And how do they plan to resolve the already busy traffic during rush hours as literally thousands of workers are getting to Google, LinkedIn, Intuit, Microsoft and many other smaller businesses?

What is the zoning on this area? I wish our council would start paying attention to that. Maybe this particular area is zoned for office already, but it seems all over town, the council freely changes the zoning to accommodate developers. Every time that is done, it knocks the balance of our city just a little more out of whack. Zoning is the tool that allows our city to have a bowling alley, drive in or ice skating rink or other things that don't have the same value density as an office building, but are the things that make a city desirable. We can't keep fighting the erosion from developers one "Milk Pail Market" at a time - we lost a dozen other businesses in the time it took to save that one.

@Joyce:

Maybe they can just ride a VTA bus there?

;-)

You could zone for ice skating, roller rinks, bowling alleys and mini golf all you want. But in reality a shopping center or offices stand to create more money and afford the crazy high rents.

They could put the buses underground.

By the way I have seen underground bowling alleys or acrade type bowling lanes, indoor mini golf, and parking lot ice skating rinks.

Require the businesses that locate here to build an extra floor above to house the employees. You have brought the parcel to both business and residential use and reduced GHG by having no commute for the employees.

But the politicians will probably be bought off from the logic of this alternative.

Why not have residential towers next office buildings with ground floor retail.

@Garrett -- Right, because we all want Mountain View to look just like the set of "Metropolis."

C'mon, man.

@Garrett---- Right, well said. That's why we moved to Morgan Hill in Feb. 2000. No Metropolis allowed here in our town.

Isn't this area landfill, sand and mud subject to liquefaction?

I want to also remind people and the Voice that name calling is a form of bullying and should not be allowed.

No, this area is right by the freeway. It's always been the same flat elevation. The landfill is up over closer to the bay, under the amphitheater and the park.

Looking back above, one idea is to put an underground garage for the bus maintenance and then build an ice rink at ground level. I'm sure such a recreational facility would be much appreciated. More likely it will become an office building with 4 stories and additional parking underground as well. I wonder if the area was included in the calculation for potential development, since it currently is a tax exempt government facility. Certainly it's going to add to the tax base.