Just 40 miles away from Google‘s headquarters in Mountain View, California sits a mystery barge. Docked at Treasure Island, the site of a former Navy base, is a four-story structure made from shipping containers. The purpose of the structure remains unknown, but the safe money says Google is up to building something.
So, what is it? According to CNN, news reports say an unknown company has been working on a major project, under tight security, in a hangar on Treasure Island since last year. Witnesses say materials from that hangar were transferred onto the barge. Google has yet to respond with a comment.
One possibility could be a new safe house for servers. All around the world, Google has banks of servers tucked away in warehouses. As the online empire grows and grows – more servers are needed. Another San Francisco source and station KPIX said, “sources close to the project” as saying the structure will be retail space — a sort of floating Google store. Google hopes to tow the structure across the bay to San Francisco, where it would be used to market Google Glass, the company’s connected eyewear.
Construction on the barge did stop recently, perhaps because Google wouldn’t have a permit to park the barge on water. But can’t Google do anything?
