Renovating any home presents a certain set of challenges ranging from selecting the proper tradesmen to choosing finishes and furniture. Most homeowners will hire professionals for all or part of the work based on needing their unique skills and expertise. But sometimes homes come with additional obstacles such as a steep driveway or close neighbors, which make a large renovation even more complicated.
Fairport Harbor West Lighthouse has all of these challenges and more. Certainly one of the most difficult aspects of this renovation project has been the location and logistics of getting people, materials, supplies and tools to the site. Currently, there are only two ways to access the structure: 1) parking in Mentor Headlands State Park and walking through the beach area, along the steep rock break wall, and scaling the platform with the help of an extension ladder or 2) taking a boat to the East side of the platform where there is a set of stairs cut into the side, disembarking from the boat there, and climbing the uneven steps to the top of the platform.
While walking the break wall is neither for the faint of heart nor physically challenged, I have managed to haul a few loads of provisions that way. I load my trusty backpack with such necessities as gasoline for the generator, cans of paint and brushes, bottled water, household goods, small tools, trash bags, cleaning products, and, of course, lunch. When it’s nearly too heavy to lift, I know I have enough for that trip. I even carried the lighthouse’s 88th birthday cake -- a beautiful handmade red velvet full sheet cake decorated with the lighthouse logo – down the break wall. It had to have been made of at least 10 lbs of sugar, butter and flour, but the cake made it fully in tact to serve guests visiting for the annual Birthday Open House in June.
I have also enlisted the help of friends to transport materials. They packed several boatloads of supplies including coolers, bottled water, a bar-b-que grill, non-perishable food items, folding chairs, and paper goods. The return trip had the boat full of bags of trash and recyclables. The lighthouse does not have regular trash collection or mail delivery for that matter.
But when it comes to serious moving – things like furniture, replacement windows, kitchen cabinets, appliances and granite countertops – the only way to go is by boat. In the case of the appliances and granite countertops, it meant bringing in a barge with a crane and a lot of manpower to lift and maneuver the delivery. Because the lighthouse hasn’t been occupied since 1948, the building has no remaining infrastructure such as sinks, toilets, cabinets, shelves or doors. All that remains are the walls, floors and ceilings. Any original furniture and fixtures are now being replaced piece by piece – and in the case of walking the break wall – being carried step by step.
