The Borough of Point Pleasant Beach has officially acquired the historic United States Coast Guard (USCG) station on the Manasquan Inlet, announced Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester) and Point Pleasant Beach Mayor Paul Kanitra today.
“The Coast Guard station is nothing less than a national treasure—both for its part in the Coast Guard’s lifesaving search and rescue missions, as well as for its stunning architecture and design,” said Rep. Smith, who worked diligently with Mayor Kanitra and Point Pleasant Beach officials since 2015 to get the station listed on the National Register of Historic Places and subsequently have ownership transferred from the Coast Guard to the Borough.
“The acquisition of the historic Coast Guard station and the planned restoration of it into a museum, committee meeting area and event space is a game changer for Point Pleasant Beach,” said Mayor Kanitra, who noted the town received the deed and keys on August 25th for a bargain price of approximately $1 million.
“The funding that will be generated by the kitchen and dining area will help offset any operating costs and fill a void for those recreating in our inlet area,” Kanitra said. “The project will also compliment the upcoming Channel Drive revitalization in many ways. We’re incredibly grateful to Congressman Smith for his years of hard work on helping to make this a reality.”
“This is just one of the old buildings in this town that has so much character that just was screaming to be saved,” said Point Pleasant Beach Borough Historian Jerry Woolley, who helps collect and preserve the rich history of the town.
After sustaining serious damage during Superstorm Sandy, the Coast Guard station become obsolete in 2017 when the USCG built a new 20,276-square-foot building designed to withstand 123 mile-per-hour winds. One year later, the Coast Guard decommissioned the former station and began the years-long process of separating the property from the federal rolls.
Smith said adding the original station to the National Register of Historic Places was key to transferring the property to the Borough. After Smith and Kanitra strongly advocated for its listing, the Coast Guard initiated the historic registration process, which was approved on May 14, 2021.
“So many great people in the Coast Guard served here—and above all, saved lives,” said Smith. “It is only fitting that this iconic station—which is greatly admired by local residents and tourists alike—is now entrusted to the Borough so it can be preserved to enrich the community for generations to come.”
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