Extension of the Google Campus
A new Google campus is in the works after 10 years of planning by the City of Mountain View and Google. The company hopes to reflect its culture of innovation and its community-oriented approach to technological advancement with the new building design. A glass wall, solar panel canopy with a tent-like design, and a public promenade are all features of the new design that would make the Google headquarters a unique attraction to residents in Mountain View and the surrounding area. The layout includes a “green loop,” with art galleries and café’s, as well as a plaza at the southeast corner that will house community events including food trucks, tech exhibits, and live music on the weekends.
“I mean personally I think that would be something pretty cool to visit, especially if they are building new restaurants, to making new jobs and stuff, it would be pretty cool to support that,” sophomore Paul Farot said.
City starts new parking plans for downtown
In an attempt to reduce the congestion in downtown Mountain View, City Council is implementing incentives to encourage drivers to use ride-sharing services. Putting forth $50,000, the city will pay half the transportation cost ($5 for Uber or Lyft) for anyone traveling to downtown. The ride-share programs is being piloted, funded and tested by the Mountain View’s Parking District fund, which allocates money from parking permits and property fees.
“I mean that’s pretty helpful, I know a lot of people use Uber home so to cap it at that is really helpful for students and people who don’t have a lot of money,” sophomore Loren Chun said.
Another development is also on its way; expecting to launch sometime in the spring, a valet parking service will be tested on the corner of Villa and Franklin streets in downtown Mountain View. The lot currently holds 80 parking spaces, most of which are consistently occupied, and city officials claim the valet service will allow two dozen additional cars to park. Because of the extra capacity, the city intends to hire two parking attendees for $100,000. While the price may seem high, it’s significantly lower than the cost of building new parking spaces and was seen as a bargain to City Council members who voted for the plan.
Gary • Apr 24, 2017 at 9:52 am
It is Monday morning, April 24. I am watching former President Obama on tv talking with students about getting involved in politics. When individuals do not talk, money does all of the talking. Look at the plans for Mountain View: cramming in more business space and more housing. Developers do not even want to have parking spaces if they can sell business or residential buildings without them. Maybe more development should occur, if at all, outside the City limits. There is room elsewhere in the county – but at a high price to the quality of life if in Mountain View. Realize that “politics” affects your life and maybe even your premature death (for example, with nukes in North Korea and Russia influencing elections in the USA). Get involved or get trampled.