On a recent morning at a Staten Island shipyard, the air buzzed with activity. Workers meticulously repaired the Cuauhtémoc, a Mexican Navy sailing ship, which had been involved in a tragic collision with the Brooklyn Bridge in May, claiming the lives of two crew members.
Just a stone’s throw away, however, lay a different kind of troubled vessel: the Staten Island Ferry, jointly owned by comedians Colin Jost and Pete Davidson.
The John F. Kennedy, a majestic 277-foot ferryboat, once bustled with over 3,000 daily commuters traversing the waters between Staten Island and Manhattan. Now, it rests silently on the Kill Van Kull tidal strait, its fate as uncertain and murky as the very currents that flow around it.
Colin Jost and Pete Davidson, both proud natives of Staten Island and former long-standing cast members of “Saturday Night Live,” acquired the decommissioned ferry almost four years ago for a cool $280,100.
Upon seeing this colossal 2,100-ton steel behemoth, they envisioned a vibrant floating entertainment hub: two bustling restaurants, six bars, a lively concert venue, and even luxurious hotel rooms complete with private sundecks. Yet, as years have passed, their ambitious $35 million renovation plan remains a distant dream, leading many to wonder if they vastly overpaid.
Jost, 43, has candidly admitted that this purchase was “the dumbest and least thought-through” decision of his life. Davidson, 31, echoes this sentiment, humorously referring to it as “a lifelong problem for me and Colin.”
Adding to their mounting frustrations, legal complications have surfaced. Titanic 2, the LLC formed by Jost, Davidson, and their partners, is currently facing a lawsuit for unpaid fees from the law firm tasked with managing dockage and towing contracts.
Filed in June at the Supreme Court of the State of New York, the lawsuit by Nicoletti, Hornig, Namazi, Eckert & Sheehan asserts that “Titanic 2 has failed and refused to pay its outstanding obligations,” totaling $13,500. Val Wamser, the plaintiffs’ attorney, confirmed via email that “we have not received payment yet or any response to our lawsuit as of this date,” while declining to offer further specifics.
Visible from Heritage Park, a sprawling waterfront area on Staten Island’s north shore, the bright orange John F. Kennedy drifts in the brackish waters. Crippled by a fire that damaged its engine long before its sale, it now floats aimlessly like a giant bathtub toy, accumulating substantial docking fees.
Steve Kalil, president of Caddell Dry Dock & Repair, refrained from disclosing the exact monthly dockage fees paid by Jost and Davidson. However, he indicated that a reporter’s estimate of $10,000 was “on the low side,” noting the rarity of a vessel remaining docked for so long without repairs. He admitted to having no idea when the John F. Kennedy might finally leave.
“I wish I could say soon, but honestly, who knows,” Kalil stated. “The prevailing hope is that they will eventually bring their vision to fruition, and we would be pleased to be a part of that success.”
For anyone who has ever plunged headfirst into a daunting fixer-upper project, the predicament of Jost and Davidson is undeniably relatable. After all, who among us hasn’t made an impulsive purchase during an online auction, only to later question our judgment?
Yet, as seasoned mariners can attest, a boat — especially a 60-year-old vessel larger than most superyachts, requiring extensive renovations, and needing permanent dockage in one of the world’s most bustling and regulated harbors — is a unique kind of financial vortex.
The Impulsive Auction Buy
The Department of Citywide Administrative Services is responsible for offloading New York City’s surplus inventory. This could range from six Nortel office phones or twelve cases of face masks to nine outdated Webster’s dictionaries. To clear these items, this somewhat obscure agency frequently conducts public auctions.
The agency also handles larger assets, such as decommissioned ferryboats, which are typically sold to scrap metal companies. This was precisely the expectation when the John F. Kennedy was listed for sale on January 12, 2022.
Larry Siegel, the city employee supervising the auction, initially valued the ferry at $60,000 to $100,000 for scrap. However, considering its historical significance and unique character, he set the opening bid at $250,000.
