Google's mystery barge ordered to stop construction work, leave San Francisco bay

Posted:
in iPhone edited March 2014
Google has been ordered to stop construction of its floating retail barge and tow the structure 80 miles east, out of the San Francisco Bay Area to the Port of Stockton in Central California after failing to obtain the proper building permits.

Google Glass barge retail store
Google's low cost, super-sized floating retail strategy was assembled on a barge, but work has now stopped. Photo: Daniel Eran Dilger


The mysterious $35 million structure (above, with the University of California, Berkeley in the background), began rising last summer off Treasure Island next to the Bay Bridge (below) that links San Francisco and the Berkeley and Oakland side of the Bay Area. The project was originally described by Google as being a "temporary technology exhibit space."



However, an investigation into the construction revealed that Google actually planned to use the barge as a floating retail store that the company's representatives reportedly described as "an important opportunity for the launching" of Google Glass.

A permit from the Bay Conservation and Development Commission is required to moor a barge in the bay for any period of time, both during construction and were it to be moved to the City's heavily trafficked Fisherman's Wharf area to attract attention from tourists. Gaining such a permit requires a legitimate plan involving maritime or recreational use.

Google Glass barge retail store


Google Glass barge retail store


Rather than just being delayed for months, Google's apparent attempt to make an end run around planning process resulted in a regulatory order in January to stop construction on Treasure Island and tow the structure out of region managed by the commission.

Google must tow the barge 80 miles east of its current location in the San Francisco Bay to the Port of Stockton in California's Central Valley, south of Sacramento. The barge is supposed to be moved this week, by March 7.

Google Glass barge retail store

Google's plans to bypass environmental review backfires


The floating project appeared aimed to skirting environmental review and public planning procedures, regulations that can add significant cost or delay.

Apple's own retail store plans for a new Union Square store just three blocks from its existing San Francisco flagship location have been regularly delayed by the City's recommendations and planning reviews.

Similar community input and environmental reviews are a factor in every major project, including Apple's new Campus 2 headquarters, which took nearly a year of public process to gain approval.

Apple recently secured final permits for both projects, and plans to begin construction of both this year. Last Friday, Apple's chief executive Tim Cook reiterated that the company expects to complete and occupy its new Campus 2 facility by 2016.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 51
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member

    Bahahahaha!!!!

  • Reply 2 of 51
    clemynxclemynx Posts: 1,552member
    Hihihi so much hype for nothing. The perfect word to use here is FAIL.
  • Reply 3 of 51
    tundraboytundraboy Posts: 1,884member
    Permits? What permits? We're Google, we don't need no stinking permits.
  • Reply 4 of 51
    Tsk. Tsk. Imagine that. Google not thinking they have to play by the same rules everyone else has to play by.
  • Reply 5 of 51
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    Google announced several days ago that they were moving across the bay to finish it. That's an advantage of being mobile ;)
  • Reply 6 of 51
    sockrolidsockrolid Posts: 2,789member

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post

    The floating project appeared aimed to skirting environmental review and public planning procedures, regulations that can add significant cost or delay. 

     

    Google's planning process: Regulations, schmegulations.  Just put it out there, and if we get sued we'll deal with it later.

  • Reply 7 of 51
    maestro64maestro64 Posts: 5,043member

    Google is working under the the old staying, Do not ask permission just bet forgiveness later.

     

    We already know Google glasses are failure so that can not be reason to spend so much money to kick of glasses.

  • Reply 8 of 51
    Barge Party this week, dudes! Partying all the way to Stockton!
  • Reply 9 of 51
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SockRolid View Post

     

     

    Google's planning process: Regulations, schmegulations.  Just put it out there, and if we get sued we'll deal with it later.


    Google and Samsung seem to both share the same code of ethics. :)

  • Reply 10 of 51
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    The project was originally described by Google as being a "temporary technology exhibit space."

    Just like Google Glass!

