Buyer for Mayfield in the wings Buyer for Mayfield in the wings (March 12, 2004)

High-end housing developer signs contract with HP

By Grace Rauh

Tech giant HP has signed a contract with luxury housing developer Toll Brothers over the technology company's Mayfield campus.

The property has not officially been sold, and the details of the contract have not been made public. An HP spokesperson could only confirm that a contract between the parties was signed.

Since HP emptied its offices in April 2003, the future of the 27-acre parcel has been of interest to the city and specifically residents of the adjacent Monta Loma neighborhood. City council members have discussed plans for the site in the past, and popular ideas include putting housing and a park on the land. But before Toll Brothers or another group can build a residential development on the site, the council must agree to rezone the land for housing.

So far, Toll Brothers looks well poised to buy the property and work with the city to develop it. Toll Brothers has built housing communities in 11 California cities, including Sunnyvale, and refers to itself as "America's Luxury Home Builder," on its Web site.

"They are very experienced. They seem to have a good reputation," said Mountain View City Manager Kevin Duggan.

Toll Brothers' representatives met with Mountain View city officials informally in late February to discuss Mayfield's future. City officials tried to impress upon Toll Brothers that "the city council is very interested in the developers not starting the process with a preconceived notion of what they want to do" with the site, Duggan said.

Council members plan to explore different development options for the site. "The council doesn't want to be simply reacting," he said.

Toll Brothers' representatives told city officials they have experience developing a variety of different housing products. This is the first time the city has worked with this development company, and the city's discussions with the developer have been very preliminary in nature, said Duggan

HP's Mayfield campus is the site of a former shopping center, known as Mayfield Mall. HP occupied the campus for 14 years until it announced in 2001 that it would move the 1,000 employees working there to other local offices. In April 2003, the campus, which borders Central Expressway, San Antonio Road and the Monta Loma neighborhood, was emptied.

Representatives from Toll Brothers are scheduled to attend a study session on March 23. Council members are expected to let developers know they are interested in beginning a planning process "that doesn't eliminate alternatives," Duggan said.

Toll Brothers did not return calls for comment.

E-mail Grace Rauh at grauh@mv-voice.com

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