MUSKEGON, Mich. — There’s no other way to look at it than as a Muskegon landmark.
Yet, the group tasked with maintaining the historic ship docked downtown since about 1948 worries if nothing is done, the USS LST 393—a floating museum and memorial—may have to set sail for safe harbor elsewhere.
“The obvious eventuality is, it sinks,” Captain Jim Flood, the Museum’s executive director related aboard ship Tuesday. “I mean, if we don't do something--keeping it repaired is very expensive. This is a historic ship. It's almost 81 years old. Historic ships around the world are sinking very fast.”
The aging World War II era landing craft, Flood said, is one of only three US vessels present during the invasion of France, D-Day, still afloat circa 2023.
The LST board, he noted, had attempted to hash out a deal with the City of Muskegon to ground the ship, transport it to a permanent berth on dry land, where it would then be incorporated into a public park at the end of Third Street.
The organization intended to execute those plans with help from some $2.8 million in grant funding procured several years earlier and held by the city.
The plan, however, hit a fundamental snag, Flood said, during a late June meeting with Muskegon city leaders:
“They informed us that they were looking for other areas to spend that money. In other words, they were going to reallocate that money away from the Third Street Wharf project, which included moving the LST,” he related. “We then asked them, what were those projects? Where were those other opportunities? And they had no answer for that.”
If a deal can’t be reached or the work doesn’t occur, Flood suggested the historic ship would have to leave Muskegon for the first time in decades in search of a home capable of supporting its preservation.
In a Tuesday statement, the Muskegon City Manager rebuffed several of the board’s claims:
“The City of Muskegon was awarded two State Enhancement Grants from the State of Michigan in the Fiscal Years 2021 ($1.5M) & 2022 ($1.3M) for a total of $2.8 million. These dollars are intended for a Wharf and Park Project in the City along Muskegon Lake. The City Commission intends to fund a waterfront development project which increases public access to Muskegon Lake and serves to strengthen our community’s redevelopment.
These funds were requested as part of a larger development concept in which the City of Muskegon would deed the campground portion and first row of parking at Fisherman’s Landing to Mart Dock. In exchange the city would receive the Third Street Wharf site in order to create a new lakefront park at that location while maintaining the pre-existing boat launch and fishing area at Fisherman’s Landing. Moving of the Mart Dock owned LST on to the Third Street Wharf site for the ship’s preservation and other park amenity-based project details were discussed.
After numerous unsuccessful attempts at reaching an agreement that served the public interest, it was determined that the city should also explore alternative community wharf projects around Muskegon Lake within the city limits. Any alternative project would remain consistent in use with the initial intent of the grant.
On two separate occasions, City of Muskegon staff offered to use the State Enhancement Grant to purchase the Third Street Wharf property outright from Mart Dock and independent of any other property exchanges. As part of that offer, the city also proposed to move the LST to the Third Street Wharf site and potentially become responsible for its stewardship. These offers were declined.
The city staff is currently discussing possible options for the grant. Any final decisions will be made by the Muskegon City Commission at a future date. At no time has the City Commission or city staff advocated for the removal of the LST 393 Ship and Museum from our community.
We stand ready to partner for the preservation of the LST provided it is perpetually available as an asset for public education and enjoyment. The City of Muskegon is proud to be home to the LST 393 and is prepared to play an active role in ensuring the ship’s future in Muskegon.”
The USS LST 393 Board, meanwhile, pleaded with community members to contact their city officials, commissioners and state legislators to encourage them to support the Museum's preservation and continued presence in Muskegon.
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