Historic Warship May Dock Downtown As A Museum
By Ryan Duffy
First Coast News
JACKSONVILLE, FL -- A former U.S. warship may be making a permanent home on the First Coast.
The U.S.S. Charles F. Adams could come out of retirement to house a museum on the St. Johns River.
"I've thought many times when I see that ship coming up the river to take her place here I'm sure it will bring a tear to my eye, so yeah I have very fond regard for that ship," says Adams veteran Wayne Misener.
The USS Charles F. Adams called Mayport home for 23 years and Misener served on the ship.
Now he and a group of veterans want to bring the Adams out of retirement in a shipyard in Pennsylvania and dock it in the heart of downtown.
Plans are to put it parallel and just to the east of the Acosta Bridge.
The ship itself is historic as the first guided missile destroyer, and it would become a floating museum.
"It was a departure from the old World War 2 ships and brought on the new era of the Navy," says Misener.
"All the downtown hotels think it would be an asset, the Jacksonville Landing would find it interesting, there's just a lot of hope it would be another component in the experience of downtown," says Adams museum organizer Bert Watson.
Watson says the ship would also host private events and would be a major attraction to bring people downtown.
And it would showcase the River City's prominent role in naval history.
"It's a community that will come out and be very supportive of a ship like this."
The plan still has to be approved by the full City Council. It has passed through two committees and goes to a full vote Tuesday.
The Adams organizers are not asking for any money from the city for the project, it would be all privately funded.
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/mostpopular/news-article.aspx?storyid=103099&provider=top
Btw, the ship's location would be almost in the exact same spot as the one we drew up in a sketch two years ago.
(http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/552/metrojaxforumflyer1kh.jpg)
Here's a rendering of what it would look like docked next to the Acosta Bridge.
(http://www.adamsclassddgvets.org/images102/Fundphoto.jpg)
http://www.adamsclassddgvets.org/
maybe they'll use if for more jail space like some politicians are suggesting:
Victor Crist, R-Tampa, the Senate criminal and civil justice appropriations chairman, has another idea: He wants the state to take ownership of decommissioned aircraft carriers, let low-risk prisoners live in them, provide job training on the vessels and then resell the refurbished units for possible use as gambling cruise ships. Crist says the state may get them for free from the federal government, which may want to eliminate the cost of storing them.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/state/epaper/2008/02/25/m1a_XGRBUDGET_0225.html
Quote from: thelakelander on February 25, 2008, 02:43:17 PMBtw, the ship's location would be almost in the exact same spot as the one we drew up in a sketch two years ago.
Holy Crap! I totally forgot about that. I don't think it's ALMOST the same location - it's exactly the same location.
what kind of contingency plan would the new owner have if a major storm was to hit Jacksonville? I could see ship breaking free from its mooring and smashing into the bridge prevent or crippling an emergency evacuation?
I assume it would similar to whatever has been put into place for floating ship museums in Tampa, Charleston, Mobile and Wilmington.
Quote...then resell the refurbished units for possible use as gambling cruise ships.
I don't think the people that operate casino boats should ever be allowed to operate an aircraft carrier...
Quote from: thelakelander on February 25, 2008, 04:31:39 PM
I assume it would similar to whatever has been put into place for floating ship museums in Tampa, Charleston, Mobile and Wilmington.
But none of those museums are located right next to an bridge let alone an evacuation route like what we're talking about. Just about every person in South Florida would be using that bridge in case of an emergency. Don't you think it's kind of to close to the Acosta?
The Acosta is one of downtown's more lightly used bridges. The majority of traffic coming from the South would use the Fuller Warren, Buckman or Dames Point Bridges. In any event, I'm sure something could be done structurally to make sure the ship does not go crashing into the bridge, in the event of a hurricane.