S.S. United States Gets Reprieve For Time Being
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The S.S. United States won't be sold for scrap just yet thanks to a short-term infusion of cash. Now, the conservancy overseeing efforts to preserve the historic vessel plans to meet this Friday to weigh the future of the project.
Tom Basile, spokesman for the S.S. United States Conservancy, says donors from across the globe delivered more than $100,000 by an Oct. 31 deadline to save the ship from the scrap yard.
Basile says now the conservancy board will meet to review the status of two separate proposals from developers to re-locate the ship to New York City...
"We continue urgent discussions with respect to both of them and negotiations with pier owners and potential developers. So we're hoping that we'll have some additional direction from the board in the coming days about either the short or the long-term future of the vessel," Basile says.
The conservancy has been paying $60,000/month to keep the rusting ship docked off Columbus Boulevard in South Philadelphia.
Basile says the group remains confident it can keep the project afloat and preserve a piece of American maritime history.
