Google anchors barge in Stockton

The Google Barge floated to its new home in Stockton Thursday after the search giant agreed to a lease with the city’s port.

The mysterious vessel docked at the Port of Stockton after completing its 80-mile journey from Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay.

Google representatives agreed to pay between $10,000 and $12,000 per month to lease a pier next to port warehouses on Rough and Ready Island, Port Director Richard Aschieris said.

Google agreed to pay the port’s standard dockage fee for a minimum of three months, although the lease could

be shorter or longer depending on the Mountain View company’s construction schedule, Aschieris said.

“This is a very unique visitor, it’s a unique vessel, and we’re so pleased to have it,” Aschieris said.

Google is building a four-story structure on the barge, but isn’t divulging any details. According to rumors, the structure could be a high-tech computer store to showcase Google Glass, a data storage center or a party boat.

The barge is one of three Google is constructing for about $35 million. The others are in Los Angeles and New York.

Last month, the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission told Google to move the barge from Treasure Island because the project lacked the required construction permits.

Stockton is outside of the commission’s jurisdiction and welcomed Google with open arms, although Aschieris said he didn’t know for sure that the lease was finalized until he received a call from port staff at about 2 a.m. Thursday. By that time, a tug boat was already towing the barge from Treasure Island under the cover of darkness.

Aschieris said Google’s representatives did not disclose details of its plans, which he said is typical for some of the maritime construction work done at his facility.

“Some disclose what the project is, some people do not,” he said. “Our focus is to provide a secure facility.”