Google gets approval to build 80-acre megacampus in San Jose

July 2024 · 3 minute read

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Officials in San Jose, California, have approved Google’s plans to build a massive, multi-billion dollar campus in the heart of the city.

The tech giant will develop 80 acres of land on the western edge of downtown San Jose, which will undergo an estimated $1 billion in infrastructure improvements.

Google will own all of the land, but most of the project will be allocated for residential and public space.

That includes 15 acres of parks, plazas, and green spaces, new walking and biking paths, storefronts and more, city council staff said.

The development, which will house Google’s first mixed-use campus, will also include up to 7.3 million square feet of office space for 20,000 workers and the construction of 1,000 affordable housing units, at least a quarter of all residential space in the development, according to the plan.

A sketch view of the Meander, an urban promenade full of life and activity that is closed to cars. SITELAB Urban Studio
A sketch view of the Creekside Walk along South Autumn Street: approximately 1.51 acres of open space that offers a variety of experiences inspired and framed by Los Gatos Creek. SITELAB Urban Studio

Construction is expected to take between 10 and 30 years.

The San Jose city council unanimously approved the plans Tuesday evening.

“I want to thank everyone at Google for seeing this possibility,” Mayor Sam Liccardo said during the meeting. “Google has done far more than follow the rules, they’ve made massive commitment to our community.”

City officials said the plan includes steps to preserve and create more affordable housing and other opportunities such as scholarships and career training for residents in order to prevent gentrification of the area. As part of the agreement with San Jose, the tech titan is creating a $154.8 million community fund to that effect.

The mixed-use development is Google’s answer to community backlash against isolated tech headquarters that critics say have alienated locals and driven up the cost of living in Silicon Valley and other tech-heavy towns. 

The campus will include 7.3 million square feet of office space for 20,000 workers. SITELAB Urban Studio
Google’s campus will be an integration of offices and residential spaces. SITELAB Urban Studio
An artist’s rendering of Google’s proposed megaproject in San Jose, California. SITELAB Urban Studio

“This is about the long haul,” Alexa Arena, Google’s San Jose development director, said during Tuesday night’s meeting where the plan won approval. “We are not a developer who is just coming in for five years, but we’re really thinking about how we can become an integrated part of the neighborhood.”

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