Google Barge is reportedly on a move to set up a new home in Stockton, after the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission issued notice to expedite work or shift elsewhere.
Google's mysterious floating Barge created a lot of buzz predicting its future since October last year. While it is widely speculated to be a floating showroom for some of its unique products like the Google Glass, driverless cars and other products from its Google X labs, some reports also had it that the Barge has interactive learning centers. Whatever the truth be, the immediate future of the Barge is decided. Google Barge is reportedly setting in motion, with plans to find a new home in Stockton, California and bid goodbye to its five-month old home, according to an exclusive report from CNET.
The news of Google Barge looking for new home follows a notice issued by the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC), which required the Web giant to shift its floating center to another location, expedite the process and complete the construction or start paying fines of up to $30,000.
The confirmation of Google Barge moving to Stockton came from head of Island operations for the Treasure Island Development Authority, Mirian Saez, via email. She was informed by the Bay Ship & Yacht, a company which leases the dock, that the mysterious barge will set sail towards Stockton as early as next week.
On the other side, the port director at the Port of Stockton, Richard Aschieris told the San Francisco Chronicle, Thursday that his center had no such request to house the large floating construction site in any of its dock space.
"There would have to be an agreement negotiated in advance of any vessel arriving at the Port of Stockton and that hasn't happened," Aschieris said in a statement. "We have many potential users or representatives of users contacting us all the time. It's relatively easy to collect information on our facilities, but they will still have to eventually have to contact us and get an agreement in advance of arrival."
If the move happens, Google will save itself from paying fines to the BCDC, as well as be free from the state agency's permitting conditions, which has apparently paused the work at the Treasure Island. Google has reportedly spent $35 million towards the development of the project and is still unclear how long will it take for the completion.
