CURIOUS SITES: TREASURE ISLAND
Treasure Island is easily spotted from the Downtown San Francisco Ferry Terminal and on most ferry routes. The artificial island was constructed in 1936 by the Army Corp of Engineers for the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition and World’s Fair. Measuring 403 acres, the island was initially intended to become a second airport for San Francisco, but instead became a Naval Station due to the looming war. From 1941 to 1997 the Navy owned and managed the island, which became a major training and education center for Navy personnel. During that time, the Navy also conducted nuclear-training operations resulting in significant contamination of the island’s landfilled ground and soil. The Navy has undertaken extensive efforts to rid the island of toxins and contaminants, and the clean-up efforts are still underway.
Today, the island is owned by the City and County of San Francisco, who in 2011 approved the Treasure Island Development Project. The $6 billion redevelopment plan includes up to 8,000 new residences, commercial and retail space, office space, hotels, a fire station, new parks, and a ferry terminal. WETA is currently studying potential ferry service options with the Treasure Island Mobility Management Agency.