Plans to dock the decommissioned John F. Kennedy ferry, repurposed as a party venue by comedian Pete Davidson and fellow "Saturday Night Live" cast member Colin Jost, have been halted after the city denied necessary permits. The Economic Development Corporation (EDC) informed Community Board 1 of the decision on Thursday, effectively ending the proposal to station the ship at Pier 15 near the South Street Seaport in Manhattan for a Fourth of July celebration.

Community Board 1 had expressed multiple concerns over several weeks, emphasizing the importance of maintaining public access to waterfront spaces and ensuring any new use would deliver clear benefits to the local community. Tammy Meltzer, chair of the board, stressed the need to protect the limited public deck areas from becoming exclusive, pay-to-play venues and emphasized safety considerations for the high-capacity event space.

While the exact reasons for the permit denial were not disclosed, the proposed venue was expected to include restaurants and bars aboard the ferry, with potential operations beginning ahead of the U.S. 250 celebration on July 4th. According to a second source, there remains a possibility that permits could be granted for the vessel to dock at the Manhattan pier later in the summer.

The EDC and City Hall declined to comment on the situation. The Stand Group, a partner in the project, also did not respond to requests for statements.

The ferry docking plans surfaced amid an ongoing legal dispute between the city and Watermark Bar, a tenant at Pier 15. The bar has criticized the EDC for advancing the ferry proposal in a manner they allege could disrupt neighborhood dynamics and jeopardize tenant interests.

Meltzer highlighted several unresolved issues related to the project's logistics, including public safety protocols, emergency response preparedness, infrastructure adequacy, crowd control, transportation access, and event permitting. She noted the unique challenges posed by the ferry itself, which cannot move independently and must be towed into position, underscoring the complexity of operating a 4,000-capacity venue on a city-owned pier for an extended period.

As of now, no further developments have been confirmed regarding the future use of the John F. Kennedy ferry or the potential for alternative docking arrangements in Lower Manhattan.