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Coney Island's small, 1890s lighthouse may be landmarked by the city
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Oct 20, 2026 at 4:41 p.m. ET
Modified Oct 20, 2026 at 5:47 p.m. ET
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Courtesy of the Landmark Preservation Commission.
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Oct 20, 2026 at 4:41 p.m. ET
Modified Oct 20, 2026 at 5:47 p.m. ET
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The city may landmark a little-known 70-foot lighthouse on the western edge of Coney Island that’s been guiding ferries, tugboats, barges and sailing vessels to safety for more than 135 years.
The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted in favor of scheduling a public hearing for the site, which includes the iron-frame lighthouse tower and an adjacent keeper’s dwelling, marking the first of several steps toward landmark designation. The recognition would protect the structures from future alteration, reconstruction, demolition or new construction without city approval.
“The lighthouse and its keeper's house are among the oldest surviving structures on Coney Island and wonderful reminders of the vital role New York Harbor has played in our city's history and development,” Landmarks Preservation Commission Chair Lisa Kersavage said.
The lighthouse, which was built in 1890, is still used by the U.S. Coast Guard.
The landmark designation wouldn’t, in itself, provide more public access to the site, tucked inside the gates of the private community of Sea Gate. Crista Gaglioti, the Sea Gate Association’s community manager, said the community supports landmark designation but logistics of public access would need to be worked out at a later date.
Preserving the site’s history has been a passion of lifelong Brooklyn resident Scott Schubert, whose grandfather Frank Schubert was the lighthouse’s last civilian keeper — and believed to be the last civilian keeper of any lighthouse in the United States.
Scott Schubert said he thought of the lighthouse as “grandpa’s house.”
“It was part of our childhood growing up, and I didn't realize really how special it was until I became an adult,” said Scott Schubert, who now runs a website memorializing his family’s history at the lighthouse.
Frank Schubert moved into the keeper’s house with his wife and kids in 1960, and while the lighthouse was automated in 1989, Frank stayed on until his death in 2003.
Scott Schubert said until then, the family would regularly give tours of the lighthouse. Since Frank Schubert’s passing, that’s been a rarer occurrence. The family’s history website recommends people reach out to either the Coast Guard or the Sea Gate Association to try and set up tours.
"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,” he said. “ Hopefully, having it be an actual landmark would make it easier to set it up so that it's easier in the future to do these things more regularly, and at least get it more recognition, obviously.”
The next step in the designation process is a hearing at which members of the public would be able to testify. No date has yet been set. The commission would then vote on the proposal, which would go to the City Council for final approval.
Correction: Because of an editing error, this story misstated Scott Schubert’s connection to Brooklyn. He is a lifelong resident of the borough.
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