Individual Submarine Boards > USS Ling (SS-297)
USS Ling Status
Carl:
The Ling sits on the Hackensack River on property owned by Malcolm Borg and the North Jersey Media Group (the publisher of almost all local newspapers serving Northern New Jersey) The property also houses a major newpaper production plant that is now idle since the production has been moved to another location. Borg wants to sell the property to a developer and has asked the Ling to move.
There are several complicating factors. First, a bridge just downriver of the Ling is on the verge of collapse and the Bergen County government is trying to get a replacement built. This added fuel to Borg's fire because the County wanted to install a cheap fixed bridge which would have locked the Ling in place. To the County's dismay, they were told the river upstream of the bridge was still considered to be navigable by the USCG and the National Historical Association told them the bridge was a Landmark and could only be replaced by an exact duplicate swing bridge. Pressure off - somewhat.
Adding to the problem, the river downstream of the Ling has gotten silted up and has a depth of only 6 feet in many areas. The Ling itself only comes off the bottom with really high tides and following major storms. USCG estimates north of $7M to dredge (not counting any EPA problems with probable contaminated fill). If the Ling were moved downsteam, it would also have to go under several bridges and their current construction soundness is problematic. This also removes the possibility of floating the Ling the same way the Razorback was floated.
So, either the Ling stays essentially where it is, or it is moved in pieces. The latter possibility has been proposed by the Mayor of Paterson New Jersey who wants to move the Ling to the Passaic River and into a new National Park that is being considered by Congress for the Great Falls area. He wants the Ling upstream of the falls (certainly isn't going to float it there). The connection makes some sense because John Holland built the Holland I in Paterson, and it is still there (with the Holland III - Fenian Ram) in the Paterson museum. The museum is just a few blocks from the proposed location for the Ling. $$$$$?????
Staying in place is probably the best option, but it will require some accommodation between the property owner and the County/State. In these economic times, convincing the voting public to pay more taxes is always a tough sell.
Note that the only other viable alternative may be razor blades!
If anything new comes up, I'll try to update this. Please sign our petition and mail it in. You can find the petition at http://mysite.verizon.net/resx5uqm/savetheling/index.html
Tom Bowser:
Jeez that's rough but at least it sounds like it may have bought a little time. Maybe they could sale to a devloper who would understand the value of having an historic ship there. Good luck.
Tom Bowser
Paul Farace:
OK, so what is the value of having a sub on the property? If you don't have any control over the boat, it represents liability to the property owner, who probably is hoping to build condos, etc. Sadly, the LING should be in a situation where it can be restored (fixed) and available to a large audience. My feeling is that its present berth can not provide that. She is a very unique boat, having all of her SARGO II batteries (oh, if only COD could say that! :o)
She will be saved, somehow. It is too valuable to scrap.
Paul
Travis McLain:
Wouldn't having a tourist attraction on a property increase values? Not only would the residents have something to do, but it would also bring more potential buyers into the area.
Fred Tannenbaum:
I would like to think the Ling would be attractive to potential new residents of that area and that they would consider it an enhancement of their property. I think the reality may be more apathetic. We lived in the Hampton Roads area when they moved the U.S.S. Wisconsin to the Nauticus/Hampton Roads Naval Museum and the people in the condos across the slip complained about the battlewagon blocking their views. >:( People probably didn't feel that way about the Wisconsin when she was hurling 16-inch shells of whup-a** at the Japanese, North Koreans and Tomahawks at the Iraqis.
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