Facebook Completes Move to New Headquarters

Facebook today completed a move from its former headquarters in Palo Alto to a sprawling new campus in Menlo Park.

The 1 million-square-foot campus at 1601 Willow Road — formerly home to software company Sun Microsystems — features 10 office buildings spread across two campuses, director of global real estate John Tenanes said.

The social network's 2,000 employees currently head to work at the property's East Campus, Tenanes said.

The move took place in three stages that started in August with around 500 employees.

"This morning the final wave of employees walked through the doors," Tenanes said.

The newly renovated buildings feature "chalkboard paint" along the hallways so employees can scribble ideas on the walls, break spaces with brightly colored couches and stocked micro-kitchens.

Facebook office designers eventually hope to achieve LEED Gold certification for its new headquarters, in part by reusing fixtures and materials from existing structures on the property and installing recycling and composting bins throughout the site, Tenanes said.

Menlo Park Mayor Kirsten Keith said today that her community welcomes its newest neighbor, and city officials continue to work with Facebook executives on various environmental concerns, such as traffic impacts.

"Obviously, traffic is a huge concern," Keith said. "They're working on a lot of different solutions."

Traffic impacts have been addressed by a "robust transportation program" that encourages employees to use free shuttles from surrounding areas, vanpools and bicycles to get to work.

More than 47 percent of Facebook's current employees use transportation other than single-occupant vehicles, Tenanes said.

The company eventually hopes to house as many as 9,000 employees once the currently undeveloped West Campus is renovated.

Overall, the city of Menlo Park is excited to have Facebook join the community, Keith said. "We're happy to have them here," she said.

— Bay City News