Workday, a fast-growing software company with headquarters on Stoneridge Mall Road in Pleasanton, plans to build a six-story glass and steel building between its main campus and I-580.
When completed, it will be Pleasanton's second tallest building at 87-1/2 feet tall at the top of roof parapet and a height of 105 feet at the apex of a rooftop circular screen wall.
Only Safeway's corporate headquarters near the Workday complex is taller, but only by less than a foot.
The architecturally-striking 430,000-square-foot office building will be placed on a site that includes BART-owned property once designated for a 350-unit apartment house complex and retail center adjacent to the West Dublin-Pleasanton BART station. That site, once needed to satisfy Pleasanton's need for affordable housing, was never developed as planned.
The office building will have a unique and striking three-sided shape featuring layered architecture creating a base, middle and top. The base will feature glass walls highlighted by the building entry features and a covered outdoor dining area.
The middle layer will feature continuous ribbon windows separated by horizontal bands. The top layer begins with recessed sixth-floor walls continuing up to a deep eave soffit with a simple band at the parapet and finishes with horizontally-scored rooftop equipment screens.
The new building will accommodate a growing workforce. Founded by CEOs Dave Duffield and Aneel Bhusri in 2005, Workday now has more than 1,750 employees and 400 customers.
Employees have gradually been moving from its leased floors in an office building on Stoneridge Mall Road into buildings a few blocks away in Stoneridge Corporate Plaza, which is being acquired by NPC Holdings, LLC, a wholly-owned affiliate of Duffield. This was a strategic investment for Duffield and his venture, NPC, which is separate from Workday. NPC will continue to manage the space as a multi-tenant office, and Workday will occupy some of the space as an expansion of its corporate headquarters
Plans for the new six-story Workday center were discussed last week at an informal workshop meeting of the city's Planning Commission. Two commissioners, Jennifer Pearce and Herb Ritter, voiced concerns over traffic on Stoneridge Mall Road, especially during the winter holidays.
"At Christmastime, the traffic is horrible in that area," Ritter said.
Two five-story parking garages will also be built as part of the project, and the Workday developer is considering a walkway from the BART station to the new complex.
Workday will now formalize its plan into a final proposal to take to the Planning Commission and then to the City Council for ultimate approval.
Work on the new building is expected to start in 2015.
Comments
Stoneridge
on Feb 24, 2014 at 12:20 pm
on Feb 24, 2014 at 12:20 pm
HORRIFYING! This article was written in such a SLANT as to convince us all that the "second tallest" building in town is a GOOD thing. At the base of our beautiful foothills, whst an eyesore. We live in LITTLE DUBLIN..... Nice view for the employees but awful for valley residents.
Ironwood
on Feb 24, 2014 at 12:24 pm
on Feb 24, 2014 at 12:24 pm
"Two commissioners, Jennifer Pearce and Herb Ritter, voiced concerns over traffic on Stoneridge Mall Road, especially during the winter holidays. "
Don't you even think about voting against this project. Pleasanton needs this. I was just talking about possibly working for Workday; instead of commuting, it would be right here at home.
As for traffic, there will be solutions...
Ironwood
on Feb 24, 2014 at 12:25 pm
on Feb 24, 2014 at 12:25 pm
Sasha, it will not impact the views of the hills. If you know the area, it is a perfect location for it. I am all for it. 100%
Danbury Park
on Feb 24, 2014 at 12:42 pm
on Feb 24, 2014 at 12:42 pm
Drexl----sounds a bit selfish. "As to traffic, there will be solutions" ?????? What, like horses?
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Feb 24, 2014 at 12:48 pm
on Feb 24, 2014 at 12:48 pm
Why not sell our horrifying mall to Workday and save them the effort? That complex should be available shortly.
Kottinger Ranch
on Feb 24, 2014 at 4:38 pm
on Feb 24, 2014 at 4:38 pm
Bring it! Pleasanton is no longer farm country! We need more SV companies up here!!
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Feb 24, 2014 at 7:32 pm
on Feb 24, 2014 at 7:32 pm
Workday is about as good a company as one could get for any community.
If you knew anything about them -- history, product, charitable initiatives, and more -- you would thank your lucky stars that this company has located here and wishes to expand here. Near the BART to help with traffic issues. The shopping center traffic does not have its peaks right when working folks commute. (Workday is not really a 9-to-5 employer, anyway. People work all hours.) Co-locating shopping and work gets rid of a lot of car trips right off. Or Workday arrivals/departures can be adjusted, and Workday is just the company that would be willing to do the right thing.
High-density living, like that of NYC, is the least wasteful. Combine that with our leafy neighborhoods, and it's pretty terrific.
Anyway, I have so much confidence in Workday's founders and values that I can easily believe that their plans will be a huge benefit to Pleasanton.
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Feb 24, 2014 at 10:01 pm
on Feb 24, 2014 at 10:01 pm
Agree. Pleasanton needs more companies like Workday here. I can't imagine why anyone would object to this.
Valley Trails
on Feb 25, 2014 at 11:34 am
on Feb 25, 2014 at 11:34 am
A classy building by a classy organization founded by a class act. Stay classy Pleasanton!
another community
on Feb 25, 2014 at 11:48 am
on Feb 25, 2014 at 11:48 am
Hey Pleasanton! You are lucky you aren't getting a huge donut shaped space ship looking building in your town!
