The City Downtown Investment Authority reached consensus Wednesday to consider adopting a resolution in support of a floating museum Downtown along the St. Johns River.
The Jacksonville Historic Naval Ship Association has been raising funds to secure from the U.S. Navy the USS Charles F. Adams, a retired guided missile destroyer.
The organization has developed a business plan to tow the vessel to Jacksonville, refurbish it and place it along the St. Johns River Downtown to serve as a museum, education center and tourist attraction.
"The idea has been floating around for a couple of years. We need to make a decision on this project," said Oliver Barakat, authority chair.
Dan Bean, president of the association, said if the ship is placed in Jacksonville, it will be the only historic naval ship museum in the state.
He said 100,000 Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts travel through Jacksonville each year on their way to similar museums in Charleston, S.C., and Mobile, Ala., to earn a merit badge for spending the night on a warship.
Bean said the organization has raised more than $500,000 for the project and has spent "a great deal" on environmental studies focused on a proposed Southbank site on the Southbank.
He estimated the project development cost for the Southbank site at $6 million to refurbish the vessel and construct a pier.
Bean said the organization currently is seeking a lease with the City to berth the Adams along the Northbank at an existing pier at The Shipyards site.
The Adams could be opened as a "topside" attraction for about $2 million.
To make the interior suitable as an attraction would mean a $1.2 million budget increase.
"We need a lease with the City to berth the ship at The Shipyards," Bean said.
"Downtown needs a punch in the arm. The Adams can be in place within a year," he said.
Paul Crawford, City Office of Economic Development deputy director, said City Council is considering legislation in support of the project.
Crawford said for the project to move forward, the authority would be required to issue a Request for Proposals for the use of the property, pier and submerged land at the Shipyards.
Authority member Jim Bailey, publisher of the Financial News & Daily Record, said he supports placing the Adams along the Southbank.
Since Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan reportedly has expressed interest in developing the property, "He should have some input on whether the ship is there," Bailey said.
Bean said Khan's interest in developing the site is "10 or 12 years out" and placing the Adams at The Shipyards would be temporary.
He said the plan is to open the vessel as an attraction, get the project to the break-even point in two years and then eventually sell the Adams for its scrap value and secure another vessel as a replacement.
Authority members agreed to consider adopting a resolution in support of the plan at their next meeting.
"The DIA needs to weigh in on this project," said Barakat.
Also on the agenda will be adopting goals for the authority, Barakat said.
He listed potential goals as developing benchmarks for Downtown, reviewing City incentive policies, creating a plan for unused City property Downtown and finding ways to improve connections between Downtown and the surrounding historic neighborhoods.
The authority's next scheduled meeting is 5 p.m. Aug. 21 in the Lynwood Roberts Room at City Hall.
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