Google unveils plans for its hometown's huge makeover
Google is working to create a colossal community around its Mountain View, California headquarters that will emphasize sustainability and include space for offices and housing.
The tech giant revealed its development plan on Friday for the North Bayshore area, which will include up 400,000 square feet of retail space, 3.12 million square feet of new and redeveloped office space, 35 acres of publicly accessible open space and up to 8,000 units of housing. The company also plans to partner with a residential developer to build up to 6,600 new homes, 20 percent of which would be affordable housing.
The goal of the North Bayshore Precise Plan (NBPP), which the city of Mountain View developed in 2017, is to transform the area from predominately parking lots and office buildings to what it calls “Complete Neighborhoods,” or places where “people and nature can thrive.”
Google is doing its part by expanding its focus on sustainability and the environment with regard to buildings and transportation, by aiming to reduce carbon emissions and create over seven miles of bike and pedestrian paths. All electricity that will be used by the company in North Bayshore will come from renewable sources, it said, while all of its new office buildings will be built to at least LEED Platinum certification.
The tech giant co-owns one location in the area – called Shoreline Commons – with real estate firm SyWest Development. The two companies have yet to agree on a master plan for the site. Since Google and SyWest submitted Bonus floor area ratio (FAR) applications that are “substantially modified” from the original, a city council meeting is set to be held next year to consider the latest applications.
Google has been snapping up property in the Silicon Valley area in recent years, including the $1 billion purchase of real estate late last month in Mountain View near its Googleplex headquarters. In addition, over the past two years, the company spent at least $2.83 billion on property in Mountain View, San Jose and Sunnyvale, according to The Mercury News.
The company also expanded its East Coast operations when it closed a $2.4 billion deal for the Chelsea Market in New York City – the largest property purchase this year.