U.S. Coast Guard Station
Also known as: Seatack Life Saving Station
Why it's listed
Built in 1903 at Atlantic Avenue and 24th Street in Virginia Beach, this wood-frame station served the U.S. Lifesaving Service, a forerunner of the Coast Guard. Its first floor held a boat room, office and other service spaces, while the second floor housed the crew and provided space for rescued people. A four-story lookout tower faces the ocean, and large double doors once released rescue boats. A lifesaving station is thought to have stood on the site since 1878, and the property was known as the Seatack Station. After a severe storm in 1933 the building survived with little harm and was renovated, including a rebuilt tower and added garage and officers' suite. The Coast Guard abandoned it in 1969, and it passed to the City of Virginia Beach after litigation. It is described as one of the few such stations left on the Atlantic Coast. Plans called for moving it to the ocean front in 24th Street's right-of-way and reusing it as a visitor information center.
Significance in brief: It was built for the U.S. Lifesaving Service, a predecessor of the Coast Guard, and is described as one of the few such facilities remaining on the Atlantic Coast. It was constructed to rescue victims of shipwrecks and maritime disasters, and it was renovated in 1933 after a major storm. The form also notes its local and regional architectural value as a utilitarian turn-of-the-century beach building.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 79003304, listed July 11, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Atlantic Ave. and 24th St., Virginia Beach (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Virginia Beach |
| Listed | July 11, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79003304 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Vernacular |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Maritime History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Abandoned by the Coast Guard in 1969 and now city-owned; listed as unoccupied and used for storage, with a move and conversion to a visitor center planned. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 36.85308, -75.97598 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 79003304.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7083708
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.