RICHMOND — Most people involved with the historic ship that currently sits in Richmond’s port seem to agree it should be somewhere else.
The nonprofit group that owns it would like to move the SS Red Oak Victory near the visitor center of the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park, where the cargo ship – which has been transformed into a floating museum – is likely to draw more visitors. But with a project price tag estimated between $16 million and $20 million and no guarantee of where that money will come from, Richmond councilmembers have decided not to spend the $300,000 needed to study building a new pier that would host the ship.
Those who support moving the ship believe it’ll help boost visitor numbers. Many people are unaware of the museum’s existence, SS Red Oak Victory Marketing Director Fred Klink told Richmond councilmembers at a Feb. 3 meeting. Placing the ship closer to the visitor center could create synergy between the two historical sites, he said, and being near the Richmond ferry line could also boost interest in the World War II ship.
The center sits along Richmond’s Marina Bay waterfront, an area eyed for residential and commercial growth that’s already flushed with people taking scenic strolls, walking their dogs or riding bikes.
Port Director Charles Gerard argued that the council should approve the study because it has already been budgeted. The port was seeking to contract with Liftech Consultants Inc., an engineering firm in Oakland, to do the work for $299,797.
Looking long-term, Gerard said moving the ship could free up a port basin that could be rented out for commercial use and generate revenue for the port.
The SS Red Oak Victory was one of hundreds of ships built in the Kaiser Shipyards during World War II. After decades out in sea and then being tucked away in storage, the ship was returned to Richmond in 1998. The city has credited the port $143,000 annually for storing the ship.
Ship maintenance and renovations have been ongoing. About $2 million was spent between 2002 and 2011 to overhaul the Red Oak Victory, but “weather and time has taken a toll on the deck and superstructure,” according to the Richmond Museum Association. The most recent restoration project invited tradeswomen from across the country to work on the ship’s deck, masts, tubs and smokestacks.
While Gerard said funding to move the ship would likely come from a variety of sources, councilmembers noted no dollars have been guaranteed. The Richmond Museum Association has also not firmly committed to moving the ship, though SS Red Oak Victory Ship Director Mark Epperson said the ship’s relocation is the reason he joined the organization a year and a half ago.
“If the finances work out and we can do it, I am certain there’s no reason we would not move,” Epperson said. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think they were going to move the ship.”
Without firmer financial commitments, however, councilmembers were unwilling to approve the expenditure. They asked port staff to return in two months for the issue to be reconsidered.
“Though I understand that people have been working hard on this issue … I think coming to us to ask us to spend $300,000 on a plan we have not signed off on or considered alternative options to is premature,” said Councilmember Sue Wilson, whose district includes the Marina Bay. “I want this body to make the right decision for the future of the ship, for the community and for the country on this, but I think that means having all the options on the table.”