It was going to be restored to its previous glory as part of a transformative economic development project along the Manhattan waterfront. The flagship of the nation, the SS United States, the fastest passenger liner ever to cross the Atlantic, would be repurposed as a unique, mixed-use destination, including a 1,000-room hotel, numerous food and beverage courts, multiple event venues, acres of public green space, and a world-class museum.
The project would be a capstone to a decades-long effort to revitalize the Hudson River waterfront, create thousands of new jobs, and generate millions in tax revenue annually.
But it was not to be. After a succession of owners failed in their dream to bring this legendary liner back to life, it’s now headed for a watery grave in the Gulf Of America. At least it will achieve one more superlative—the ship will form the largest ever artificial reef, serving as a habitat for marine life and an attraction for anglers and divers.
During its storied service career, the SS United States smashed the transatlantic speed record in 1952, a feat that’s never been duplicated. Berthed at the famed Pier 86 in Manhattan, it carried over one million passengers, from celebrities and royalty to immigrants and tourists. The sleek ship was also a top-secret convertible troop transport that could rush 14,000 troops 10,000 miles without refueling.
Waiting for a rebirth, the United States languished at a pier in Philadelphia and suffered under the weight the COVID crisis put on the conservancy trying to save it. They had high hopes for a home port on the Hudson with pedestrian access to the Javits Convention Center. Adjacent piers would have been redesigned and reconstructed and the ship’s magnificent stacks would be a beacon to tourists. Instead, it is being readied at the Port of Mobile to be sunk 20 miles off Destin-Fort Walton Beach in the Florida panhandle, where it will continue its life below the waves.