By Kathy Chouteau
Plans are underway to relocate the SS Red Oak Victory, a World War II-era cargo ship turned museum, to a new wharf near the Richmond Ferry Terminal.
The Port of Richmond is funding a very preliminary design to construct a wharf adjacent to the Craneway Pavilion’s parking lot. This design aims to estimate ROM (rough order of magnitude) costs, with early estimates being between $15 million and $20 million, Port Director Charles Gerard told the Standard. “We have not yet selected the vendor to complete this preliminary design work,” he said.
The proposed site offers deeper water as compared to other potential locations, but will still require dredging to accommodate the vessel. Gerard said the Red Oak Victory’s move “will be a multiyear endeavor,” but declined stating when it will occur. He said the plans and the process to move the ship will be reviewed by City Council, which will also need to approve all associated contracts along the way. The ship will need to be towed to its new location, Gerard added.
Currently docked at 1337 Canal Blvd., the Red Oak Victory is the last surviving ship of the 747 built at Richmond’s Kaiser Shipyards during WWII.
Fred Klink, the ship’s director or marketing, estimates “a three-fold increase in annual traffic” for the ship if it relocates to a more visible location near Rosie the Riveter World War II Home Front National Historical Park and the Ferry Terminal.
“The major benefit to us is increased visitor traffic and the revenue that comes with that,” Klink said.
Supporters of this proposed relocation include Mayor Eduardo Martinez, Vice Mayor Cesar Zepeda and Congressman John Garamendi. But some in the community don’t want to move the ship from its current location near Riggers Loft and the historic Whirley Crane, including former Mayor Tom Butt.
“The only argument for moving it is that they will get more visitors and make more in admissions fees. They believe people have a hard time finding the Red Oak. That’s not the problem,” Butt told the Standard. “People in droves find The Sailing Goat, East Brother Beer and the Riggers Loft, all in relatively obscure places.”
The former mayor pointed to the cost and construction of a new wharf in the channel and time-consuming activities, such as the need to procure a San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) permit, as being deterrents.
“What they really need is money for ship maintenance,” Butt added, noting $800,000 is needed to paint the adjacent Whirley Crane, which stands as the sole surviving structure among the dozens once integral to the Richmond Shipyards.”
A volunteer-led renovation effort is underway through Aug. 29 to renovate the ship. Learn more about the Red Oak Victory’s renovation and relocation here.
