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Muskegon lighthouse group seeks $800,000 to finish Breakwater Light restoration
Summary
Presenters told the Muskegon City Commission the 1931 Breakwater Light needs $1.6 million in restoration; a state grant covered $800,000 and the Save Our Light campaign is seeking the remaining $800,000 from the community to complete repairs this year.
Kim Lang, speaking for Muskegon Lighthouses, asked the commission to help the Save Our Light campaign complete a $1.6 million restoration of the South Breakwater Light.
"The state granted $800,000 to get it started," Lang said, and contractors have completed abatement and application of primer and protective coatings. She said the steel structure has deteriorated from decades of ice and wave action and that some repairs must be done in place because the structure is too brittle to move.
A representative from Kindred Marketing noted the project is not "just a paint job" and urged the city to help as fiduciary for donations. The presenters pointed residents to saveourlight.org and the Muskegon Foundation's Muskegon Lighthouse Fund for online giving.
Commissioners asked a few procedural questions and offered thanks to the volunteers and contractors. No formal action or funding request from the commission was made at the meeting; presenters said they hope to finish work this fall if fundraising goals are met.
The presentation summarized work completed so far: exterior abatement and zinc primer applied by NIM Enterprises, off-site railing fabrication over winter, and a replica diaphone foghorn built by Eagle Group Manufacturing. Presenters reported total funds raised through contributions and pledges are nearly $1.2 million to date and reiterated the campaign needs about $800,000 more to reach the $1.6 million target.
The commission did not vote on a city contribution but acknowledged the group's request and thanked the volunteers and local businesses involved in the restoration.
