Well, that was an anti-climax. After all
kinds of speculation about why Google was building floating structures on a set of
barges based in San Francisco and Portland, with Google finally revealing in not too much detail
that they were to become “interactive spaces where people can learn about new
technology,” it turns out that at least one of them is being sold for scrap.
The Portland Press
Herald reports
that the 250-foot Google barge that has been sitting in Portland Harbour since
last October is now being sold and the container building sitting on it will be
scrapped.
Speculation as to the purpose of the
mysterious barges had ranged from floating data centers to retail showrooms. The project ran into some
issues with various official agencies, with the US Coast
Guard demanding design changes and the San Francisco Bay Conservation and
Development Commission stating that the company had not yet obtained permits
for construction or permission to dock it in the Bay. The commission insisted
that Google move the SF barge to a new location, away from Treasure Island.
The project was the source
of some amusement, with a Daily Show video and even a fake twitter
account.
There’s no word yet on the
fate of the three remaining barges, but it seems unlikely one would be scrapped
while the others proceed as planned.
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