Lighthouse News » Lighthouses For Sale

Borden Flats Lighthouse Sells For $55,000

Sue Clark — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 22:49:55 +0000

Nevada Attorney Michael L. Gabriel is High Bidder

In a bidding contest that heated up in the last few days before closing, prominent Nevada attorney and lighthouse lover Michael Lynn Gabriel will pay $55,000 for the historic Borden Flats Lighthouse, near Fall River, Mass. Although the cost was much lower than the two recent auctions, the light appears to be in better shape. And it has the benefit of being much closer to land.

A recent story in The Herald News highlighted some of the other potential buyers of this historic lighthouse. They included a kitchen designer from Fall River, Thomas Kern, who at the time of the story was the only actual bidder. Others included Wayne Keller of Colorado, who wanted to live in the lighthouse so he could write a book about his life as a Hollywood wardrobe designer. Manny Silva, owner of a marine construction company in Rhode Island, also was looking at it to bid, as he’d already lost Hog Island Lighthouse in a bidding war to an admiral from France. Rounding out the other bidders was a nanny from Boston and Rhode Island, Nicole Kimborowicz, who lives close to the lighthouse and wanted to purchase it, though her family thought she “was crazy.”

A Look At The Interior

Photos from the inspection are posted at the GSA’s Borden Flats account on Shutterfly, if you’d like to see all the shots, but here are a few that gives a general idea of how the inside looks, and what Mr. Gabriel will be facing after the deed is transferred. All things considered, it’s not in too bad of shape.

Base of the tower

Looks like there are some plants growing on the roof.

Interior Room Showing Window

Looks like some graffiti needs to be removed

Rust Under the Roof

Looks like someone needs welding lessons. Even I can do better than that.

The Interior Staircase

These stairs actually look in decent shape

Sharps Island Bidding Closed

As this story was being completed, it appears that Sharp’s Island bidding has closed. High bid was $80,000 for the leaning lighthouse. Lighthouse News has no information on the winner at this time, but will update when the name is released. That one is going to be a massive undertaking along with a lot of money to get it righted and usable. And to think it went for $15,000 more than Borden Flats.

Fourth Order Clamshell type Fresnel Lens For Sale $100K+ USD. Tim@chancebrothers.com for more information

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Borden Flats Lighthouse Sells For $55,000

Lighthouses For Sale - The Hidden Cost

Sue Clark — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:53:59 +0000

Living In a Lighthouse - The Dream

Peace and privacy on an island in the middle of nowhere. Waves crashing outside your windows. The cry of seagulls. A tall tower symbolizing hope, strength and safety. What could be more perfect? A lot of people have the dream of living in a lighthouse. Almost as many search for a job as a lighthouse keeper. Can you buy a lighthouse home of your dreams? Well, yes. Is it truly the home of your dreams? Well, maybe not.

It’s very rare you can buy a lighthouse that’s ready to live in. If they go up for sale, it’s already from a private owner, and the cost is more than most of us can hope to afford. Pictured at top left is the former lighthouse on Indian Island, Maine, which is now owned by a family from New York. Looks idyllic, doesn’t it? But it’s not for sale. There are some available in the United Kingdom, but again, we’re talking big money.

So, if you want to live in a lighthouse, what can you do? Check out the ones the United States auctions off through the General Services Administration, right? All you have to do is be the high bidder and you have the home of your dreams.

Buying At Auction Not So Cheap

With the recent high prices paid for the two New York lighthouses from the General Services Administration auction, did the two high bidders get a deal of a lifetime? Or have they bought a hole in the water where money will continually sink as it’s thrown into the building? And the same thing appears to be happening with the Sharp’s Island and Borden Flats Lighthouses, both of which are in bidding wars right now.

If you’re the high bidder on one of these lighthouses, you hand over the cash, sign some papers and you have a home with a 360 degree waterview. So, it needs a little work, right? Well, we can gut it and rebuild the interior to have three bedrooms, two baths and a panoramic living room and kitchen. And if it’s too hard we can just move it inland to a proper building site. Rumors have been floating around the internet, probably started by some misinformed reporter, that Borden Flats can be moved. Not true. In most if not all cases, they are still working lighthouses and the Coast Guard retains ownership of the optic and foghorn. They remain in place, and the Coast Guard can visit any time day or night to maintain their equipment.

