Christmas fire sale: SC selling 80-foot forest lookout tower, but there’s a catch
An 80-foot fire lookout tower is for sale in Paris Mountain State Park near Greenville, South Carolina. Bidding ends Monday, and the state surplus auction site lists the high bid on the tower as of Friday afternoon at $525.
The catch, of course, is the buyer has to move the tons of steel for the tower from site by the end of the year. The listing is specific: “These items are for pickup only at the 35 Tower Rd in Greenville, South Carolina. The winning bidder is responsible for the loading and removal of this property. No assistance available from the agency.”
In this case, “pickup only” probably means bringing your own crane and trucks to take the tower apart and haul it all away to a new home.
The Charleston Post and Courier estimates removing the tower will cost more than the actual purchase. The newspaper explains: “Also, the tower stands close to a cliff edge near Furman University. There’s room to drop it, but carefully, a section at a time. The crane would have to keep clear of the communications towers nearby.”
Oh, and it may not be in the best condition. “This item may be missing parts and the overall operating conditions are unknown. Repairs may be needed (exact repairs needed unknown.) Additional info: Inspection recommended. The agency is reporting this item is in fair condition overall but needs repairs to the steps, windows, and cab floor,” the listing explains.
But for the person on your holiday gift list who has everything (including a large plot of land), an 80-foot forestry tower might be the perfect present.