Livermore
on Feb 25, 2014 at 4:23 pm
on Feb 25, 2014 at 4:23 pm
(Post removed by Pleasanton Weekly Online staff as irrelevant to this thread.)
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Feb 27, 2014 at 11:13 am
on Feb 27, 2014 at 11:13 am
Way to go Uncle Dave! We applaud your spirit, conviction, entrepreneurship, and morality! Stood up to God, I mean Larry Ellison, and kept on moving forward. An awesome company from an awesome guy. Keep it clicking Uncle Dave!
Bonde Ranch
on Feb 27, 2014 at 1:52 pm
on Feb 27, 2014 at 1:52 pm
Terrible idea. We do not need any 6 story eyesores in this town. Not that type of community. We need to keep things looking like they are. I suspect many on here work for the company.
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Feb 27, 2014 at 2:51 pm
on Feb 27, 2014 at 2:51 pm
I do not work for Workday, but I read a lot. About Workday (and other Pleasanton issues). Everything I read is pretty amazing and positive. Yes I suppose there is a sweet innocence about thinking everything should stay the same, but it does not, cannot. We choose how we wish to grow: in partnership with a very fine company like Workday (who, yes, will offer many really good jobs in the future, some of them to P-Town residents) or by putting whines and barriers in their way.
I congratulate us and Workday for a great location, and I wish them every success. To Maddie's Fund also (look it up).
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Feb 28, 2014 at 8:57 am
on Feb 28, 2014 at 8:57 am
I am not a Workday employee, don't own any of their stock, and have nothing to do with the company. But, like Al, I read a lot. My feelings about the company started when Peoplesoft was going like gangbusters and doing some really good things for their employees and those in need. I liked that one of the founders of both Peoplesoft and Workday, Dave Duffield, did not give in to the evil war lord, Larry Ellison, during his aggressive attacks and buyout. And, then he started another, better company in direct competition with LE and is doing well. Everything you read about the company, its goals, the community support they provide, and about Dave in particular paint a very rosy and very real picture of a great company that treats their employees, and people in general, very well. Good luck to them. The City and its people will only benefit from their continued growth.
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Feb 28, 2014 at 9:34 am
on Feb 28, 2014 at 9:34 am
From what I read, the Ellison hostile takeover of PeopleSoft now looks like a blessing in disguise for Workday: it meant that the two Workday founders started over on a second try at a super-timely product (the HR and financial software for managing a business). You know how you are so much better at something on the second try? Seems to be the case with Workday. And their product uses the cloud, so the endless upgrades that are a fact of software life can take place faster, cheaper, and almost invisibly to the user.
Again, I have no connection to Workday except as a Pleasanton resident. Remember when we were debating whether we should allow the big business parks here? It was so controversial then. At this point, I think we can say we are way better off with fine employers like Workday and others dotting the Pleasanton landscape (including the taxes they pay the city) than with more endless housing tracts or willy-nilly new businesses starting up here as we see happened in the older Bay Area communities (car parts shops, fast food, a variety of marginal businesses -- this would have been a far inferior outcome).
Sure, an open field with only nature on it has its points. But we no longer live in a rural spot. We do have to manage all the existing pressures upon our location wisely. Forming alliances with uber-responsible businesses is one of the safest things we can do for our future. And yes, nothing is perfect.
Downtown
on Feb 28, 2014 at 9:56 am
on Feb 28, 2014 at 9:56 am
at least they won't be advertising their existence via digital billboards soon to be dotted along the 580 freeway.
Highland Oaks
on Feb 28, 2014 at 3:37 pm
on Feb 28, 2014 at 3:37 pm
Safeway is for sale, and I'd expect who ever buys them will move the offices in Pleasanton out of California.
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Feb 28, 2014 at 11:15 pm
on Feb 28, 2014 at 11:15 pm
Dan,
I'm missing how what you're saying has to do with Workday building a new building in Pleasanton. Are you saying that the Safeway buildings will be available for Workday in the near future.
Carlton Oaks
on Apr 6, 2015 at 10:48 pm
on Apr 6, 2015 at 10:48 pm
Ummm, have you tried to park at BART lately? Surprised no one is asking why they aren't building more parking to encouage more commuters?
Downtown
on Apr 7, 2015 at 8:18 am
on Apr 7, 2015 at 8:18 am
yeah John that's what he's saying along with a bunch of other space in the bay area when Internet Bubble 2.0 comes crashing down.
Vineyard Avenue
on Apr 8, 2015 at 12:08 pm
on Apr 8, 2015 at 12:08 pm
I think that it's great that Workday is expanding in Pleasanton. We need more good jobs here. My first tech job was in Pleasanton in 1998. The company closed in 2000 and I've been commuting to the silicon valley ever since. It would be really nice to be able to work here again.
Our traffic problems are mostly due to cut through traffic coming from places east and going south. It would be good if more people were working in Pleasanton and contributing to our economy instead of driving through.
People are right, Pleasanton isn't a farm town anymore. It's time that the retired old timers realized that and woke up to reality. A city is like a business. It needs to grow to survive.