As Tech Companies Flock to the City, Facebook Doubles Down on the Suburbs

Once seen as the vanguard of hip and cutting-edge, Facebook is either bucking the trend once again or being left behind with their plans to bring the city to its suburban Menlo park campus to lure employees.

1 minute read

August 15, 2012, 9:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


Jessica Guynn explores Facebook's construction of a "Main Street" through its sprawling campus on the outskirts of Menlo Park. Seen as the next level in the Silicon Valley's "escalating race to pamper employees," what some are calling a "21st century company town" will reportedly include a bike shop, barbershop, and health clinic, in addition to a myriad of dining establishments.  

According to Guynn, "Facebook had to come up with new carrots when it moved its headquarters a
few months ago to a suburban outpost at the edge of tidal mud flats and
salt marshes cut off from the rest of Menlo Park by a six-lane highway.
It's so isolated that when former tenant Sun Microsystems occupied it,
the campus was nicknamed 'Sun Quentin.'"

Facebook's plans stand in sharp contrast to other Bay Area tech companies such as Twitter, Zynga, Pinterest and Pulse, who are decamping for San Francisco

 

Friday, August 10, 2012 in Chicago Tribune

View form second story inside Southdale Mall in Edina, Minnesota with escalators and model cars parked on downstairs floor.

The Mall Is Dead — Long Live the Mall

The American shopping mall may be closer to its original vision than ever.

March 21, 2024 - Governing

View of Austin, Texas skyline with river in foreground during morning golden hour.

The Paradox of American Housing

How the tension between housing as an asset and as an essential good keeps the supply inadequate and costs high.

March 26, 2024 - The Atlantic

Houston, Texas skyline.

Report: Las Vegas, Houston Top List of Least Affordable Cities

The report assesses the availability of affordable rental units for low-income households.

March 22, 2024 - Urban Edge

Aerial view of Anchorage, Alaska downtown with mountains in background at golden hour.

Anchorage Leaders Debate Zoning Reform Plan

Last year, the city produced the fewest new housing units in a decade.

3 hours ago - Anchorage Daily News

Young man in wheelchair crossing zebra crosswalk.

How to Protect Pedestrians With Disabilities

Public agencies don’t track traffic deaths and injuries involving disabled people, leaving a gap in data to guide safety interventions.

4 hours ago - Governing

Aerial view of mountain town of Steamboat Springs, Colorado in the winter with snow at dusk.

Colorado Town Fills Workforce Housing Need With ‘Dorm-Style’ Housing

Median rent in Steamboat Springs is $4,000 per month.

5 hours ago - CBS News

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.