Microsoft Pumps $1 Billion Into Redmond Campus Expansion: Company accelerates 20-year plan to expand campus by one-third in three years.: "Microsoft Corp. today announced it will accelerate campus development plans and spend $1 billion over the next three years to expand its Redmond campus by one-third its current size. Roughly half of the development agreement, approved by the city of Redmond in May 2005 to expand Microsoft's Redmond campus over the next 15 - 20 years, will now be fulfilled by 2009, making the company's Redmond campus one of the largest corporate campuses in the world.
A total of 14 buildings will be added to the campus. Seven buildings will be new and seven have been purchased. Coupled with leased spaces, they will provide the capacity to house approximately 12,000 people based on the current conceptual layout. By June 2009, 3.1 million additional square feet will be available. "
To get a sense of the scale, check the map in this fact sheet. According to the WSJ, the new space will house ~12,000 workers.
Curious that Microsoft, while promoting digital workstyle/lifestyle visions, appears to still function mostly by face-to-face, on-campus work/meeting mode.
Right on the money Peter. MS won't even hire telecommuters without kicking and screaming. A friend of mine who works for a company MS acquired recently couldn't get a full-time position there. Even though everyone agreed that this person is a great worker and a true asset, MS would only offer a temporary contract position. It's an odd HR stance since many of its major competitors, including IBM, have sizable remote workforces and thrive as a result.
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