  • Reply 11 of 51
    I'm sure the Feds will jump in and prevent this. The NSA must be salivating at the idea of having direct access to Google Glass to further extend their spying efforts.
  • Reply 12 of 51
    pendergastpendergast Posts: 1,358member
    gatorguy wrote: »
    Google announced several days ago that they were moving across the bay to finish it. That's an advantage of being mobile ;)

    Do you ever get dizzy from all that spin?
  • Reply 13 of 51
    ricochetricochet Posts: 18member
    Results of Google search:

    "hubris":

    1. excessive pride or self-confidence

    2. (in Greek tragedy) excessive pride toward or defiance of the gods, leading to nemesis.
  • Reply 14 of 51
    poochpooch Posts: 768member
    Google has been ordered to stop construction of its floating retail barge and tow the structure 80 miles east, out of the San Francisco Bay Area to the Port of Stockton in Central California after failing to obtain the proper building permits.

    the state ordered that construction be stopped and that the barge be moved or face penalties. the state did not order the barge to be towed to stockton, just that it be moved.

    ... and, according to other more reliable reports not written by ded, the city of stockton has received no request for the barge to be berthed there. and you need permission to do that. so google does not yet have the permits for stockton, either.

    great photos by the way: "(above, with the University of California, Berkeley in the background)". you can *almost* see the barge. and cannot at all distinguish ucb in the background, nor any of the other zillion structures; and where was the aerial shot taken -- the one marked "appleinsider" with the compass on it? cuz unless you rented an airmobile to capture it i think you owe someone a credit rather than slapping an appleinsider moniker on it.
  • Reply 15 of 51
    beltsbearbeltsbear Posts: 314member
    Google may have been bending a few rules, we can't have that!

    Now the state will need to pay for unemployment payments to the workers for a few weeks or even more as well as not collecting taxes on wages during that time. Then the sales tax revenue from the store finally opening will be delayed by a similar or longer period of time. Way to go!

    Google will now have to weigh if for the next big project if they should just build it overseas (Mexico or many other places) and just float it finished to the area. After all not only are the workers less money but the chance of randomly being stopped are less as well.
  • Reply 16 of 51
    applesauce007applesauce007 Posts: 1,698member

    A company the size of Google is building huge structures without proper permits?

    Who is the clown in charge of this construction for Google?

    What a joke...

  • Reply 17 of 51
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by BeltsBear View Post



    Google may have been bending a few rules, we can't have that!

     

    Yeah, they should have said it was an indian casino. It would have been approved lickety-split.

  • Reply 18 of 51
    maestro64maestro64 Posts: 5,043member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleSauce007 View Post

     

    A company the size of Google is building huge structures without proper permits?

    Who is the clown in charge of this construction for Google?

    What a joke...


    This is what happens when you hire a bunch of 20'somethings who have never dealt with the real world. This also like an example of instead of Google admitting they screwed up, they trying to avoid the situation altogether now.

  • Reply 19 of 51
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by BeltsBear View Post



    Google may have been bending a few rules, we can't have that!



    Now the state will need to pay for unemployment payments to the workers for a few weeks or even more as well as not collecting taxes on wages during that time. Then the sales tax revenue from the store finally opening will be delayed by a similar or longer period of time. Way to go!



    Google will now have to weigh if for the next big project if they should just build it overseas (Mexico or many other places) and just float it finished to the area. After all not only are the workers less money but the chance of randomly being stopped are less as well.

    of course, regulations, maritime or otherwise, building codes, they should all be bendable. In fact, why even have them. There are a few countries in the world that have almost none of these stupid rules, and perhaps we should use them as an example, nay, use them as a goal. If it were not for the se dumb regulations, I would be able to build a much bigger dock for my boat, screw the neighbors and there petty needs.

  • Reply 20 of 51
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,926member
    Google: Do no evil (unless we can get away with it)

    Still this is obviously bad news for Apple.
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