Historic bridge to be partly dismantled to accommodate Jeff Bezos’s yacht

[COOOK 76,406]

 

A historic steel bridge in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam is to be partly dismantled to allow a superyacht built for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to pass, local authorities have announced. 

Spoiler

 

Bezos’s gigantic, 430-million-euro ($485m) yacht is too big for the iconic Koningshaven Bridge, which dates from 1878 and was rebuilt after being bombed by the Nazis in 1940 during the second world war.

The shipyard building the three-masted mammoth in Alblasserdam, near Rotterdam, has asked the local council to remove the bridge’s central section so it can pass through.

“It’s the only route to the sea,” a spokesperson for the mayor of Rotterdam told AFP, adding that the Amazon owner would foot the bill for the operation.

 

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As a work-around, the megabillionaire and the boatmaker Oceano reportedly asked Rotterdam officials to temporarily dismantle the iconic bridge, and pledged to reimburse the city for expenses. 

Spoiler

 

Taking apart and reassembling the middle section of the bridge known locally as “De Hef” was expected to take more than two weeks, the paper said. Rotterdam officials touted Bezos’ pet project as a revenue generator.

“From an economic perspective and maintaining employment, the municipality considers this a very important project,” municipal project leader Marcel Walravens reportedly said. “In addition, Rotterdam has also been declared the maritime capital of Europe. Shipbuilding and activity within that sector are therefore an important pillar of the municipality.”

Word of the planned deconstruction of the 1878 steel structure took a toll on preservation officials, who said the city pledged not to take apart De Hef again following a 2017 restoration.

“Employment is important, but there are limits to what you can and may do to our heritage,” Ton Wesselink of the Rotterdam Historical Society reportedly said.

Another local leader said bowing to Bezos was a “bridge too far,” as he issued a stern rebuke to some of Amazon’s reported business practices.

 

“This man has earned his money by structurally cutting staff, evading taxes, avoiding regulations and now we have to tear down our beautiful national monument?” Rotterdam politician Stephan Leewis wrote on Twitter.

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[Debithius 6,056]

I was gonna post about this last night. I thought it was permanently. I am so astounded that he treats the world as his playground. Holland is really going to get rid of parts of their bridge for one person? What the hell...

[Guest]

You guys need to understand that this bridge is too big for him. He owns this planet after all we have to accomodate him! I heard we will be moving the Eiffel Tower, because he wants to have a landing runway there for his helicopter. He wants everyone to admire him and so they should!!!! Everyone should look at him, he's close to a God, he went to space, and will own space, as he should! All of that thanks to his genius!!! We love you Besos, muah

[LaLa 19,898]

why did they start building this without a plan in place to get it out  knew they could just throw money at the problem I suppose.

The city should ask for a HUGE fee to allow it and spend the money on something nice for the citizens 

[Stupid Oreo 14,669]

gonna throw egss at that boat when i come from work yassss

[Luke78619 23,559]

Jesus Christ, how big is his yacht 

wish they said no so that he spent his money on a yacht he can’t even use properly 

[BBhomemaker 5,611]

Is someone having a little complex of compensation to get such a huge boat 

[bionic 50,111]

22 hours ago, Luke78619 said:

Jesus Christ, how big is his yacht 

wish they said no so that he spent his money on a yacht he can’t even use properly 

[Mother of Puppies 36,615]

our world is so rotten

[Luc 4,776]

I mean, it's temporary, but I'm happy this is making people in my (kinda right-wing) city angry and making people aware this city exists  

[ThisGuyTony 34,866]

Why can’t he just go around and find another path to travel? 

[Economy 52,844]

On 2/4/2022 at 12:58 PM, Debithius said:

I was gonna post about this last night. I thought it was permanently. I am so astounded that he treats the world as his playground. Holland is really going to get rid of parts of their bridge for one person? What the hell...

I mean considering its temporary and hes paying the expenses... At least its providing work for the ppl that will be doing the dismantalling

 

This really isnt that bad. I think the symbolism that someone is wealthy enough to achieve this is the real problematic part not the event itself

[Economy 52,844]

On 2/5/2022 at 1:48 PM, ThisGuyTony said:

Why can’t he just go around and find another path to travel? 

Im guessing if it was that easy hed just have done so. The paper work alone wouldnt make it worth it if it was that simple even if the money he has to pay isnt an issue

[Kitsch 499]

36 minutes ago, Economy said:

This really isnt that bad. I think the symbolism that someone is wealthy enough to achieve this is the real problematic part not the event itself

I don’t think you understand that it is quite bad. The bridge is a ‘Rijksmonument’ (National Monument) and it didn’t get destroyed during the bombing of Rotterdam by Nazi-Germany (the city was annihilated by the bombardement). It was built between 1925 and 1927 and it is marked under the following reason:

“Lifting bridge dating from 1925-27 of general interest because of its architectural and cultural-historical value and architecturally innovative value as the first example of an asymmetrically movable lifting bridge in the Netherlands. Also important because of the urban development and situational value as a reminder of the aerial railway and because of the characteristic image-defining silhouette, visible in the wide perimeter of the Koningshaven.”

And there are specific reasons why these national monuments are protected. For example, persons living in a national monument basically need approval of the government for renovating a building. I’ve heard that it is so hard to renovate a building because it literally needs to be renovated to how it was.

Also, I am not completely updated on the news, but it appears that no formal request have been sent to the municipality of Rotterdam which is needed. But I think the moral of the story is 1) why would someone design a yacht this big that it couldn’t sail away from the harbour to begin with and 2) that someone with this much wealth could do something like this at all.

[Bling 31,680]

Omg Daddy Bezos...who knew 

@Kimmo