Built in the Quincy shipyard in the 1940s, the USS Salem has been docked at an MBTA owned Quincy pier since the mid-1990s. However, the pier has long fallen into disrepair and was in need of major upgrades.
In September the MBTA notified Michael Condon, executive director of the nonprofit that owns the USS Salem museum, that they needed to close the pier where the historic ship and museum is berthed due to emergency pier repairs. Since that time the USS Salem has been closed to the public.
Recently, the MBTA decided to sell the pier that the Salem leases to local developer Jay Cashman, leaving the fate of the Salem up in the air.
Last week, Condon worked out a deal with the Boston Harbor Shipyard and Marina on Marginal Street in East Boston to bring the Salem and its museum to Eastie.
Condon told local papers that he feels, given the neighborhood’s rich maritime history and current waterfront development, the Salem and its museum will blossom here.
Condon said Cashman, who has donated more than $100,000 to the Salem and museum, would help fund the ship’s move. The ship should be moving out of Quincy in the next 6-12 months.