USS Orleck may move down the river

[thelakelander]

The Jacksonville City Council is reviewing an emergency bill seeking to move the naval museum ship temporarily to a former dry dock pier known as Pier One.

Read More: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/uss-orleck-may-move-down-the-river/

[Charles Hunter]

I wonder what the "emergency" is that requires such quick action by City Council? And why the City isn't including at least temporary access as part of the "emergency" action?

[Ken_FSU]

Weird how urgent this is.

Sure don't care for this idea:

Bean said the city is considering building a new road from East Bay Street to the river, with parking that would nicely serve both the fire museum and Orleck site. He hopes that is expedited “as the development catches up with us.”

[Ken_FSU]

More here:

https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2022/11/22/new-exhibit-being-added-to-uss-orleck-as-city-council-considers-fast-tracking-move-to-shipyards/

[fieldafm]

You mean more taxpayer money is going to be spent on this failed museum that has already proven to have been a financial drain in two other communities?

Wow, how 'shocking'!

[acme54321]

You mean more taxpayer money is going to be spent on this failed museum that has already proven to have been a financial drain in two other communities?

Wow, how 'shocking'!

It's going to work here in the Bold City though!

[Snaketoz]

How long will it be before they tow this relic to somewhere else that has enough gullible people to take it off our hands?  14 "battle stars"?  I guess lobbing shells into the Vietnam jungle from a safe distance is considered a battle.  Huge boondoggle.

[jaxlongtimer]

My guess is the Hyatt wants it moved.  It blocks its view of the river.

Unfortunately, despite the good intentions of its backers, I see a financial "shipwreck."  I wonder what the tab is going to be for the taxpayers with building a pier, parking and access.  Who is paying to relocate the ship this time?

At the shipyards, for now, its visibility and "walkability" from the City core is going to be a lot less than its current location.  Out of site, out of mind isn't going to help its attendance.

[thelakelander]

Everyone knows these things are money pits. The big challenge here is going to be keeping the museum open during the years it will take to make something out of the Shipyards site. A completed park at the site is probably 5-10 years a way still.

[Florida Power And Light]

Bring her down to Green Cove Springs!!!
Perfect.
Green Cove sports a past Military history.
And current events merge perfectly.
First Coast Outer Beltway.
‘ Developer’ standing by to serve an influx of new residents that will “ want something to do” coupled with Beltway Accommodation, the assumption residents will Have To Pay For Something To Do.... a Dark Horse Inland County.... skip the Ocean Beach, Nocatee lake and trails,and skip even Clay County River Shore line, mostly. Orange Park Mall no longer much of an option, the place in fact a “ No Go” for many established Clay Residents. The mall was established the same era Clay championed a Green Cove Coal Fire Electric plant. The coal fire plant ended up in Duval. Recently demolished.
Green Cove ship placement a perfect Metaphor. And something to do.
At least for the foreseeable future, Clay County  Retired Military presence might perhaps champion a Clay County Berth.
Eventually...... haul her back out to the Atlantic Ocean...... “ Artificial” Reef!

By the way, my Dad was Quarter Master First Class aboard United States Navy LSM 82; WW11 Pacific Theatre.
I am quite certain this post is in line with Dad. He would have been more forthright. 
My Dad was adamant that I would never end up in Vietnam.Not even on a relatively Safe Haven Navy Ship.

[jaxlongtimer]

Bring her down to Green Cove Springs!!!
Perfect.
Green Cove sports a past Military history.

Green Cove Springs would be poetic justice for a ship to find itself in mothballs given its history of hosting 600 such ships after WWII.  Some info below including one from Ennis's Modern Cities website .

]Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Florida
In 1946 the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Florida, also called the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Green Cove Springs opened next to the Naval Air Station Green Cove Springs in the St. Johns River. The Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Florida was part of the United States Navy reserve fleets, also called mothball fleet, was used to store the now many surplus ships after World War II. The freshwater was good for long-term storage for ships. At its peak the reserve fleet had 600 ships. In the fleet were destroyers, destroyer escorts, troop ships and US Navy auxiliary ships. Some ships in the fleet were reactivated for the Korean War and Vietnam War.[5][6] The reserve fleet and Air Station were closed in June 1962. The land was deeded to the City of Green Cove Springs. In 1965, the site was sold to J. Louis Reynolds. The site today is the Clay County Port and Reynolds Industrial Park.[7] One runway remains as the Reynolds Airpark Airport (FL60). [8] Some of the former airfield land was used as a test track for anti-lock brakes by Kelsey-Hayes/TRW Automotive. At the site is the original Naval Air Station Lee Field air traffic control tower and aircraft hangars. [9] [10][11][12]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Air_Station_Lee_Field

In 1946, thirteen (13) 1,500 foot concrete piers were built into the St. Johns River, at the cost of $10 million, to securely house the U.S. Naval Atlantic Reserve or “Mothball Fleet” of WWII U.S. Navy ships. At its height, over 600 vessels, primarily destroyers, destroyer escorts and fleet auxiliaries, were stationed at Green Cove Springs, along with more than 5,000 naval personnel and 1,000 civilian employees. Unfortunately, under his first executive order, President Lyndon B. Johnson decommissioned the facility and relocated the fleet to Texas, his home state. Soon, after the 1960 decommissioning of NAAS Green Cove Springs, the City of Green Cove Springs purchased and sold the former military installation to Julian Louis Reynolds, of Reynolds Metal Company, for the development of a multi-modal 1,700-acre industrial park served by rail, highway, water, and a private airport. Reynolds established the Reynolds Industrial Park in 1965.





https://www.moderncities.com/article/2017-mar-the-ghosts-of-green-cove-springs

[heights unknown]

Leave it in Jax. Let them earn their pay and figure out what to do with it being that they beckoned it here. I don't want to go to Green Cove Springs; Jax is a modern Navy town (minus Cecil). Leave it on the St. Johns. Don't care about the Reserve in GCS or 1960; before my time.

[Florida Power And Light]

Yea, there are a lot of things I don’t care about any more either. Mostly stuff not before my time.

[Ken_FSU]

My guess is the Hyatt wants it moved.  It blocks its view of the river.

You are correct.

https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/local/downtown-jacksonville-hotel-claims-significant-negative-financial-impact-uss-orleck/HA72PDFJXVDTZPIZUWNHXTEXGE/?outputType=amp

[thelakelander]

I get the Hyatt's point. That's something that should have been worked out before the ship arrived.