Siegel, now retired, emphasized his responsibility to maximize city revenue. When the ferry initially failed to attract bidders, he resorted to a classic sales tactic: slashing the price by half.
Concurrently, agency staff attempted to generate buzz on social media. A few posts achieved surprising virality for a city government initiative. One user even directly tweeted at NBC, broadcaster of “Saturday Night Live,” urging them to alert Davidson and Jost. This might be how the celebrated Staten Island duo discovered the extraordinary opportunity. (Jost’s representatives declined interview requests, while a publicist for Davidson stated he would prefer to “speak on it closer to completion.”)
Commissioned in 1965, the John F. Kennedy was, at the time, the venerable elder stateswoman of the Staten Island Ferry fleet. The auction listing was unflinchingly honest about its condition, describing the boat as being in “poor condition,” and explicitly stating it had been “decommissioned due to mechanical issues on the propulsion end.” In simpler terms, it couldn’t move.
Despite these glaring caveats, during the week-long auction, Jost impulsively texted Davidson: “Split it?”
Both comedians harbored a deep, if sometimes humorously expressed, affection for the Staten Island Ferry. Jost, who commuted on it to Regis High School on the Upper East Side, recounted in his 2020 memoir, “A Very Punchable Face,” with a blend of satire and genuine warmth: “Riding the ferry was not a ‘yacht life style.’ The ferry is known for its amazing views of the Statue of Liberty, but it’s also a great place to watch a raccoon eat a passenger’s leftover meth.”
Davidson’s heartfelt connection to the ferry shone brightly in “The King of Staten Island,” his 2020 semi-autobiographical comedy. In the film’s touching conclusion, the protagonist, aboard a Manhattan-bound Staten Island Ferry, shares a tender kiss with the woman who is clearly his destiny. Accompanied by evocative music, a breathtaking aerial shot offers a bird’s-eye perspective of the iconic orange vessel.
As the 2022 auction drew to a close, Siegel observed an unexpected surge of bids originating from newly registered accounts. He recalled thinking, “Oh, this is different! We’ve finally attracted attention beyond the scrap metal industry!”
The winning bid was attributed to Paul Italia. Upon learning that Italia co-owned The Stand, a Manhattan comedy club, Siegel initially feared the entire affair might simply be an elaborate prank.
However, it was neither a prank nor a practical decision: Italia was indeed part of a consortium including Jost, Davidson, and Ron Castellano, a New York architect slated to spearhead the ambitious transformation of the dilapidated vessel into a spectacular hospitality complex.
“Everyone involved shares a genuine desire to do right by this project, to restore a beloved piece of New York history,” Italia remarked to The New York Times following their winning bid.
Shortly after the auction, on a chilly day, Davidson visited the St. George Ferry Terminal on Staten Island, where the Department of Transportation was temporarily docking the inoperable boat.
Clad in a bulky brown coat, wool cap, and sunglasses, he reminisced to a New York Post reporter about his youthful ferry commutes to perform stand-up comedy in Manhattan. Gazing at his new acquisition, he appeared somewhat bewildered, yet exclaimed, “It’s sick,” in apparent approval.
The following day, during a “Weekend Update” segment on “Saturday Night Live,” Jost and Davidson openly addressed the news that had captivated headlines.
“We bought a ferry — essentially, the windowless van of the sea,” Davidson quipped with a smirk.
“Indeed, it’s thrilling,” Jost added, dripping with irony, “We thoroughly considered every aspect.”
Navigating Troubled Waters
New York City disclaims all responsibility for the delivery of its former property, be it a mere filing cabinet or a massive ferryboat. This stipulation left Jost and Davidson with a mere ten days to arrange for its retrieval.
