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Treasure Island is an artificial island in the San Francisco Bay between San Francisco and Oakland. It is connected by a small isthmus to Yerba Buena Island, a naturally formed island. It was created in 1939 for the "Golden Gate International Exposition" by dredging up dirt from the bay. According to the United States Census Bureau, Yerba Buena Island and Treasure Island together have a land area of 2.334 km² (0.901 sq mi) with a total population of 1,453 as of the 2000 census.
Treasure Island is wholly within the City and County of San Francisco, whose territory extends far into San Francisco Bay and to the tip of the island of Alameda, California.
The island has a raised walkway which circumnavigates almost its entire bulk, which is popular for recreation. Sea lions can be observed in the water from the shoreline, and construction of the new eastern span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge can be observed from the eastern part of the island.
The island has no gas station, and is served by a single bus, the San Francisco Municipal Railway 108. It has a job training center and is home to many low-income San Franciscans.
History
After the World's Fair 1939–40 exhibition, the island was scheduled to be used as an airport when the navy stepped in and offered to exchange Mills Field on the San Francisco Peninsula near the city of Burlingame for the island. The City and County of San Francisco accepted the swap and the airport was built at Mills Field.
During World War II Treasure Island became part of the Treasure Island Naval Base, where it served largely as an electronics and radio communications training school, and as the major navy departure point for sailors active in the Pacific theatre of the war.
In 1996 Treasure Island and the Presidio Army Base were decommissioned and opened to public control, under stipulations. Treasure Island is now part of District 6 of the City and County of San Francisco, though it continues to be owned by the navy.
The Administration Building, a Streamline Moderne-styled remnant of that World's Fair, is one of the few buildings remaining from the exposition. Today it serves largely as offices for The Villages, a private apartment-rental agency. The former housing for officers and their families is rented out to the general public, pending redevelopment and reconstruction of buildings on the island slated for 2008.
A substantial part of the island is undergoing environmental cleanup by the federal government.
Treasure Island as a film location
In the 1990's and 2000's, Treasure Island's old aircraft hangars served as sound stages used in film and television productions. Numerous pictures starring Robin Williams were filmed on the island, including Flubber, What Dreams May Come, Patch Adams and Bicentennial Man. For three years it served as the site of Comedy Central's Battlebots television show. The offices in Nash Bridges were located on the island during the show's production (1996–2001). The island last held the set for the movie version of Rent in 2005.
Future development
In 2005, one of the largest developers of the United Sates, Lennar Corporation, proposed to build a self-sustaining city on Treasure Island. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the proposal has 5,500 units of housing in several lowrise buildings, a few high-rise buildings (including a 60-story tower), restaurants and a ferry terminal facing San Francisco. It also has an organic farm, a wind farm, parkland and tidal marshes. The proposal is designed to be as car-independent as possible, with the ferry terminal and basic goods within a 10 minute walk of the residences. A toll of $5 has been proposed on the island also to deter people from driving in and out of the island as well. This is a change from the original plan which was more car-dependent and it had only one highrise tower.
See also
Notes & References
External links
- Treasure Island message board
- 1942 Naval Seizure controversy
- SF filming locations for Nash Bridges
- SFGov: Treasure Island Development Authority
Islands of San Francisco Bay | United States Navy bases | Landmarks in San Francisco | Artificial islands
Treasure Island (Kalifornien) | Treasure Island (San Francisco) | Treasure Island (eyja)
"Treasure Island, California"