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California orders Google to move floating barge from current construction site

California orders Google to move floating barge from current construction site

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Google Barge SF (stock)
Google Barge SF (stock)

The state of California has ordered Google to move its massive floating barge away from its current construction site in the San Francisco Bay. San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission executive director Larry Goldzband said the four-story structure has drawn numerous complaints. "It needs to move," Goldzband said. He also claims that Google never had the proper permits to start work on the project at Treasure Island. But today's development may not spell any real trouble for Google — the company simply needs to relocate the barge to another Bay facility where construction is fully permitted. The news was first reported by the Associated Press.

Sightings of the barge led to rampant speculation about its purpose last year. Google eventually admitted ownership of the San Francisco barge, teasing that it hopes to explore using it as a space where "people can learn about new technology." We reached out to the company for more details on how it plans to respond to this latest challenge. In a statement, a Google spokesperson told The Verge, "We just received the letter from the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission and we are reviewing it."