Driving down Pacific Coast Highway, you can't miss it. It’s that massive, wooden structure looming over Surfside Colony, looking like something out of a steampunk dream or a forgotten maritime history book. It's the Seal Beach water tower. Or, as the locals and the high-end renters call it, the Water Tower House. Most people just pull over, snap a grainy photo from the shoulder of the road, and wonder how on earth someone fits a kitchen inside a cylinder.
It’s weird. It’s iconic. And honestly, it’s one of the most expensive ways to sleep 80 feet in the air in Southern California.
But there is a lot of bad information floating around about this thing. People think it’s still a functioning utility. It isn't. People think it’s been there since the 1800s. Not quite. The reality of the Seal Beach water tower is a story of 1940s infrastructure, 1980s real estate gambles, and a whole lot of Douglas fir.
The actual history of the tower (it wasn't always a house)
Let's get the facts straight. The tower was built in the early 1940s—specifically around 1944. It wasn't built for aesthetics. It was built for steam engines. Back then, the Pacific Electric "Red Cars" were the lifeblood of Orange County transit. These trains needed massive amounts of water to keep the boilers going, and this tower sat right along the line. It held 75,000 gallons of water. Think about that weight. That is roughly 625,000 pounds of water sitting on top of wooden legs.
When the Red Cars died out and the municipal water systems got more sophisticated, the tower became a relic. By the 1970s, it was a rotting eyesore. The City of Seal Beach actually wanted to tear it down. They saw it as a liability, a fire hazard, and a giant splinter waiting to happen.
Then came the "Save the Water Tower" movement.
This wasn't some corporate initiative. It was a group of locals who realized that if you take away the tower, Seal Beach looks like every other coastal town. It loses its silhouette. In 1980, the tower was saved from the wrecking ball, and shortly after, a guy named George Armstrong bought it. He didn't want to store water; he wanted to store people.
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Renovating a circle: The $1.5 million gamble
Renovating a water tower isn't like flipping a ranch house in Huntington Beach. You’re dealing with a circle. Everything in a house—cabinets, beds, sofas—is built for 90-degree angles. When you live in a cylinder, every piece of furniture becomes a logistical nightmare.
In the mid-80s, the original tank was actually removed. They didn't just build inside the old wood; they replaced the tank with a replica that was designed to be a three-story house. They used heavy-duty Douglas fir to keep the look authentic. If you look closely at the "tank" part today, you’ll notice windows tucked into the slats. Those windows offer a 360-degree view that basically spans from the Hollywood sign to Catalina Island on a clear day.
The most recent major renovation wrapped up around 2016-2017. The owners, Scott and Barbi Schuler, spent a fortune—estimates are north of $1 million—to turn it into a luxury vacation rental. They added a "widow’s walk" deck, a massive jacuzzi, and high-end finishes that make you forget you’re suspended in the air by wooden beams.
What the interior actually looks like
You enter through a ground-level elevator or a very long set of stairs. If the elevator is out, you're getting a workout.
- The Bottom Floor: This is usually the "party" level or the bedroom suite area.
- The Middle Floor: Living room and kitchen. This is where the "circle" problem is most obvious. The kitchen counters have to curve.
- The Top Floor: The master suite. Waking up here is disorienting because you can see the ocean from your pillow, but you can also see the traffic on PCH. It’s a strange mix of serenity and urban buzz.
The aesthetics are "coastal industrial." Lots of exposed wood, iron railings, and nautical touches. It feels solid, but when the Santa Ana winds kick up, you definitely feel the height. It doesn't sway like a skyscraper, but you know you aren't on the ground.
Why it's a "Love it or Hate it" landmark
If you talk to people in the Surfside community—the private, gated enclave right next to the tower—opinions are mixed. Some see it as the crown jewel of the neighborhood. Others are tired of the tourists who stop their cars in the middle of the road to take selfies.
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The tower is technically in an unincorporated area near Seal Beach, but it’s the spiritual heart of the town. For decades, it was a "Hippie Haven." In the 70s and early 80s, before the luxury renovations, it was much more rugged. It was a place for artists and surfers. Now, it’s a place for people who can afford a $1,000-a-night Airbnb (or more, depending on the season).
That shift from utility to bohemian hideout to luxury rental mirrors the broader change in Orange County's coastline. What was once grit is now gold.
The engineering reality: Is it safe?
People always ask: "Is that thing going to fall over in an earthquake?"
California is earthquake country. Building a house on stilts—especially 80-foot stilts—requires some serious engineering. During the 1980s conversion, the foundation was massively reinforced. The "legs" aren't just old timber stuck in the sand. They are anchored into deep concrete pilings.
The wooden exterior is mostly aesthetic and protective. The structural integrity comes from a steel skeleton hidden within the wood. It has survived the Northridge quake and dozens of smaller rollers since then without major structural failure. It’s probably safer than some of the older bungalows sitting on the sand nearby.
Visiting the tower: A reality check
If you're planning to visit, don't just put "Seal Beach Water Tower" into your GPS and expect a tour.
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- It is a private residence. You cannot just walk in. Unless you have a reservation as a guest, you are limited to looking at it from the street or the beach.
- Parking is a nightmare. The tower sits right on the edge of the Surfside colony. Surfside is a private, gated community. You cannot drive in there. You have to park in the public lots at Sunset Beach or further down in Seal Beach and walk up.
- The "Hidden" View: The best view isn't from PCH. It’s from the sand. Walk out to the water’s edge and look back. You get the full scale of the structure against the sky without the distraction of power lines and traffic.
Logistics and the future of the tower
Currently, the tower operates primarily as a high-end short-term rental. It’s a bucket-list item for architecture nerds. But owning a wooden structure this close to the salt spray is a constant battle. The salt air eats everything. The wood needs constant treatment. The metal parts rust in weeks if not maintained.
The maintenance costs alone are why the rental price is so high. You aren't just paying for the room; you're paying for the massive overhead of keeping a 1944 landmark from dissolving into the Pacific.
Actionable insights for your visit
If you actually want to experience the Seal Beach Water Tower properly, here is the move:
- Book way in advance: If you want to stay there, the calendar usually fills up months out, especially for summer weekends.
- Check the wind forecast: If you’re sensitive to noise or motion, check the Santa Ana wind reports. High winds make for a "noisy" night in a wooden tower.
- Photography Tip: Show up at "Golden Hour"—about 20 minutes before sunset. The light hits the Douglas fir and turns the whole structure a deep, glowing orange. It’s the only time the tower looks like the postcard version of itself.
- Respect the neighbors: Seriously. The residents of Surfside and Sunset Beach are protective of their privacy. Don't block driveways and don't try to sneak past the Surfside gates.
The Seal Beach water tower isn't just a house. It’s a survivor. It outlasted the trains it was built to serve and the planners who wanted to burn it down. Whether you think it's a masterpiece or a weird wooden tank on stilts, it remains the most distinctive part of the Orange County skyline. It stands as a reminder that sometimes, the most impractical buildings are the ones most worth saving.
To see it for yourself, park at the end of Anderson Street in Sunset Beach and take the short walk north along the sand. It’s the only way to truly appreciate the scale of what 75,000 gallons of water used to look like.