Apple Park Construction Causing Headaches for Sunnyvale Homeowners
Apple’s nearly completed Sunnyvale campus, famous for its size and ring-like shape, is already causing its neighbors more than a few problems.
Per the East Bay Times, Sunnyvale’s Birdland neighborhood is feeling burned ever since construction started on the 175-acre office site. Complaints and issues raised include the noise, large amounts of dust, sharp objects puncturing tires, the sudden lack of parking, and having their streets used as a shortcut to avoid heavy traffic — none of which feels worth it given what little residents say they’ve received from Apple.
Dan Whisenhunt, Apple’s vice president of real estate and development, told the East Bay Times he is quick to respond to concerns and complaints. “We got emails all the time for the last few years, and I personally saw every single one of them. If the concerns of our neighbors were big enough, I would go visit them at their home,” Whisenhunt said.
During and before construction, Whisenhunt said he and the company have been very proactive in preparing the community for inconveniences. Apple has held over 100 community meetings, sent out flyers regarding any impact, scheduled extra street-sweeping, distributed free car wash tickets, banned construction trucks and company buses from smaller streets, and provided the city with extra funds to monitor traffic and establish the use of recycled water.
Due to the impending rush of Apple employees, housing in the troubled neighborhood has doubled in value in the last six year. In the first six months of 2017 alone, 24 houses sold for an average of $1.69 million. For some residents, this increase in value slightly eases the pain from construction. For others who don’t plan on selling, it makes no difference.
What truly has residents up in arms is the absolute silence from local government. Many feel that their public complaints have not been heard and that there has been no city intervention in the last few years.
With the campus fully opening to some 12,000 workers later this year, residents fear they are being pushed out of the area. Despite Apple’s efforts to ice the wounds, locals feel like they’re being left in the dust.