during world war i the u.s. navy considered leveling brooks island to build a battleship dock. by 1917, the navy had determined that the existing mare island naval shipyard was suitable only for ships with a maximum draft of 30 feet, and that a new yard should be developed in san francisco bay to cater for ships up to 40 feet in draft. starting with a list of 17 localities around the bay, the navy narrowed this to four: hunters point, alameda, goat island (now known as yerba buena island) and richmond–albany. the navy considered four alternative plans in the richmond–albany area. three of the four would have been at sites between brooks island and point isabel (to the east); the other plan proposed a site to the west of brooks island. however, the dock was eventually built at hunters point in san francisco instead.