Pete Davidson and Colin Jost spend just over $280,000 on a decommissioned Staten Island ferry boat

Saturday Night Live stars Pete Davidson and Colin Jost have purchased a decommissioned Staten Island Ferry boat for $280,100 with plans to turn it into New York’s hottest club.

Jost and Davidson teamed up with comedy club owner Paul Italia on Wednesday’s winning bid for the trusty and characteristically bright orange vessel named the John F. Kennedy.

The 277-foot ferry shuttled commuters between the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Staten Island from 1965 until it was taken out of service last August. 

‘The Staten Island Ferry is definitely something iconic,’ Italia, a real estate investor and co-owner of the restaurant and comedy club The Stand, said Friday. ‘We wanted to figure out a way to save it and to do something special with it.’

Italia said transforming the 2,109-ton ferry into an entertainment venue will cost millions of dollars and won’t happen anytime soon.

Pete Davidson and Colin Jost, both Staten Island natives, have teamed up to by a decommissioned Staten Island Ferry

The Staten Island Ferry "John F. Kennedy" docks in New York in a file photo. Saturday Night Live comics Colin Jost and Pete Davidson have purchased the decommissioned Staten Island Ferry boat with plans to turn it into New York's hottest club

The Staten Island Ferry ‘John F. Kennedy’ docks in New York in a file photo. Saturday Night Live comics Colin Jost and Pete Davidson have purchased the decommissioned Staten Island Ferry boat with plans to turn it into New York’s hottest club

The 277-foot vessel that shuttled commuters between the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Staten Island from 1965 until it was taken out of service last August

The 277-foot vessel that shuttled commuters between the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Staten Island from 1965 until it was taken out of service last August

Named after the 35th U.S. president, the John F. Kennedy was the oldest ferry in the fleet when it was decommissioned last summer

Named after the 35th U.S. president, the John F. Kennedy was the oldest ferry in the fleet when it was decommissioned last summer

The boat, which is 300 feet long, is also able to transport a total of 30,000 passengers

The boat, which is 300 feet long, is also able to transport a total of 30,000 passengers

Italia said the trio had decided to change John F. Kennedy into a venue for various forms of artistic expression.

‘The idea is to turn the space into a live entertainment event space, with comedy, music, art, et cetera,’ he said.

He noted that both he and the comedians were heavily invested in keeping the boat open to the public in the future. 

‘We’re in the early stages, but everybody involved had the same ambition — not to see this thing go to the scrapyard,’ he stated.

‘It’s really early stages here,’ he said. ‘You have a great idea and you´re working on executing it and the first step is the acquisition of the boat, and I think that that´s the story right now. We were successful in acquiring the boat and making sure it didn´t go into the scrapyard like the last two.’

Messages seeking comment were sent to representatives of Jost and Davidson, who both grew up on Staten Island and often joke on the show about their home borough and its best-known mode of transport.

Big plans: The pair's business partner, Paul Italia, pointed out that the three had decided to change John F. Kennedy into a venue for various forms of artistic expression

Big plans: The pair’s business partner, Paul Italia, pointed out that the three had decided to change John F. Kennedy into a venue for various forms of artistic expression

'We're in the early stages, but everybody involved had the same ambition — not to see this thing go to the scrapyard,' one of the investors said

‘We’re in the early stages, but everybody involved had the same ambition — not to see this thing go to the scrapyard,’ one of the investors said

The boat was auctioned by New York City's Department of Citywide Administrative Services, and other city departments will have to sign off on operating it as a floating nightspot

The boat was auctioned by New York City’s Department of Citywide Administrative Services, and other city departments will have to sign off on operating it as a floating nightspot

It could help that the city's new mayor is on board. 'I love this idea. What a great way to give an NYC icon a second life,' Mayor Eric Adams tweeted Friday.

It could help that the city’s new mayor is on board. ‘I love this idea. What a great way to give an NYC icon a second life,’ Mayor Eric Adams tweeted Friday.

Named after the 35th president, the John F. Kennedy was the oldest ferry in the fleet when it was decommissioned last summer.

The New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services, which decommissioned John F. Kennedy, stated that it had been taken out of service due to mechanical issues.

The new owners have 10 business days to secure a place to dock the vessel and tow it there from the St. George Ferry Terminal on Staten Island. ‘We’re working on that,’ Italia said. 

The comedy club owner also noted that he was currently planning for the boat to be moved by tugboat to a shipyard, where it will remain for an extended period of time.

He noted that both he and his partners were ‘talking to a lot of shipyards in the area’ regarding the temporary stationing of the vessel, which currently is unable to move under its own power.

The Department of Citywide Administrative Services did point out, however, that the boat was structurally sound. 

The New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services, who decommissioned John F. Kennedy, stated that it had been taken out of service due to mechanical issues

The New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services, who decommissioned John F. Kennedy, stated that it had been taken out of service due to mechanical issues

The Department of Citywide Administrative Services did point out, however, that the boat was structurally sound

The Department of Citywide Administrative Services did point out, however, that the boat was structurally sound 

The boat was auctioned by New York City's Department of Citywide Administrative Services, and other city departments will have to sign off on operating it as a floating nightspot

The boat was auctioned by New York City’s Department of Citywide Administrative Services, and other city departments will have to sign off on operating it as a floating nightspot

Bidding on John F. Kennedy, which was listed in 'poor' condition, began last week with a starting price of $125,000

Bidding on John F. Kennedy, which was listed in ‘poor’ condition, began last week with a starting price of $125,000

The boat was auctioned by New York City’s Department of Citywide Administrative Services, and other city departments will have to sign off on operating it as a floating nightspot.

It could help that the city’s new mayor is on board. ‘I love this idea. What a great way to give an NYC icon a second life,’ Mayor Eric Adams tweeted Friday.

Adams, who took office on Jan. 1 and was portrayed by Chris Redd on ‘Saturday Night Live’ on Jan. 15, added, ‘Let us know how we can help and we´ll be there for the maiden voyage.  

The two-decked boat, which is 277 feet long, can carry around 3,000 passengers.  

Bidding on John F. Kennedy, which was listed in ‘poor’ condition, began last week with a starting price of $125,000. 

The trio eventually bought the boat for a grand total of $280,100, which will go towards the city’s general fund.  

Dropping cash: The trio eventually bought the boat for a grand total of $280,100, which will go towards the city's general fund; they are seen in 2018

Dropping cash: The trio eventually bought the boat for a grand total of $280,100, which will go towards the city’s general fund; they are seen in 2018

In hot water: The former was recently the subject of controversy when a source spoke to The Sun and alleged that he 'has become a total diva at SNL'

In hot water: The former was recently the subject of controversy when a source spoke to The Sun and alleged that he ‘has become a total diva at SNL’

Davidson was recently the subject of controversy when a source spoke to The Sun and alleged that he ‘has become a total diva at SNL.’

They added: ‘He missed the first few days of rehearsal last week and was still allowed to be in Saturday’s show. Normally, if you miss any rehearsals, you are out of the show on Saturday night, and the cast is starting to turn on him.’

The source noted that Davidson ‘also now has security for when he’s outside the building’ as a result of his rising public profile.

However, a spokesperson for NBC told Us Weekly that ‘no rehearsals have been missed’ and that the characterization of the comedian was ‘not true.’