The historic Coast Guard Station at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River is once again becoming a destination.
“To find it takes a little bit of effort, but that effort is absolutely worth it,” said Tammy Oliver, Cleveland Metroparks director of project development.
A trip up Whiskey Island Drive and a short walk will lead you to it. The station was built in the 1940s. It sat empty for decades after it was closed in the 1970s. In 2009, the City of Cleveland invested $500,000 to replace the roof. Cleveland Metroparks began restoration in 2016.
The interior of the boat house was finished this year. It’s now being used by college and high school sailors.
The Metroparks is going through a master planning process to determine the best use for the main house, where sailors once lived.
“Although from the exterior it’s fresh, clean and green, we still have a lot of work to do on the interior,” said Oliver. "The building needs utilities. It still needs abatement on the interior. We need to bring it to its full productive life which will be a process over time.”
The spotting tower 75 feet above the ground provides stunning views of downtown Cleveland and Lake Erie. Oliver hopes it will one day be open to the public.
So far, $1.2 million has been spent on the project.
