Council approves study to move Red Oak Victory ship

The Richmond city council voted Tuesday night to fund a nearly $300,000 study creating a plan to relocate the Red Oak Victory ship from its current location at Kaiser's Shipyard No. 3 to a new location at Ford Point, closer to the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park.

Approved in a 6-1 vote, with councilmember Sue Wilson voting no, the deal creates a $299,797 contract with Liftech Consultants outlining the feasibility, planning, and design work for the relocation of the ship, built by Henry J. Kaiser during WWII.

In a presentation that included information from the National Park Service as well as a cost-benefit analysis prepared by the Richmond History Association, Port Director Charles Gerard said the move could generate additional funds and increase annual revenue.

“In a nutshell, they are getting about $150,000 a year. Their forecast, if the ship was at Ford Point, would be upwards of close to a half million dollars,” Gerard said.

Elaine Jackson Rando, acting superintendent of the Rosie the Riveter Homefront Park, explained the partnership and obligations agreed to by the city and NPS, as well as the responsibility of maintaining Shipyard No. 3 as a historic resource. Rando said the Red Oak victory is part of a “historic ensemble” that includes the ship, Whirley crane, graving basins, and surviving structures, and illustrates an “authentic setting of WWII ship building.”

“This isn’t just about economics,” Rando said. “This is the only Kaiser shipyard that remains intact. So Richmond owns the only one where you can still see buildings, basins, and infrastructure that tells the story of wartime shipbuilding.”

Several speakers — many of those volunteers who work on the ship — spoke in support of the plan, arguing that the current location of the ship is too far from the Rosie the Riveter Visitor Center to attract enough visitors, and the proposed home at Ford Point could bring more people to see the historic vessel.

Fred Clink said he wasn’t there to speak for himself, but rather the 60 Red Oak crew members who signed a petition urging the council to approve the relocation plan.

“We are looking at $150,000 income at our present location in Shipyard 3. We feel very confident that we can do close to a million dollars in income at Ford Point,” Clink said.

Richmond business owner Tom Lyons, who is also a board member of the Richmond History Association, said the ship isn’t just a relic of the past, but a powerful symbol of Richmond’s history.

“It is the last remaining vessel built right here in Richmond during WWII. It put Richmond on the map during that defining moment,” Lyons said. “Location is critical to the ship's long-term success. It’s a meaningful upgrade, increasing access and visibility.”

Mayor Eduardo Martinez said while this is only a study, ultimately, the ship will need to be moved as part of a plan to revitalize the Port of Richmond.“The Red Oak Victory Ship needs to move, so it’s going to move,” Martinez said. “It needs to move to revitalize the port.”

Council member Soheila Bana, who voted in favor of the plan, also suggested the Red Oak could be used as a resilience center, a concept Richmond is implementing in the main library redesign project.

“I am thinking that if we move the ship, it could be used as a resiliency center,” Bana said. “People would be interested, it’s a nice location. I’m excited about it.”

Councilmember Wilson, the council's only “no” vote, questioned the numbers indicating a revenue increase related to the move, asking how it was calculated since there is no admission fee at the Rosie the Riveter center. Wilson said she appreciates the passion of those who have been working on the ship for decades, but needed to see a positive funding path.

“Before I am ready to say let’s spend $300,000 on a study for moving it, I wanted to be told at least a possible funding path that would allow the port to pay for a new warf," Wilson said. “I don’t have enough information to know whether it’s realistic that moving the ship will result in one million a year in revenue. I love this ship, but nobody's coming forward to pay. It's the Port of Richmond that should close that gap on paying.”

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