The huge barge that Google is building at Treasure Island, just off the coast of San Francisco, has been quite a mystery over the past year or so. Most people (including myself) expected that it would be a floating datacenter, but according to recently obtained confidential budget reports, it looks like it will be more of a large, floating retail space. Google has said they are planning to build three of these barges, costing a total of $35 Million. They plan on docking the vessels in bays in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York. Each of the barges will be stacked with 80 large shipping containers, flanked by rows of large sails.
According to Mirian Saez, the Treasure Island Development Authority Director of Operations, commented that Google reps said, “this would be an important opportunity for the launching” of the Google Glass computer eyewear in the coming year. Many people are concerned, however, because this is not what Google originally submitted in their reports to the Port of San Francisco, which was that the barges would be for a ‘studio’ and ‘temporary technology exhibit space.’
In order to dock the large barge in the bay, Google needs to get a permit from the regional Bay Conservation and Development Commission. Retail stores are not typically what is able to be docked, which may put Google in some hot water.
Larry Goldzband, a commission executive, said, “A floating retail store that is not a bay-oriented enterprise would probably make a lot of jaws drop at a commission meeting.” In addition, the public may not like the idea of a huge corporation like Google moving in to the area, especially given the fact that they were so secretive about what they were planning. San Francisco is not exactly known for being friendly to huge, multi-national corporations that try to toss their weight around, after all.
Goldzband also commented that Google has notified him three times over the past six months that they are continuing to build the barges at Treasure Island, but they would not tell him what their intentions were for the vessels, once constructed. When Goldzband asked Google whether the bargest would be used as floating stores, the Google rep replied saying, “While we have explored many ideas in the past around the barges, our current plan, as we’ve stated before, is to use them as an interactive space where people can learn about new technology.”
The comment, which is vague enough to mean just about anything, is not likely going to be enough to satisfy the commission, which will undoubtedly keep pushing for more information from Google. What Google will do if they are denied the option to dock in San Francisco is still unknown. As it stands, many people, including Goldzband, believe that it is going to be a hard sell to get Google the approval they need. Both the commission and the public will be hesitant to want to approve something like this in their bay.