With its engine out of commission, towing was the only option. This logistical hurdle was easily overcome, as numerous tugboat companies in New York Harbor readily offer their services for around $1,700 per hour. The true challenge, however, lay in locating a suitable docking space in a city renowned for its scarcity of even mundane parking spots.
Along the city’s extensive waterfront, only a handful of private shipyards remain operational, and space within them is a premium commodity. Securing permission to dock at a public pier on either the Hudson or East rivers would necessitate navigating a labyrinthine bureaucracy of city and state agencies.
Italia meticulously scanned satellite images of New York Harbor and reached out to every waterfront property owner he could identify. Inevitably, the initial ten-day deadline passed without a resolution.
By February, Mayor Eric Adams’ administration granted an extension. Yet, the ferry remained stationary at St. George Terminal well into April.
On April 11, 2022, Jost finally experienced a semblance of triumph as the John F. Kennedy was towed three miles to the Staten Island shipyard. His father, Daniel, a retired schoolteacher, accompanied him on this momentous, albeit slow, journey.
Five months later, during an appearance on “Late Night With Seth Meyers,” Jost appeared to be fully grappling with the repercussions of his impulsive purchase. He lamented, “This is why idiots should not be allowed to do things. Pete and I bought this boat, and then, immediately, there were a million decisions to make.”
One pressing decision was selecting a suitable name for their limited liability company. They soon discovered that their initial choice, “Titanic 2,” was met with considerable apprehension in the business world.
“Suddenly, we needed insurance, which is mandatory for a giant deathtrap boat,” Jost recounted to Meyers. “And every insurance company’s reaction was, ‘It’s called Titanic 2?’”
As months turned into more months, the world remained fascinated by Jost and Davidson’s costly escapade. During numerous talk show appearances and red carpet events, they were consistently pressed for updates on the ferry’s progress.
Even Jost’s wife, actress Scarlett Johansson, found herself fielding questions. During a June 2023 appearance on “Live With Kelly and Mark,” host Mark Consuelos initiated, “I heard that your husband, Colin Jost, and Pete Davidson bought a—”
“The Staten Island Ferry!” Johansson interjected, closing her eyes and shaking her head, “Yeah.”
She vividly remembered her husband’s “secretive phone calls” leading up to the text informing her they now owned a ferryboat. When asked for her initial reaction, Johansson confessed, “I guess I was surprised. My immediate thought was: ‘What are we going to do with this?’”
On June 5, 2023, at the New York premiere of “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,” Davidson was asked by “Entertainment Tonight” if he planned to host an after-party on his newly acquired vessel.
“Yeah, if it hasn’t sunk by then!” he quipped.
He frankly admitted, “I honestly have no idea what’s happening with that thing. Colin and I were quite high a year ago and impulsively bought a ferry. Now, we’re just trying to figure it all out.”
Nine days later, Jost took to Instagram to offer a clarifying, albeit humorous, detail: “Is it worse that I was actually stone-cold sober when we bought the ferry?”
Shortly thereafter, Davidson adopted a more optimistic tone, outlining ambitious plans during an appearance on the “Family Trips With the Meyers Brothers” podcast: “It will feature a restaurant, a concert venue, and even a movie theater,” he stated, further adding that the impressive party barge would be towed 1,100 miles south to spend its winters in Miami.
Throughout these fluctuations in the owners’ sentiments, from initial euphoria to creeping despair, the financial burden steadily escalated. It’s estimated that the John F. Kennedy’s storage fees alone have surpassed $600,000—more than double its original purchase price. This is in addition to substantial insurance, towing, and legal costs; the law firm Nicoletti, Hornig, for instance, billed the owners $27,335 in a single month, as per the lawsuit.
Further expenses stemmed from Castellano’s design work with Persak & Wurmfeld, a New York naval architecture firm. The vessel’s renovation presents a particularly complex challenge: like many boats of its era, the John F. Kennedy is riddled with asbestos, requiring costly and specialized removal before it can pass any state or city inspection.
