It’s an important location – one where tech campuses have begun to spring up, but Microsoft’s focus will be cloud and internet. “We continuously explore opportunities to meet the needs of a future based on cloud computing and internet services, so we’re thrilled to find a great one in the heart of Silicon Valley,” said Christian Belady, general manager of Microsoft Cloud Infrastructure and Operations to Mercury News. The land was allegedly sold by a group of families associated with Cilker Orchards, a real estate trust who produces olives and walnuts in the valley. “We welcome Microsoft’s substantial investment in San Jose, as it seeks to meet the world’s burgeoning demand for cloud capacity,” San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo.
Surrounded by Tech Giants
Microsoft’s new location puts it just a short distance from other tech giants. The nearby Alviso houses SanDisk, Polycom, ST Electronics, Brocade Communications, and Global foundry. Tech companies appear to be buying land in the area en-mass, Google with a downtown transit development, Apple with an upcoming San Jose campus, and Adobe with a major expansion. According to signs on the site, Microsoft is proposing four office buildings at a total of 437,000 square feet, which could have 2,200 employees, according to regulations.