There’s a tiny 70-foot lighthouse on the edge of Coney Island that most New Yorkers have never seen, yet it has guided ships for more than 135 years. The Landmarks Preservation Commission voted on Tuesday to schedule a public hearing that could officially protect this 1890s structure from future demolition or alteration. This isn’t just about saving an old iron tower; it’s about deciding who gets to see a piece of our maritime history that sits behind the gates of the private Sea Gate community.
The vote sets the stage for a formal review of the lighthouse and its adjacent keeper’s dwelling. While the designation would freeze the site in time, it won’t automatically throw open the doors to the public. The structure remains tucked inside the private gates of Sea Gate, and the community manager has made it clear that access logistics are a separate, future problem. We need to know if saving the building means sacrificing our ability to ever visit it.
A Family’s Legacy on the Water
The history here runs deep, anchored by the Schubert family. His grandson, Scott Schubert, now runs a website dedicated to this history and remembers the site as “grandpa’s house.”
Scott shared his perspective on the site’s significance with Gothamist, noting how the view shifted as he grew up. “It was part of our childhood growing up, and I didn’t realize really how special it was until I became an adult,” Scott said. The family moved into the keeper’s house in 1960, and even after the light was automated in 1989, Frank stayed on to maintain the post. That dedication is exactly what this landmark vote aims to honor, preserving the physical reminder of that era.
Protecting History, Limiting Access
She noted that the lighthouse and keeper’s house are among the oldest surviving structures on Coney Island. But here is the catch: the landmark status itself won’t grant the public entry. Crista Gaglioti, the community manager for Sea Gate, stated that while the neighborhood supports the designation, figuring out public access is a hurdle for later.
This creates a strange situation where a historic site gets legal protection but remains a locked secret. Scott Schubert sees the value in preservation, telling reporters, “It’s a great part of New York and Brooklyn history, and a part that most people don’t know about, so I think it would be great to help preserve it and protect it.” Yet, without a mandate for public access, we might just be freezing a building in place for the Coast Guard and a select few residents.
The Next Step for Brooklyn
The Landmarks Preservation Commission will hold a public hearing to gather input before making a final decision on the designation. This hearing is the critical moment for New Yorkers who want to ensure that saving this history doesn’t mean hiding it forever. The commission needs to weigh the preservation of the 1890s iron-frame tower against the reality of its location inside a private enclave.
This is opinion and commentary from the RapForMayor team.