“The tricky part about asbestos is it’s only a problem when you decide to remove it,” explained Patrick Quincannon, president of Quincannon Associates, a New York-based ship broker. “That requires hazmat suits and specialized procedures, which translates to some seriously steep costs for remediation.”
Finding a prime location for a floating entertainment venue, perhaps along a bustling pier in Manhattan or Brooklyn’s East River, is another challenge far easier to envision than to achieve, according to Quincannon, who outlined several practical considerations likely overlooked by the well-intentioned, but inexperienced, owners.
“These ferries are enormous, necessitating a multipoint mooring system, or ‘dolphin heads,’ for secure dockage,” he elaborated. “And on the East River, the current is incredibly powerful.”
Christopher O. Ward, interim head of the Waterfront Alliance, a prominent New York advocacy group, highlighted yet another obstacle: the problem of “underwater shadows.”
Ward clarified that massive vessels cast significant underwater shadows, which, over time, can severely harm marine ecosystems and aquatic life. He added that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation maintains a “strident” stance on regulating shadows cast by structures in waterfront areas.
At this juncture, even if Jost and Davidson chose to sell the boat for scrap, it wouldn’t offer much financial respite. Tommy O’Toole, a partner at Compass Maritime, a ship brokerage firm, noted that scrap markets are currently depressed.
Ferries, being relatively lightweight compared to ocean-faring vessels, command lower prices from recyclers. Furthermore, the highest-paying ship recyclers in the U.S. are situated far away, spanning from Mobile, Alabama, to Brownsville, Texas, meaning the John F. Kennedy would incur significant towing costs to reach them.
“Imagine a vessel weighing 2,000 tons,” O’Toole mused, performing quick mental calculations. “At $150 per ton for scrap, that’s $300,000. If towing alone costs $350,000, you’re actually paying someone $50,000 just to take it off your hands.”
Kevin Hennessey, the John F. Kennedy’s former captain, offered his well wishes to Jost and Davidson, though he candidly revealed to The Daily News in 2022 that the boat had a severe cockroach infestation. Hennessey bluntly stated, “This was an impulsive purchase by two wealthy individuals who clearly lack any understanding of maritime vessels.”
In May 2025, “Saturday Night Live” featured a comedic sketch set on a ferry, where two passengers, confined to their parked cars, engage in a petty argument. When one character, portrayed by cast member Mikey Day, expresses his fondness for ferries, Jost makes an unexpected cameo, loudly exclaiming, “If you love ferries, would you like to buy one? Please, buy it!”
To date, the John F. Kennedy has only departed its Staten Island slip once: in September 2024, when it was towed to Pier 17 in Manhattan to serve as the unique venue for a Tommy Hilfiger presentation during New York Fashion Week. Dressed impeccably, Jost personally welcomed guests, including luminaries like Brooke Shields and members of Staten Island’s iconic Wu-Tang Clan.
That event provided a tantalizing glimpse of the vessel’s potential. “I’ve always believed it could become something truly enjoyable,” Jost commented on that day.
Jost and his partners are far from the first to envision new life for an old ferryboat. In 1966, entrepreneur Herbert R. Axelrod purchased four decommissioned Staten Island Ferries, intending to convert them into floating restaurants; however, his plans never materialized.
George Searle, a marina owner, harbored a similar ambition in 1976, purchasing an out-of-service Staten Island Ferry. It languished at his marina along the Raritan River in New Jersey for over three decades before its ultimate fate as scrap metal.
Regardless of the ultimate destiny of Jost and Davidson’s dream boat, one undeniable truth remains. As Quincannon succinctly put it: “They are incurring substantial costs just to keep this thing stationary while they deliberate its future.”
Davidson, for his part, has not yet abandoned hope. “We have a really solid plan,” he affirmed during a recent appearance on the YouTube talk show “Hot Ones.” “It’s truly enjoyable to have a dream, isn’t it?”