Land swap between Google & LinkedIn will allow both companies to build desired headquarters

In March, Google shared its ambitious plan for a futuristic expansion of its Mountain View headquarters. Those plans were derailed in May after LinkedIn won the bid on the valuable real estate required for development. Google and LinkedIn have now announced a “grand bargain” that will allow both to fulfill their campus ambitions.

In a deal that sees no money exchange hands, Google will receive the land that LinkedIn was awarded earlier this year. The City Council already approved a request from LinkedIn to build 1.4 million square feet of office space and it’s likely that Google will be able to do the same now.

Additionally, Google will take over a 370,000 square feet piece of land that was one of the last few areas near its headquarters that it did not already control.

The move sees LinkedIn leave the heavily Google populated North Bayshore area for other places in the Valley. In Mountain View, LinkedIn is taking a control of two large Google properties that will allow it to build its desired headquarters. Additionally, it will take over two sites in Sunnyvale, including the former headquarters of Palm.

Google has yet to design and build its own corporate building, rather sticking to renovating existing buildings. The plans introduced this year call for a lightweight, movable structure that could change depending on the need.

While the deal will put the company back on track to building its own campus, there are still a number of issues that Google will have to resolve with local planning authorities before it can move forward.