The Historical Designation

All the lighthouses being sold are historically protected under the National Register of Historic Places and you are severely limited in what you can do. In fact, you are forbidden to change the historical character of the lighthouse and you also must abide by the respective state’s limitations as well. And even if you know what you’re getting into with the renovation requirements, you might have months, if not years in some cases, acquiring the necessary permits.

Because these lighthouses are old, there are environmental considerations as well. Slap a coat of paint on after scraping the exterior? Well, you had better be prepared to spend megabucks in environmental remediation, since you’re dealing with lead paint, possibly asbestos, and other hazardous materials.

From Mr. Gabriel:

As for the mandates issues. I actually feel that is a hindrance. I like the idea of the lighthouses to be historically correct up to the point of being safe and useable. The Historic Standards by the Department of interior do not bar use of the lighthouses and do not really drive up the costs of the restoration because the owner knows what he can and cannot do before starting. The worst feature of the mandates is the long time it takes to get all approvals which delay the start times between 8 months to a year.

Nonetheless the restoration standards do limit use of the property. In lighthouses which never had keeper’s quarters it is unlikely that permission would be granted to add them if the lighthouse is on the National Register. For that reason, the Great Lakes lighthouses may not sell for much. Only one, the Ashtabula lighthouse might have the potential of adding living quarters and therefore have interest as a second home for a buyer. Without a home feature attached to a light it is not a lighthouse.

The Submerged Bottomlands

One problem, and it’s a major one, is the quit claim deed to the lighthouse does not contain the rights to the submerged lands beneath your lighthouse. Non-profit groups have come up against this problem time and time again. And with an individual buying it, you have to deal with individual state regulations as well. What this means is you might be paying rent, you’ll be paying taxes, if you can even get permission to live in the light, or even visit it.

The problem, according to Nevada attorney Michael L. Gabriel, who’s purchased two lighthouses through government auctions, is who actually owns the bottomlands. One would think it’s the state, since it sits in state waters, but that’s not necessarily the case.

For the current auctions, without a Title Search, it is unclear as to whether the Federal Government or states own the submerged land. As the GSA is saying that occupancy easements must be obtained from New York and Massachusetts it would appear that those states are asserting ownership of the submerged lands. The question is how that happened.

When the lighthouses were first constructed as a condition for doing so, Congress required under a federal law that the states had to cede all jurisdiction for the submerged lands as long as the lighthouse was operational and upon deactivation the submerged lands go back to the states. Under the Lighthouse act, the lighthouse can be sold but not the submerged lands. As long as the lighthouses are operational under Federal law the submerged lands should be owned by the Federal government and could not be transferred without a separate Act of Congress which as far as I know was not done. Federal land cannot be taken by a state for eminent domain.

In at least some of these cases, a Quiet Title Action may have to be brought in Federal Court to establish the ownership of the dream home you’ve purchased. From the Legal dictionary:

quiet title action (n.); a lawsuit to establish a party’s title to real property against anyone and everyone, and thus “quiet” any challenges or claims to the title. Such a suit usually arises when there is some question about clear title, there exists some recorded problem (such as an old lease or failure to clear title after payment of a mortgage), an error in description which casts doubt on the amount of property owned, or an easement used for years without a recorded description. An action for quiet title requires description of the property to be “quieted,” naming as defendants anyone who might have an interest (including descendants—known or unknown—of prior owners), and the factual and legal basis for the claim of title. Notice must be given to all potentially interested parties, including known and unknown, by publication. If the court is convinced title is in the plaintiff (the plaintiff owns the title), a quiet title judgment will be granted which can be recorded and thus provide legal “good title.” Quiet title actions are a common example of “friendly” lawsuits in which often there is no opposition.

The High Cost of Consultation

With the mandate by the purchaser to restore the light to historical standards, one of the first things the new owner has to do is engage the services of an engineer to determine the best way to accomplish this. Particularly in the case of Sharp’s Island Lighthouse, which leans fifteen degrees and is actually sinking, the study and plans will cost in the tens of thousands. And that isn’t taking into consideration the actual shoring up of the light.

Permits and approvals will be needed once this is done, and at the very least, can take some time to acquire. Bureaucracy doesn’t move very fast. And hiring someone to actually do the work, which may have to involve governmental entities such as the Army Corps of Engineers, and you’re talking time and money. Sometimes as long as a year or more, as Mr. Gabriel pointed out.

And let’s not forget weather conditions. As anyone who has built a house (or renovated it) knows, weather can be one of the biggest hindrances to getting work done on time. And with offshore lighthouses, built in the worst possible places, that risk is doubled.

