FabriTec Structures has begun the construction and installation of a tensile membrane canopy structure at the Seaplane Lagoon Ferry Terminal in Alameda, California. The structure will cover the pier where passengers will wait for the ferry.
The canopy covers the full 18-foot-wide 98-foot-long pier, which connects the gangway to board the ferry to the land. The canopy will protect passengers from weather conditions as they board or exit the ferry.
The canopy is a feature of the new $22 million Seaplane Lagoon Ferry Terminal project at Alameda Point. The new ferry terminal and waterfront renovations at the former Naval Air Station Alameda aims to reduce traffic congestion and streamline transportation options for residents and visitors. This includes expanded parking, a new bus stop, new paths for pedestrians and bikes, and the ferry terminal.
“The groundbreaking of the Seaplane Lagoon Ferry Terminal is an important investment in The Point, which improves regional access to Alameda, expands Bay Area public transit options, and drives investment in the Base revitalization,” said Stephanie Hill, vice president of development of Trammell Crow Northern California division and a member of APP.
The canopy features a repeating triangular design, meant to visually mirror the motion of the waves below the pier. The canopy brings an architectural flair to the utilitarian design of the rest of the terminal.
“City staff and City design consultants felt that the canopy design provided a small but important opportunity to add an interesting and unique architectural feature at this new transit gateway to Alameda Point,” said Michelle Giles, Redevelopment Project Manager, and Allen Tai, Historical Advisory Board Secretary, during the project approval board meeting.
The terminal is due to open mid-2020, with operations beginning as early as March. The terminal is expected to bring a new focus to the city of Alameda.
“The new Seaplane Lagoon Ferry Terminal will be the centerpiece of Alameda Point’s emerging Enterprise District, which is projected to create 5,000 new jobs over the next 10 years,” said Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft.
