West 46th Street and 12th Avenue at Hudson River Park

 

CONTACT: Luke Sacks, 212-957-7042 / lsacks@intrepidmuseum.org

[September 26, 2007, New York, NY] The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum today unveiled a countdown clock to celebrate the one year mark until Intrepid’s return. The clock will count down the number of days – 366 from today because 2008 is a leap year – until Intrepid returns to her home berth.

 

The 12-foot clock sits atop the Museum’s Visitor Center and faces north-bound traffic on the West Side Highway. The clock was provided by OnTarget Fabricating/Estimating of Bear, Delaware.

 

“It’s hard to believe, but Intrepid’s return is only one year away. The ship’s renovations are moving apace, and construction at Pier 86 is on schedule. We cannot wait to welcome Intrepid home, and to once again open her doors to New York and the world, so that we may continue in our mission to honor, educate and inspire” said Bill White, President of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.

 

Construction at Pier 86 is moving ahead on schedule. Pilings are currently being installed throughout the western portion of the pier. After installation, protective fiberglass jacketing is wrapped around the pilings. 

 

Next up is the pouring of concrete. Preparations are underway with rebar being placed along the pier. Following the concrete pour will be the installation of deck planks, which is currently scheduled to take place in the next several weeks.

 

“The Intrepid Museum is a major tourist attraction and a point of pride for millions of New Yorkers," said Manhattan Borough President Stringer. "As the museum's founder, Zachary Fisher gave New York City an immeasurable and lasting legacy when he saved this important piece of U.S. Navel History from the scrape pile. How wonderful it will be to bring the Intrepid home to its beautiful new berth on what would have been his 98^th birthday.”

 

“It's very exciting to learn that it will only be one short year until the Intrepid is once again docked along Pier 86," said New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn. "The new clock will let the community and people traveling along the West Side Highway know that this center of military history is not some relic from another age, but a learning resource that will educate New Yorkers for generations to come. I want to thank Bill White and the other hard working people at the museum for their complete commitment to preserving this important piece of our national history.”

 

Intrepid is currently scheduled to leave her berth at Staten Island’s Homeport Pier shortly after 8:00 AM on September 26, 2008. She is expected to be moving north by 9:30 AM, and be alongside a brand new Pier 86 by 1:30 PM. As this is a construction project, the time, date and logistics of the move are tentative and subject to change.

 

The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is currently scheduled to reopen on Veterans Day weekend in November 2008. The time between the ship’s return and the Museum’s reopening will allow for final preparations to be made.

Established in 1982, the Intrepid Sea, Air, & Space Museum complex is comprised of the 900-foot-long aircraft carrier Intrepid with two full decks and four theme halls; the guided missile submarine Growler; and an extensive aircraft collection including the A-12 Blackbird, the fastest plane in the world, and the British Airways Concorde, the fastest commercial aircraft in the world. The Museum has been offering a wide variety of programs and events for children and adults. The Intrepid will return to a brand new, state-of-the-art Pier 86 on Manhattan’s West Side in the fall of 2008.
 

OnTarget has established a solid reputation for quality, service, and confidentiality since the company's inception in 2003. The firm fosters a team-focused work environment with attention to detail second to none in the museum fabrication industry. OnTarget Fabricating/Estimating, Inc. has moved into a new 7,600 square foot facility to accommodate the growing needs of our clients. We still reside in the same convenient location in the Porter Road Business Center in tax-free Delaware.