Partly because of all these problems and permits, Mr. Gabriel, who owns Bloody Point Lighthouse and Fourteen Foot Bank Lighthouse, plans to restore have been moving slowly. After all the engineering work was done for Bloody Point, Fourteen Foot Bank became available, and as it was in better shape, Mr. Gabriel decided to concentrate his efforts on that light instead. Plans were for the work to start in September, but with the latest auctions, that may be delayed.

Coming up next: Getting the materials to the site

Photo Credits:

Fourth Order Clamshell type Fresnel Lens For Sale $100K+ USD. Tim@chancebrothers.com for more information

For the very best in lighthouse photos and gifts visit The Lighthouse Guy.

Lighthouses For Sale - The Hidden Cost

More About High Cost of Lighthouses

Lighthouses For Sale - The Hidden Cost

Three Great Lakes Lighthouses For Sale

Sue Clark — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 18:56:46 +0000

Even though two lighthouse auctions (West Bank and Old Orchard) are stuck in a bidding war, while two others (Sharp’s Island and Borden Flats) are open, but without much action on them yet, the General Service Administration is getting ready to put three more lighthouses up for sale to the public, all of them in the Great Lakes. Two are in Ohio and one is in Minnesota. As always, the Invitations For Bids are in PDF format. The links will open in a new window, or you can right click and save them to read at your leisure. You will need Adobe Reader to view them.

Cleveland Harbor East Breakwater Light (Lake Erie)

A 31 foot white cast iron tower perched on a concrete platform attached to a stone pier, it is only accessible by water. The pier doesn’t attach to land. It was offered under the National Lighthouse Preservation Act last year, but no non-profit or municipality stepped forward to adopt it. The light was temporarily removed in 2005 to rebuild the pier underneath it.

The opening date for this auction is September 9, 2008, at 15:00 (3:00 p.m.) EDT. The minimum deposit on this will be $5,000, with the minimum opening bid the same ($5,000). Bid increments will be $5,000. Here is the Invitation For Bids, and there is also an addendum to it, specifying that its exterior cannot be changed under Ohio’s historic preservation rules. Inspection date (only registered bidders) is set for September 6, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. EDT.

Conneaut Harbor West Breakwater Light (Lake Erie)

A beautiful 70 foot square cylindrical Art Moderne steel tower on a square base. It’s mounted on a stone foundation at the end of the breakwater. It’s accessible by walking out on the pier from west of the entrance to Conneaut Harbor. It is the second lighthouse in this location, having replaced a large masonry lighthouse in 1905. The lantern was removed in 1972, but is still active. Opening date for this auction is also September 9, 2008, at 14:00 EDT. It will cost you $5,000 to register as a bidder, and the bid increments will also be $5,000. And the opening bid will most likely also be $5,000. The inspection date for registered bidders is on September 5, 2008, at 14:00 (2:00 pm) EDT. Invitation For Bids.

Duluth South Harbor Breakwater Inner Light (Lake Superior)

A 67 foot square pyramidal steel skeletal tower with lantern, double gallery, and central cylinder to access the top, this active lighthouse is adjacent to the Aerial Lift Bridge in Duluth. It is easily accessed by walking the breakwater. The original Fourth Order Fresnel is on display at the Lake Superior Marine Museum.

This lighthouse will go up for bidding on September 16, 2008, at 14:00 (2:00 pm) EDT. Inspection is set for September 11, 2008 from 17:00 to 18:30 local time (5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.). Local time is CDT. This lighthouse will also go in $5,000 increments, and you will need to deposit $5,000 with GSA before being allowed to bid. Starting bid will most likely be $5,000. Invitation For Bids.

More Information

If you need more information before possible bidding on these orphan lighthouses, the contact person for all three is:
Arthur Ullenberg
arthur.ullenberg@gsa.gov
(312) 353-6039

Photo Credits:

Cleveland East and Duluth Harbor by CWBash. Some rights reserved.
Conneaut Harbor by mozart 45 on Community Webshots.

Fourth Order Clamshell type Fresnel Lens For Sale $100K+ USD. Tim@chancebrothers.com for more information

For the very best in lighthouse photos and gifts visit The Lighthouse Guy.

