(New York) “Saving part” of New York’s heritage: a huge ferry emblematic of the Manhattan-Staten Island link will be transformed into a cultural place after being bought by a café theater owner and stars of American television, we learned on Friday.
Posted at 8:39 p.m.
The famous orange ferry John F Kennedy, which since 1965 has connected the two districts of New York, was sold by the city to Paul Italia, real estate agent at the head of the comedy club The Stand in Manhattan, associated with the comedians of the cult NBC show Saturday Night Live, Pete Davidson and Colin Jost, Mr. Italia confirmed to AFP.
the New York Times unveiled the operation earlier on Friday.
Pete Davidson is reportedly the boyfriend of reality TV star and businesswoman Kim Kardashian, and Colin Jost is married to movie superstar Scarlett Johansson. Both men are from Staten Island, one of New York’s five boroughs, south of Manhattan Island, and Pete Davidson still lives there.
According to the administrative services of the municipality which sold it, “the emblematic John F Kennedy – 85 meters long, 2,100 tonnes and withdrawn from the fleet in August for out of service engines – went to auction at $280,100 for a asking price of $125,000.
ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVE PHOTOS
Colin Jost and Pete Davidson
Paul Italia wants to “turn it into a live performance space with stand-up, music, art and the possibility of eating out”, but he does not say how to tow the huge orange ship and dock it permanently at dock.
Why did you buy such a ferry, whose free connection is known to all New Yorkers and which was destined to be scrapped?
Because “each of us really wants […] to save part (of the heritage) of New York”, justified in the New York Times Paul Italy.
And according to the businessman, the ship ” John F Kennedy holds a special place in the hearts” of his two associates Davidson and Jost, “natives of Staten Island”.