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.
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.
FULL STORY: Call it Zucker Burg: Facebook campus gets its own Main Street
City of Los Angeles Tops 4 Million in Latest State Population Report
As usual, California's fastest growing counties were inland, far from coastal job centers. The big surprise was that the fastest growing city was an affluent Silicon Valley suburb that had been sued in 2012 by affordable housing advocates.
Better to Appease Irate Neighbors Than Decrease Car Commuting
A San Francisco Chronicle editorial supports the decision by the Municipal Transportation Agency to 'bow' to complaints from residents about the large tech buses by reducing their stops in their neighborhoods even if it means increasing car trips.
Meta’s Plans to Revive an Old Rail Bridge Halted During the Pandemic
The company formerly known as Facebook’s once planned to revive the Dumbarton Rail Bridge across the San Francisco Bay. Those plans are as derelict as the bridge.
Seattle Legalizes Co-Living
A new state law requires all Washington cities to allow co-living facilities in areas zoned for multifamily housing.
NYC Officials Announce Broadway Pedestrianization Project
Two blocks of the marquee street will become mostly car-free public spaces.
The City of Broken Sidewalks
Can Los Angeles fix 4,000 miles of broken sidewalks before the city hosts the 2028 Olympic Games?
Study: Automobile Dependency Reduces Life Satisfaction
Automobile dependency has negative implications for wellbeing. This academic study finds that relying on a car for more than 50 percent of out-of-home travel is associated with significant reductions in life satisfaction.
San Diego School District Could Accelerate Workforce Housing Program
A proposal to build housing on five district-owned properties could yield 1,000 housing units for low- and moderate-income district employees.
Denver Transit Board Approves $1.2 Billion Budget
The 2025 budget for the Regional Transportation District is the largest in the agency’s 55-year history.
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.
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
Village of Glen Ellyn
City of Laramie
American Planning Association, Sustainable Communities Division
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Cambridge, Maryland
Newport County Development Council: Connect Greater Newport
Rockdale County Board of Commissioners