Three Great Lakes Lighthouses For Sale

Lighthouse Bidding Breaks $200,000

Sue Clark — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 23:01:28 +0000

Whew, so far the bids are standing at $200,000 for West Bank Lighthouse and $140,000 for Old Orchard Shoal. There will probably be no more bids over the weekend, but come Monday there might be some more action. There is a notice on the site that if the auctions haven’t closed by August 26, the bid increments will be increased to $15,000 rather than the $5,000 as it is now.

Recent West Bank Bidding

Amount	Bidder	Date
$200,000	shells3d	08/22/08
$195,000	kswiss1	08/22/08
$190,000	wow	08/21/08
$185,000	kswiss1	08/21/08
$180,000	wow	08/21/08
$175,000	LYBSSZYA	08/20/08

Recent Old Orchard Shoals Bidding

Amount	Bidder	Date
$140,000	ATBYSZTL	08/22/08
$135,000	asdfg	08/22/08
$130,000	ATBYSZTL	08/21/08
$125,000	asdfg	08/21/08
$120,000	ATBYSZTL	08/20/08
$115,000	asdfg	08/20/08

Although currently not in the top bidders, Michael Gabriel, the lawyer from Nevada who likes to collect lighthouses, is probably still in the running. Thanks to one of my subscribers, Barbara, who also runs the Lighthousenuts group on Yahoo. She remembered that Gabriel’s screen name was latea. One of the bidders on these lights is using the screen name aetal1, which is obviously the reverse of latea. Right now, his is the lone bid on Sharp’s Island, and the top bid on Borden Flats. As always, Lighthouse News will keep you up to date on these (and the two upcoming) auctions.

Fourth Order Clamshell type Fresnel Lens For Sale $100K+ USD. Tim@chancebrothers.com for more information

For the very best in lighthouse photos and gifts visit The Lighthouse Guy.

Lighthouse Bidding Breaks $200,000

NY Lighthouse Auctions - Bids Closing

Sue Clark — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 20:02:03 +0000

Soft Close Set For Online Auctions

Old Orchard Shoals and West Bank Lighthouses are set to go off the market Monday, August 25 at 3:00 pm (EDT). If you were planning on bidding on these New York Lights, now is (almost) your last chance. A soft close means that if there are no more bids during the day, then the lighthouse will be sold to the highest bidder. If there is a last minute bid, the closing date will be extended on a daily basis to allow the previous bidders (or any last minute new ones) to up the ante for the home of their dreams. Wait…home of their dreams? Photos have recently been placed online of the recent inspection, and the deterioration of these lighthouses is absolutely heartbreaking.

These lights have been subject to some intense bidding, and with the current new closing date comes a little more information. If the bidding continues until August 26 the minimum bid increment will be raised to $15,000, up from the current $5,000. I guess that means only the “Big Dogs” will be playing after that date.

Old Orchard Shoals

Current high bid sits at $30,000. Some of the photos from GSA are below. The entire set is available at Shutterfly.

Old Orchard Shoals Lighthouse

Interior Shot of Old Orchard Shoals

Stairway at Old Orchard Shoals

Another view of the interior

It seems to be in pretty much need of work.

West Bank Lighthouse

Current bid is at $40,000. Full set of photos is also at Shutterfly.

West Bank Lighthouse

Interior Room at West Bank Lighthouse

Ceiling at West Bank lighthouse

Ladder stairs

more stairs

West Bank Lighthouse seems in the worse shape of the two, at least on the interior.

If You Miss The Deadline There Are More

Well, bidding for Borden Flats Lighthouse in Massachussetts is currently open. And Sharp’s Island Lighthouse bidding is now open. Best part of Sharp’s Island is the minimum opening bid is only $5,000. Of course, you’re bidding on the Leaning Lighthouse of Maryland. Strangely enough, the original lighthouse was also a leaner. This is the second time it’s tilted. It was also the only nuclear powered lighthouse in the world. From 1964 to 1965, it was experimentally powered by a small atomic reactor. The Invitation to Bid on Sharp’s Island Lighthouse is available from the auction site. It’s a pdf file, you will need Adobe Reader to view it, and it will open in a new window or tab in your browser.

Watch for upcoming info on the other lighthouses’ auctions by subscribing to Lighthouse News. It’s free, and you can get the news in email.

Fourth Order Clamshell type Fresnel Lens For Sale $100K+ USD. Tim@chancebrothers.com for more information

For the very best in lighthouse photos and gifts visit The Lighthouse Guy.

NY Lighthouse Auctions - Bids Closing