In what is likely to be its final review, the Mountain View City Council tonight will consider giving the go-ahead for the first piece of Google's ambitious campus plans for North Bayshore. If approved, the project known as Charleston East will be a futuristic corporate center blended with a public promenade.
Over many months of refining its plans, Google's team clearly intends the Charleston East project to be a showpiece attraction for both the company and the city of Mountain View.
City planners previously admitted the proposal has been difficult to review since it is so unique. The proposal calls for 595,000 square feet of commercial space spread throughout a cluster of buildings, all housed within a tent-like canopy. That cover will allow in natural sunlight while also serving as possibly the largest solar array ever built.
The architecture and design was tailored for the public to enjoy, and not just for the company's workforce, said John Igoe, Google real estate director. He emphasized a public walkway known as the "Green Loop" that would cut through Charleston East and include public cafes, shops and other attractions.
"This was our opportunity to make this location more open to the community," he said. "This is our new front door to the city and to visitors."
The Mountain View City Council will review the Charleston East plans at 7 p.m., March 7, at the Council Chambers at 500 Castro St. An agenda for the meeting can be found at the city's website.
Comments
Stierlin Estates
on Mar 7, 2017 at 2:15 pm
on Mar 7, 2017 at 2:15 pm
Judging from the amount of activity at the site (perimeter fence installed, earth moving equipment moved in, trees marked for cutting, underbrush removed) Google seems ready to start construction the moment the City Council rubber-stamps their proposal.
another community
on Mar 7, 2017 at 4:18 pm
on Mar 7, 2017 at 4:18 pm
Can anyone tell me what happened toady of the "long list of $200 million in public benefits that could be hard to turn down, including a new public safety building, two new parks and a new educational science center in North Bayshore, a major expansion of the city's shuttle system and $1.5 million in scholarships for high schoolers." Web Link with Google buying the land that LinkedIn had planned on using (and the city previously awarded), did Google basically get what they wanted all the while the city got what? Web Link
North Whisman
on Mar 7, 2017 at 5:37 pm
on Mar 7, 2017 at 5:37 pm
Dear City Council, JUST SAY NO!!!
Rengstorff Park
on Mar 7, 2017 at 8:59 pm
on Mar 7, 2017 at 8:59 pm
Please put aside your conspiracy theories and look beyond yourself to recognize value that will be added to mountain view if the campus is approved. Historically mountain view was a plot of land used for waste but the elected officials saw the value of public and private investment and the result is the mountain view most people know today. Please if you were not present 30 years ago, can not debate and or cannot weight all options, please simply remove yourself from the conversation unless you're open to discussion. The amount of "all inclusive & accepting unless it goes against my line of thought" that is present in this valley now is beyond absurd. Is logic no longer a factor and can debate not be engaging without personal attacks.
Monta Loma
on Mar 7, 2017 at 9:11 pm
on Mar 7, 2017 at 9:11 pm
Is it really only 2-stories? That's super wasteful. It should be much bigger.
Another Mountain View Neighborhood
on Mar 8, 2017 at 1:47 pm
on Mar 8, 2017 at 1:47 pm
Not the largest. Tesla and Kauai have that honor: Web Link