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Facebook’s plans to construct its next office building and a multi-level garage along Bayfront Expressway and Constitution Drive in Menlo Park won the approval of the City Council on a 4-0 vote Nov. 7.
Councilwoman Catherine Carlton said she recused herself because she is consulting for a company that works with Facebook.
A year ago, the council approved the 450,000-square-foot office building, but Facebook has submitted new plans to locate the building closer to Bayfront Expressway.
The new designs show a four-story, 97-foot-high building with a skylight and a maintenance platform, and an adjacent eight-story parking garage (seven stories above ground, one below) with more than 3,500 parking spaces.
Facebook is currently constructing the first of the buildings approved in that development package, Building 21. The company reworked the design for Building 22 so Facebook can start building it before the lease is up with the current tenants at 305 Constitution Drive, TE Connectivity. That lease may continue until 2020, said Facebook spokesperson Fergus O’Shea.
The new plans for Building 22 consolidated parking from lots and the first floor of the building into the parking garage, added more floors to Building 22 and moved the site closer to Bayfront Expressway than in original drawings, clearing more area for open space.
After TE Connectivity leaves, the site will be converted to an open space and a charging area for electric shuttles and trams. Of about 15 acres of space, about three acres will be accessible to the public. The rest will be for employees only.
The proposal and one round of revisions were reviewed by the city’s Planning Commission in May and October. One of the commission’s main concerns was the design of the garage.
Since the October Planning Commission hearing, the project architect, Craig Webb of Gehry Partners, and the Facebook development team presented a new version of the garage in response to the commission’s feedback. Councilman Rich Cline spoke favorably of the final garage design.
“What you’ve proposed feels more consistent with the landscape,” he told representatives of Facebook’s development and real estate team. “I’m supportive of this and where you’ve gone with it.”
Mayor Kirsten Keith expressed support for the office building, which she said “looks like a great environment to work in.”
Another condition of Facebook’s proposed changes included a provision in the company’s development agreement to pay $11.25 million over five years for “public safety.” The plan is for the city to use this money to fund a new police unit in the city’s “Bayfront” or M-2 area, roughly bounded by San Francisco Bay, University Avenue, U.S. 101 and Marsh Road.
There’s one still unresolved request: Councilman Ray Mueller asked that Facebook consider designating the three acres of planned public-access area to be open space. Doing so, Mr. Mueller said, makes the land harder to develop or reclaim for other land use purposes.
Facebook land-use lawyer Tim Tosta responded: “I can’t think through what the ramifications of that might be. … Can I get back to you on that one?”
Peter Ohtaki raised concerns about the possibility of added traffic on Chilco Street.
Project architect Craig Webb, in response to Ms. Keith’s request, said that if nearby residents think the new building creates views that are too imposing, the project developers could work with the residents on screening options, such planting more trees.
Recusal
Councilwoman Carlton told the Almanac that she has recused herself from council decisions on Facebook matters for a full year.
She said she received a small payment from a startup company for advisory services, unrelated to any city matter or Facebook. “Subsequently, without my knowledge I was advised that the company recently entered into an arrangement with Facebook, the details of which I do not know,” she said.
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A rendering of the proposed interior of Facebook’s planned 450,000-square-foot office building, to be named “Building 22.” (Image courtesy Gehry Partners/Facebook/City of Menlo Park.) -
A rendering of Facebook’s proposed “Building 22” office structure, which has an adjacent 8-story garage. The garage designs have been modified since the creation of this image. (Image courtesy Gehry Partners/Facebook/city of Menlo Park.)
“Ms. Carlton was recused because she is consulting for a company that works with Facebook, she said.”
Any more information on this?
“Peter Ohtaki raised concerns about the possibility of added traffic on Chilco Street.” Oh, don’t be ridiculous; adding an office with a 3500 car garage next to a road that already has standstill traffic won’t change anything … 😛
Just say NO! Enough is enough.
Nov 2, 2017 – In California’s Silicon Valley, some residents lament the ways industry giants like Facebook and Google are dominating suburban communities like Mountain View, Menlo Park and Palo Alto, by altering the housing markets, creating traffic problems and bringing in a monoculture of tech workers.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/ever-growing-tech-giants-have-changed-the-pace-and-price-of-life-in-silicon-valley
She is also Vice President of Public Affairs at CFLD (China Fortune Land Development)
Did Carlton work with this firm when she went to China on Menlo Park’s dime?