Google Plans New Headquarters, and a City Fears Being Overrun

[KamaAina]

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/26/technology/google-plans-new-headquarters-and-a-city-fears-being-overrun.html

Apple is moving into Silicon Valley headquarters that look like a spaceship. Facebook is expanding its campus with a new building designed by Frank Gehry. Now it’s Google’s turn.

This week, Google, the search giant, is expected to propose new headquarters — a series of canopylike buildings from Heatherwick Studio, a London design firm known for works like the fiery caldron at the 2012 Olympics, and Bjarke Ingels, a Danish architect known for his innovative designs.

The project in Mountain View, which Google has not made public but has discussed with members of the City Council, is likely to aggravate an increasingly testy relationship between the company and community leaders who fear the company is overrunning their small city....

Even if Google’s proposal is accepted, the city’s most divisive issue — how much new housing to build and where — has yet to be settled. Google executives have said on several occasions that they want to add housing to North Bayshore, but Mountain View’s outgoing City Council found many reasons to say no.

[msongs]

1. no housing? where will the wage slaves live? commute daily from Asia? nt

[arcane1]

3. They'll continue to live in San Francisco and take the free shuttle buses.

Thereby clogging up our streets and driving up our rents even more.

[KamaAina]

4. Buckminster Fuller designed a floating city back in the '70s

Could a few of these floating in the Bay help with the housing crunch?

[Mr.Bill]

6. Not unless you built hundreds of them.

And even then, they would not be affordable. If you built a few of them today, a 500 - 700 sq ft apartment would sell for millions. I am not exaggerating.

[daredtowork]

7. Ooh - they should build a flying city!

Like the Cloud City in The Empire Strikes Back!!!

[KamaAina]

9. But how would the people commute?

SFO is already overcrowded.

[daredtowork]

14. On a magic Google bus! nt

[arcane1]

2. Imagine how overrun Mountain View would feel if those employees lived there too!

[on point]

5. Add BART across San Mateo bridge & down from SF. Not housing

[KamaAina]

10. SF is already overpriced and overcrowded.

Thanks to techies whose companies run the dreaded "Google buses" back and forth.

And the Dumbarton Bridge lands closer to $iliValley than the San Mateo. A rail link across it has been proposed.

[on point]

11. Dumbarton OK if destination is SV. But wrong direction and too far south for SF

Better to take Livermore line across to San mateo and up past airport (Now Hayward people can actually use BART to SFO, because otherwise it takes too long). This provides redundant path to SF and off loads existing BART bay tunnel so it can pick up more north traffic.

Best way to San Jose / SV is via Fremont extension to Los Altos, and conversion of Cal trains peninsula line to BART and extend to Morgan hill. Complete the circle and the system.

[KamaAina]

12. A second BART transbay tube is actually being discussed.

Jack London/Alameda Point to Mission Bay and SoMa.

[MADem]

8. They should move to northern Maine.

Willing workforce that isn't too proud to do the menial jobs, lots of housing, and an economy that could use a bit of a boost.

[mackerel]

13. Redwood City has a population of about 80,000 and it's smaller than S.F.

as far as sq. miles. How many employees does Google have? Grant it most of the people that work in Redwood City don't actually live there. I think Genentech is also there.

[KamaAina]

15. Genentech is in South San Francisco

by the airport, or as we call it, "South City". Oracle is in Redwood City.