North Bayshore Master Plan
Three new neighborhoods, open space, and access to nature
Transforming North Bayshore
We’ve been proud to call Mountain View our home for over 20 years. Now, building on this history, we’re working with the City and community to reimagine North Bayshore with changed priorities: from cars to people, from people or nature to people and nature, from solely office to mixed use, and from the stasis of prescribed office hours to the vibrancy of life before, during and after work.
Balancing four guiding principles
We’re designing sustainable, inclusive places where local communities and Google can thrive together. As we think about designing great places for people, we look to four guiding principles.
Community
Places are about people and connections between them.
Nature
The wellbeing of people depends on the health of the planet.
Innovation
Have a healthy disregard for the impossible.
Economics
We invest in bold ideas that create replicable solutions for a better future.
The shared vision
We share the City’s and community’s vision to transform North Bayshore with a focus on housing, sustainability, ecological preservation, economic development, and mobility. Our proposal is informed by years of listening and learning from the City and community, through stakeholder meetings, working directly with the City and community leadership, and meeting with environmental, housing, resident, and transportation groups. We look forward to continuing those conversations to ensure the North Bayshore Master Plan truly represents a shared vision for the future of North Bayshore.
Housing
Creating new housing is one of the City’s highest priorities, and one of the region’s most pressing needs. That’s why in June 2019, Google committed $1 billion to enable at least 20,000 homes across the Bay Area over 10 years. Consistent with the City’s goal of providing more equitable and inclusive housing opportunities in North Bayshore, the Master Plan proposes up to 7,000 new homes, of which 15% will be affordable.
Up to 7,000 new homes
Targets:
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15% affordable housing (up to 1,050 units), roughly doubling the amount of affordable housing in Mountain View today
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Housing for a mix of income levels
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A wide range of housing types including studios to 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom units
Mobility
Transforming a suburban office park into vibrant new neighborhoods also means taking a comprehensive approach to transportation and mobility — one that encourages people to get out of their cars. And better mobility options can have big outcomes: improving public health, changing behavior, alleviating congestion, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle miles traveled, improving safety for cyclists and pedestrians, and simply creating great public places. We are committed to enhancing mobility solutions and getting people to think and act differently about how they move around in a more sustainable way.
3.5+ miles of new walking & cycling trails
Targets:
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Small blocks created for easy navigation and car-free trips
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Bike-pedestrian paths link to Permanente and Stevens Creek trails, ±500 miles of Bay Trail, and downtown Mountain View
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All housing and offices centered around public transit
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Traffic reduction through bike share programs, bike storage, space for car-share programs
Nature
Green spaces have profound benefits for human health and for many of us are the main way we experience nature. In addition to benefiting our health and well-being, these spaces are critical for maintaining local biodiversity. The City’s North Bayshore Precise Plan calls for the preservation and enhancement of important natural ecological areas. Our proposal prioritizes environmental conservation and the creation of public open spaces for the community’s benefit.
Up to 26 acres of public open space for all
Targets:
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26 acres of Google-owned land utilized for publicly accessible parks and open space, a minimum of 15 acres being permanently dedicated to the City for new natural and recreation areas
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Expanded area for egret rookery
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Bird-safe design for all new construction
Community
To deliver the City’s vision for complete neighborhoods, we need to create opportunities for people to connect and engage with one another. We propose layers of experiences, from a vibrant social center with a mix of shops, restaurants, services and entertainment, to a series of accessible parks and open spaces for education, relaxation, art, events and play. Establishing new pedestrian and bicycle friendly social connectors, such as the “Green Loop” in both the Shorebird and Joaquin neighborhoods, will provide a healthy and safe way to interact and move around the neighborhood, while opening up new connections to the Bay and downtown.
±290K sq. ft. of retail & community space
Targets:
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Street-level shops, dining, services and other active uses such as a grocery market
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Retail and entertainment uses concentrated along the new “Social Spine” pedestrian promenade parallel to N. Shoreline Boulevard
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Space for small businesses and local entrepreneurs
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Funding for public art
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Inclusive environments with thoughtful community uses and spaces for all ages and abilities1
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4 acres of land dedicated to the City for public use
Sustainability
Google’s approach to real estate development is grounded in our longstanding commitment to building sustainability into everything we do. We’re proud that we were the first major company to reach carbon neutrality and have become the world’s largest annual corporate buyer of renewable energy. We’re now working toward fully decarbonizing our electricity supply to operate on 24/7 carbon-free energy by 2030.
Our proposal embraces a whole-systems approach to sustainability that meets or exceeds the City’s requirements, including addressing climate resilience through green infrastructure features.
24/7 carbon-free energy & all-electric offices
Targets:
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LEED Platinum standard for all office and GreenPoint rated 120+ standard for all residential buildings
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Solar photovoltaic panels and electric vehicle charging stations for all buildings
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Innovations in cross laminated timber construction and district systems strategies
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Resilience planning for increased heat, sea level rise and flooding risks
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Carbon sequestration and carbon reduction strategies
Vibrant neighborhoods
The North Bayshore area of Mountain View offers a breadth of natural, entertainment and economic resources. Our Master Plan proposal encompasses 153 acres in North Bayshore, and focuses specifically on creating three mixed-use neighborhoods - Shorebird, Joaquin, and Pear.
This is an extraordinary opportunity to transform North Bayshore, while also expanding on its existing resources: its extensive wildlife and native landscapes, its local businesses and cultural institutions, its system of trails, and its connections to established neighborhoods.
The Master Plan focuses on Google’s landholdings predominantly in the Shorebird and Joaquin neighborhoods, as well as adjoining parcels in the Pear neighborhood.
Across the district, residents and visitors can expect a healthy mix of housing, office, retail, and open spaces. The three complete neighborhoods, Shorebird, Joaquin, and Pear will complement each other, with office space concentrated in the north and residential uses in the south. They’ll be connected by convenient transit options and a walkable retail corridor hosting a variety of experiences.
- Up to 7,000 residential units
- Up to 26 acres of public open space
- ±1.8M sq ft. of replaced or retained office
- ±1.3M sq. ft. of new office
- ±290K sq. ft.of retail, community and entertainment space
- 2 hotels
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