Thursday, 4:30 PM
Retired Martha's Vineyard ferry gets second life
By Raja Mishra, Globe Staff
The MV Islander, its work as Martha's Vineyard ferry done, is headed for a new life in New York.
The five-decade-old vessel was bound for the scrap yard when a last-minute reprieve came on Tuesday: New York state bought it to ferry people 800 yards between Manhattan and Governors Island, a 172-acre property that is to be redeveloped into a mutli-use commercial, entertainment, and recreational destination for New Yorkers.
The boat's scrap value was $300,000; the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corp. paid $500,000 for it and plans to modify the Islander to fit into the slips in Manhattan. The boat will primarily be a car carrier, and so its front and back doors will be torn off for easy auto access.
"The Islander will provide us with needed back-up and supplemental ferry service to further our ongoing and long-term goal of improving and enhancing public access to Governors Island," said a statement today from the Governors Island Corp.
