GSA Announces Notices of Availability and Public Sale of Historic Lighthouses

GSA #10236

May 4, 2006
Contact: Maryanne Beatty , (202) 501-1231
maryanne.beatty@gsa.gov

Washington, DC –The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) will soon begin issuing Notices of Availability (NOAs) for 18 historic lighthouses located across the country.  In addition, planning has begun for the public sale of five lighthouses in Maine, Maryland and Rhode Island.  Four of the lighthouses have historic significance.

GSA works closely with the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Coast Guard and the Department of Interior’s National Park Service to facilitate the transfer of excess historic lighthouses at no cost to qualified federal agencies, state and local governments or non-profit organizations under the authority of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000 (NHLPA).  This act amended the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 by establishing a National Lighthouse Preservation Program.  GSA also collaborates with State Historic Preservation Officers to ensure historic preservation measures are in place to protect these properties.  If no steward is identified through the NOA and application process, GSA will sell the lighthouses through a competitive public auction.

“GSA takes its stewardship responsibilities very seriously,” said David L. Winstead, Commissioner of GSA’s Public Buildings Service.  “We recognize the cultural, recreational and educational value associated with these historic resources, and are committed to working with our federal partners and other interested stakeholders to preserve these treasured assets.”

Notices for available lighthouses as well as those scheduled for public sale will be listed in local newspapers and on GSA’s public website at http://propertydisposal.gsa.gov/property.  The complete list of projected Notices of Availability as well as information on the NHLPA process is at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/maritime/nhlpa/nhlpa.htm.  Interested parties with questions on how the NOA or the public sale process may contact GSA’s Office of Property Disposal at (202) 501-2287.  

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