Battleship Wisconsin, launched fifty-seven years before, came to its berth in downtown Norfolk on 7 December 2000 after months of dredging and construction. Bringing the 45,000 ton battleship, 887.3 feet long and 108 feet wide, into place on the Elizabeth River beside Nauticus was a major engineering feat because the surrounding waters are extremely shallow for Wisconsin's 37 foot draft, and varying tidal and weather conditions further complicated the design of the berthing facility. Working with City of Norfolk and U.S. Navy planners, architects from the Norfolk firm Glenn & Sadler designed the channel and berth, where Wisconsin now floats securely chained for hurricane force winds at an average of two to four feet above the bottom.
