Tourists visiting Washington, D.C., may have been disappointed in recent years when they couldn't go inside and up the iconic Washington Monument. This summer, that changes.

The Washington Monument will reopen this August once a new security building is constructed and updates are made to the monument's elevator. The site was closed in August 2016 to upgrade the elevator that brings tourists to a 500-foot observation level and to build the screening facility.

It was expected to open earlier than August (an alert on its website says "The Washington Monument is closed until spring 2019), but "has been delayed for mitigation of possibly contaminated soil in the construction area," according to a statement from the National Park Service . This is in relation to the completion of the new security building. The soil doesn't pose a public health risk.

As for the elevator, it needs to undergo final testing and get its safety systems certified.

NPS will announce an official date as progress is made.

A 2011 earthquake left the monument damaged and cracked. The monument was open for two years after the earthquake repairs were finished before closing again in 2016 due to ongoing issues with its elevator.

Contributing: Ryan W. Miller