NEW YORK | SS United States Development

[Eidolon]

Berth of a nation! Red Hook dock owner wants to house historic S.S. United States

The owners of historic luxury passenger liner the S.S. United States — which is currently wasting away in a Philadelphia berth — are trying to save the ship from the scrap heap, and a Red Hook businessman wants to dock it at his waterfront empire and turn it into a floating office and entertainment complex.

“I can’t say enough how exciting it would be to be a part of getting this ship sited in this area of Red Hook,” said concrete magnate John Quadrozzi Jr., who owns the Gowanus Bay Terminal at the end of Columbia Street.

The 63-year-old behemoth known as “America’s Flagship” — once the fastest ocean liner in the world — ferried icons including John F. Kennedy, Walt Disney, John Wayne, and Marilyn Monroe across the Atlantic during its heyday.

His pitch is to gussy up the gutted vessel’s 12 decks — which span 13 football fields worth of space — and fill them with offices for start-ups, a gym and swimming pool, eateries, a theater, a maritime school, and a maritime museum. The ship would be self-sustaining, he claims, converting waste to energy and harnessing solar and wind power.

The extreme makeover would cost somewhere between $50 and $200 million, according to the conservancy, plus a $2 million ticket to tow the vessel from Philly to Red Hook.

In addition to Red Hook or the breaking yards, a Manhattan location is being considered as well.

[SJPhillyBoy]

We've had this tied up to a dock in South Philly for a long time now. I am sure Philly posters can post a lot of picks of this ship in its current state. I would love to see it stay in Philly, but if it means moving to NYC for it to be restored, that is better than the scrap heap.

[Eidolon]

With the immediate threat of scrapping put on hold for now, momentum has begun to build.


Donations Help the S.S. United States Fend Off the Scrapyard

By Jesse Pestanov
NOV. 23, 2015

Taken together, the latest contributions are not enough to secure the ship for the long term. Monthly docking, insurance and caretaker costs total about $60,000.

“People can do the math,” Ms. Gibbs said.

But the recent crisis accelerated the redevelopment plans, she said, including the prospect of bringing the ship back to New York as part of a waterfront real estate development. The conservancy is working with developers after identifying two sites in New York that could accommodate the ship.

The conservancy also received “several new overtures” in recent weeks from prospective investors who started conducting visits to the ship with engineers and architects. “It’s fair to say there is a renewed momentum,” Ms. Gibbs said.

[aquablue]

Awesome ship and a piece of maritime history! Don't scrap it. I want to see it in use again.

[drumz0rz]

Red Hook would be a cool place for it, either that or the Brooklyn Naval Yards, which is slated to see major redevelopment efforts in the coming years.

[Eidolon]

Historic Ocean Liner May Become a Cruise Ship Once More
Thursday, February 4, 2016,
by Tanay Warerkar

At long last plans have been unveiled for the restoration of the historic ocean liner, SS United States —it's going to be a cruise ship once again, and it's aiming to be the fastest one too. The SS United States Conservancy, the organization that currently owns the ship, made the announcement Thursday morning at a press conference on Pier 88.

"We are thrilled that the SS United States is now poised to make a triumphant return to sea and that the ship's historical legacy will continue to intrigue and inspire a new generation," Susan Gibbs, the executive director of the Conservancy said at the press conference. Gibbs is the granddaughter of William Francis Gibbs, the man who designed the original ship.

Luxury cruise line, Crystal Cruises is optioning the ship to return it to its former glory, and more. The New York Times was the first to report on the story, and If everything goes according to plan, the renovated ship will be known as United States by Crystal Cruises. It will be able to accommodate 800 passengers, include 400 suites each measuring about 350 square feet, and all the other dining and entertainment amenities that luxury cruise liners have. What's more, some of the original features of the ship like the Promenade and the Navajo Lounge will be restored.


There's a lot of work to be done though before the ship is sailing the seas again. At first the ship will undergo a rigorous feasibility study. Once it completes that test, the ship will then pass into the ownership of Crystal Cruises, which will then carry out a planned $700 million restoration effort, which includes installing new sophisticated marine technology and engines that will make it the fastest cruise ship in the world.

Crystal Cruises is hoping for the ship to make it's first new voyage sometime in 2018 from New York City. In addition to the traditional transatlantic cruises, it will also launch from other major ports in the United States, and travel to different parts of the world.

[k1052]

Nice to see a reputable operator taking a hard look at it. Crystal is very well regarded in the mid-size cruise world.

[Design-mind]

Some great shots in this album of SS United States.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/photo-ga...united-states/

[Dale]

This may just be the coolest thing ever. I'd buy a ticket.