Google has announced that it will no longer move forward with its plans for a massive new campus in Silicon Valley. The decision comes after the company reevaluated its priorities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Google’s Chief Financial Officer, the company will instead focus on expanding its existing facilities in the Bay Area. This will include renovations and improvements to its current headquarters in Mountain View, as well as other nearby offices.
The new campus, which was initially announced in 2015, would have been located in San Jose and would have covered a massive 80 acres. The project was expected to cost around $1 billion and would have included office space, retail, and housing.
However, Google has now decided to cancel those plans and focus on more flexible and adaptable work arrangements, which have become more common during the pandemic. The company has already given its employees the option to work remotely until at least July 2021.
While some San Jose officials expressed disappointment at the news, others were more understanding. Mayor Sam Liccardo noted that “COVID-19 has caused many companies to rethink their plans for expansion, and Google is no exception.”
Google has not indicated what it will do with the land it had intended to use for the new campus. However, the company has said that it remains committed to investing in the Bay Area and supporting the local community.
The decision to cancel the new campus is just the latest in a series of changes that Google has made in response to the pandemic. In addition to allowing employees to work remotely, the company has also postponed its annual developer conference and canceled its I/O event for 2020.
