Facebook announced plans for a 394-unit residential development located just blocks from its Menlo Park headquarters. Plans call for a $120 million, 630,000-square-foot complex that will include “everything from a sports bar, to a doggy day care.” (WSJ) These development plans are not necessarily remarkable in size, but more so in a larger social context that dates back almost 100 years ago.
Company towns, which at one point numbered into the thousands, have been declining throughout the decades. Lack on investment, economic shifts, and an inability to innovate and draw-in talent, are all facts that have led to the death of the company town. Detroit serves as a perfect example when thinking about the death of a “company town.” As auto-manufacturing declined, so did Detroit. Unlike New York and Boston, cities have have been able to continually innovate and recreate themselves, Detroit and other company towns see their residents (and income) moving out. From there the downward spiral until there the city is left as nothing more than a shell of its former self.
Facebook appears to be creating a company town of yesteryear with all of today’s modern conveniences. Following Google’s “treat you too well to leave our company” philosophy as Facebook hopes to “lure coveted engineers with over-the-top perks and offices that resemble adult playground.” (WSJ) I am suspicious as to how this town will end up turning out. Will Facebook continue to adapt as society changes, and not only that, but will they continually update this growing town so that it is not rendered useless in a century like countless others? Sadly, I think the answer is no, Facebook will not be able to adjust as time goes by, however, it will be interesting to see if Facebook brings rise to a new version of the company town.
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