Buyer has ambitious plans for Frying Pan Shoals Tower

[clt_capt]

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Buyer has ambitious plans for Frying Pan Shoals Tower


By Ken Little
Citydesk@StarNewsOnline.com


Published: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at 5:21 p.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at 5:21 p.m.
( page all of 3 )
Richard Neal speaks with unbridled enthusiasm when he talks about restoring the Frying Pan Shoals Light Tower.

The Charlotte man was the successful bidder in a sealed bid sale May 13 for the well-known nautical landmark about 25 miles southeast of Southport.


In fact, a federal General Services Administration spokesman said Neal was the only bidder for the modified 80-foot steel oil drilling platform, which was used by the Coast Guard as an aid to navigation from 1966 until about eight years ago. GPS and buoys rendered the tower obsolete, and the Coast Guard turned the nautical landmark over to the GSA to be sold.
Neal sees a variety of uses for the tower, including as a unique type of bed-and-breakfast establishment supported by four massive steel legs. He said a recent Coast Guard-commissioned structural assessment supports the contention that it is basically sound. An executive summary by structural engineers who made the inspection reaches the same general conclusions, finding that "primary structural elements" of the tower are in "satisfactory" condition.
"What we're really hoping to do is restore it so people can have access to it again," Neal said.
Neal, 50, is a licensed pilot who has flown over the structure but has not yet set foot on it. He hopes to take formal possession next week and plans to inspect the tower at that time with the aid of a local charter boat captain.
Neal's successful bid of $85,000 was considerably less than the $515,000 offered for the light tower in 2008 by a South Carolina man who later declined to complete the purchase because he was not allowed to inspect the tower and was unsure of its condition. The second-highest bidder also declined to purchase the tower, which reverted back to the GSA.
Neal "can do what he wants to" with the tower, subject to state and federal regulations. "He would need to renovate that to the point where people could access it safely," said Louis Mancuso, GSA project manager for property disposal.
"You can imagine an offshore light that resembles a drill rig is not a prime sale item," Mancuso said.
Imagination is what was fired within Neal when he became aware of the light tower's availability.
Many people have an affinity for the rusting platform, which has two floors and 5,000 square feet of living space that includes five bedrooms, a kitchen, office, storage area, recreation area and toilet facilities.
Neal said he's received support from "a lot of folks who want to help put it back into order." Those include electricians, plumbers and other skilled craftsmen willing to donate their time to refurbish the tower.
Neal said the light tower could offer overnight stays to charter fishing expeditions and divers who frequent Frying Pan Shoals, offer a safe haven for boaters and a helipad for use in medical emergencies. "Top-end" users could fly in for a week or weekend and enjoy a private fishing vacation, Neal said.
Neal also hopes to have a cell phone tower erected on the platform.
The Coast Guard commissioned a Charleston engineering firm to inspect the Frying Pan Shoals light station in January. A three-person team "conducted a visual and tactile examination of the accessible structural steel members," according to the summary.
"Primary structural elements" were found to be in satisfactory condition, as was the helicopter deck, machinery and quarters decks and light tower stairway. Loss of paint coating, corrosion and pack rust were evident "on most structural elements exposed to the marine environment."
Recommended repairs include "thoroughly cleansing and reapplying a protective coating suitable for marine environments, rebuilding the entire walkways for the maintenance deck and replacing the support members for the walkways at specific locations" on the helicopter, machinery and quarters decks.
The structural engineers estimate a $1.37 million price tag for the work. Neal says that with the help of those who want to see the tower back as a functional part of the marine environment, the actual restoration could cost half as much.
Neal, an Oklahoma native, is a software engineer by trade. He admits to fishing only once in his life. But he also has "a love of the ocean" from many flights taken along the Eastern Seaboard in his small private plane.
Neal hopes to have the tower at least partially accessible by next year and "fully functional" by 2012.
"I consider one of the nice things about living in America is that an average guy like me can take on a half-crazy project like this," he said.

[seapower]

I have never been on Frying Pan, but back in the day I spent some time on Ches Light. I wasn't stationed on it but I was aboard a Cutter in the area that used to bring needed material, maybe swap some crew, etc... It was alway's cool to spend some time on the Light. I'm sure it got old to the one's who were Stationed there though. If I remember correctly they had a rotation, they didn't stay there 365. I would definitely be interested in staying a week at a time myself, depending on the cost obviously. I think it'll fly myself. Frank

[Nauti Natured]

Very cool ... I think that would be an amazing high-end fisherman's resort. Cast a livie off the deck and catch a nice wahoo for dinner

[WAHOONBOX]

WHO WAS THE DUMB ASS IN OUR GOVERNMENT THAT DISALLOWED AN INSPECTION OF THIS TOWER BY THE HIGH BIDDER? IF THAT AIN'T ABOUT LAME I TELL YOU....

A MAN WAS WILLING TO PAY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DENERO IF HE COULD ONLY INSPECT IT????? AND OUR GOVERNMENT SAID "NO"?

I'LL CAST THE FIRST STONE....ANYONE ELSE?

OUR GOVERNMENT REBUILT A MOREHEAD CITY TRAIN STATION FOR HERITAGE PURPOSES...TWO OF THEM IN CARTERET COUNTY ALONE...MUCHO $$$$$$$$$....SORRY I DON'T GET IT....I JUST DON'T GET IT.....I DON'T NEED A MILLION DOLLAR RECONTRUCTION PROJECT OF A STUPID TRAIN STATION FOR ME TO REMEMBER THE GOOD OL DAYS.....I CAN DO THAT EVERY TIME I RIP THE FRONT END OUT OF MY TRUCK WHEN I CROSS THE FRIGGIN RAILROAD TRACKS ON A DAILY BASIS IN MHC WITH TRAIN TRACKS GOING THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE ENTIRE TOWN

I BET THEY RE-INSPECTED THE TRAIN STATIONS BEFORE "RE-CONSTRUCTION" WITH NO PROBLEMO....

[Ace1st]

That pretty much sums it up from what I remember. I think the High Bidder originallly was a group associated with Clive Cussler. That Bid was substantially higher than the one on it now, (I think a half mill.), but they werent allowed to inspect it so they withdrew it.

I guess the Govt' saw the writing on the wall and got it inspected prior to the new auction. Amazing that our Govt would waste the time and money to auction it off but fail to inspect it or allow access to it for an inspection.

What did they think? Someone would buy it but not want to go on it?