec. 7, 1941 Japanese attack.

The museum is housed in a nearby hangar and has made restoring the tower a priority. It plans to hold a blessing ceremony for the project on Friday.

The museum estimates it will cost $7.5 million to completely restore the tower. The project has received $3.8 million from the Defense Department.

The tower’s steel stairs, landings, ladders, beams, and other areas are experiencing severe corrosion. The museum says must be repaired, refinished and in some cases replaced.