Maybe it's from the dignitaries, the stars of stage and film that walked its stern. So what can be done now as she sits waiting?Īs you walk through, the once-grand ballroom is completely empty, but once inside you can feel the energy. "The work that it would be required to put it back to sea would be cost prohibitive," DeGiulio explained. If you're wondering why someone doesn't just turn it back into a cruise liner, the answer is simple. "We have a partner in RXR Realty, they’re in it, both feet in it, and they’re doing everything they can to try and redevelop this ship," DeGiulio explained. It costs $60,000 a month to dock the ship here in Philadelphia.įrank DeGiulio, who is a mariner himself, is on the board of the conservancy and he’s hopeful that they can have her preserved so that future generations can see what a technological and artistic achievement it is. Part of the ship's mast had to be removed so it could spare just a few feet of clearance under the Walt Whitman Bridge.Ĭurrently, the ship is owned by the SS United States Conservancy, which is a nonprofit organization founded in 1992. It’s a whopping 175 feet tall and almost 1,000 feet in length. The SS United States has called Pier 82 in South Philadelphia home since 1996. The SS was so tall a portion of its mast had to be removed so it could fit under the Walt Whitman Bridge with only five feet of clearance. After numerous ownership changes and being completely stripped of her art-deco-themed interior over the years she made her way up the Delaware River towards Philadelphia. In 1969, with air travel becoming a faster and more efficient way to get across the Atlantic, the giant boat was withdrawn from service. "She just symbolized our nation's post-war strength, resilience, greatness," Susan explained. Susan wants the SS United States' history preserved so future generations won’t forget what an engineering marvel this vessel is. We don’t know how fast she actually could have gone," says Gibbs granddaughter, Susan Gibbs. "She set the record with only two-thirds of her power. That record is still held to this day by a passenger ship.
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