BRIDGEPORT — There are about two and a half weeks left in the online public auction for the Penfield Reef Lighthouse, the U.S. General Services Administration announced Monday.
The online auction opened to potential buyers at 11 a.m. on June 21. The agency set the close date for the auction for 11 a.m. Aug. 5.
Those planning to bid on the property must register in advance and submit a $10,000 registration deposit. The auction’s starting bid requirement was $100,000.
Currently, there are two bids on the lighthouse and property. The highest bid as of Monday morning was $120,000. Bids can be made online at bit.ly/3wT1JKS.
Site inspections will be scheduled for registered bidders. Those interested in attending a site inspection must register before July 25.
The offshore lighthouse, completed in 1874, marks a submerged reef that extends from Fairfield Beach into the Long Island Sound. It is about one mile from the entrance of Black Rock Harbor and is only accessible by boat.
The lighthouse has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since May 12, 1990. The property features a 51-foot-tall lighthouse and a two-story, 1,568-square-foot keeper’s quarters.
In 2015, the exterior of the octagonal lighthouse was restored to its 19th Century appearance with approval from the Connecticut State Historic Preservation officer after becoming weatherized. Among the renovations were a new roof, hurricane-resistant windows, stainless steel exterior doors, removal of lead-based paint, removal of exposed asbestos-containing materials and stone repairs.
The property also features a pier and a boat landing.