Considered as a ‘jewel of the community’ by the City Mayor, the building is expected to win many design awards for its unique features. Planned to be certified by LEED Platinum certification, the project features design elements that incorporate daylight, natural ventilation and other environmentally friendly features. It also features a photovoltaic system to meet its power needs. According to the foundation, it is a “net-zero” building is larger than any in operation till date.
Construction is expected to start by end of June, 2010, and scheduled for completion in next two years. Once completed, the building would hold nearly 120 employees of the foundation.
The city’s zoning ordinance has come up with concerns regarding parking spaces provided by the building. The building is offering only 67 spaces, while it has to provide 152 in ratio to its size, as per the rules. To compensate that, the foundation has to sign an agreement to follow ‘alternate transportation management program’, in which the building would encourage its employees to follow other effective transport options like carpooling and caltrains.
The foundation also plans to donate $3.4 million to the city to promote its environmental programs or add parking downtown. If parking is problematic after a five-year evaluation period, a nearby vacant site on San Antonio Road could be used for a parking garage.
