Owner of Lakebay Marina Resort applies again for historic listing

When the Lakebay Marina Resort was built in 1932, it was one of several stops used to connect Key Peninsula communities by water, long before roads were carved through the trees and cars became common.

The marina boasts a rich history — it began as a sawmill for logger Carl Lorenz, who developed the marina and a fleet of boats known as the Mosquito Fleet to move passengers and supplies around the peninsula and waters of Puget Sound.

It is because of this history that the current owner, Mark Scott, is still working to have the marina placed on the Pierce County Register of Historic Places.

“This is one of the last buildings used as a Mosquito Fleet landing that’s still intact,” he said. “I think it just needs to be listed as a historic site because it is (one).”

The marina’s application was on the March 15 agenda of the Pierce County Landmark and Historic Preservation Commission. Scott expects to hear back from the commission in April on whether the marina has been accepted on the register, which would allow him to apply for state and federal grants to help with repairs and maintenance.

Scott purchased the marina in 2012 and has his own memories tied to the location — he and friends used to boat to the resort as teenagers to buy hamburgers.

“We thought that was pretty independent,” Scott recalled.

The restoration of the location is ongoing, with a recent closure by Pierce County requiring some replacement of support pilings and other building repairs. But the marina’s cafe will reopen for business on April 1, Scott said, just in time for the summer boating season and well before the marina’s first planned event of the season.

In addition to the food served by the marina’s cafe, the location offers moorage, a small store and clear gas to boaters. Weekend events include live music and beer and wine tastings, with the first beer tasting featuring No Li Brewing on April 29.

Scott has future plans for the location — that include a farmer’s market and campsites for visitors — and a historic site listing will go a long way to making those plans a reality.

“It still has the old charm to it. I just cleaned it up and made it look historically the way it should,” Scott said of the marina. “It means a lot to me to have the community come and and support this.”

The Lakebay Marina Resort is located at 15 Lorenz Rd Kp N in Lakebay. More information about the marina can be found at lakebaymarina.com.

This story was originally published March 23, 2016 at 11:19 AM with the headline "Owner of Lakebay Marina Resort applies again for historic listing."