Despite Google’s offer of new bike paths, pedestrian bridges over a major highway, two new parks, wetlands restoration, and other perks, the city of Mountain View, Calif., denied the company the development rights to construct a grand new headquarters.
The Mountain View City Council instead gave another Internet giant, LinkedIn, about 1.4 million sf of the roughly 2.2 million sf of available commercial space in the area. Google was promised just 515,000 sf, or enough for one component of its four-part campus expansion.
City councilors spoke approvingly about the snazzy design proposal of the new Googleplex, but also said they were concerned about stunting growth in the city for LinkedIn.
The council wants to promote business diversity and not have the city’s business base be dominated by one company.
Google proposed adding 5,000 units of housing on the grounds of the new headquarters to help alleviate the housing shortage in Silicon Valley.
That proposal did not sway Mountain View officials. “Housing by companies went out with the mining towns,” one councilor reportedly remarked.
Related Stories
| Mar 15, 2013
7 most endangered buildings in Chicago
The Chicago Preservation Society released its annual list of the buildings at high risk for demolition.
| Mar 14, 2013
25 cities with the most Energy Star certified buildings
Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Chicago top EPA's list of the U.S. cities with the greatest number of Energy Star certified buildings in 2012.
| Mar 13, 2013
RSMeans cost comparisons: jails, courthouses, police stations, and post offices
The March 2013 report from RSMeans offers construction costs per square foot for four building types across 25 metro markets. Building types include: jails, courthouses, police stations, and post offices.
| Mar 12, 2013
'World's greenest' office building seeks tenants in Seattle
Superefficient Seattle office building is designed to meet the ambitious goals of the Living Building Challenge.
| Mar 4, 2013
Korean Air, AC Martin collaborating on Western region's tallest tower
The 1,100-foot Wilshire Grand will combine retail and restaurant space, offices, and a luxury hotel in the sky.
| Mar 3, 2013
Hines acquires Archstone's interest in $700 million CityCenterDC project
The Washington D.C. office of Hines, the international real estate firm, announced the acquisition of the ownership interest of their partner, Archstone, in the mixed-use CityCenterDC project that is currently under construction in downtown Washington, D.C.
| Feb 28, 2013
Greeening Silicon Valley: Samsung's new 1.1 million-sf HQ
Samsung Electronics' new 1.1 million sf San Jose campus will support at least 2,500 sales and R&D staff in the company's semiconductor and display businesses.
| Feb 26, 2013
Tax incentive database for reflective roofs available
The Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association (RCMA) and the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE) created a database of current information on rebates and tax credits for installing reflective roofs.
| Feb 25, 2013
First look: Google's new HQ is engineered for creative collisions
The new California "Googleplex" will be engineered to make sure no Google employee will be more than a 2.5 minute walk away from any other.
