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LinkedIn Continues Silicon Valley Building Spree, Eyes Massive Expansion In Mountain View

MOUNTAIN VIEW (KPIX 5) -- Almost everywhere in Silicon Valley, another high-tech building is taking shape. Professional social networking site LinkedIn (LNKD) is one of the companies leading the latest building boom.

The company's massive new complex in Sunnyvale is about to open, but even this won't be enough room.

LinkedIn just filed papers with the city of Mountain View for a headquarters expansion of more than 2.5 million square feet, enough space for 10,000 workers.

"I was very happy that LinkedIn would like to stay here and keep their headquarters here in Mountain View," Mayor Chris Clark told KPIX 5.

Clark is also worried there might be too much of a good thing when it comes to expanding high-tech companies in the city's North Bayshore area. It's already home to tech titans Google and Microsoft, Shoreline Boulevard is teeming with traffic during most parts of the day now. And there's a housing shortage that is driving up rents.

"We're actually working on a comprehensive plan right now that we hope to pass at the end of the year looking at how much growth can North Bayshore absorb. So we'll evaluate everything at the end of the day. If it needs to be scaled back, we'll scale it back," Clark said.

LinkedIn is not commenting, saying the plans are still to preliminary. But it's eyeing a chunk of land next to Highway 101 with an older small business park. Currently the site has a laser tag company, a Togo's and Gold's Gym.

Customers say it's a combination of positive and negative impacts.

"That kind of economic growth is what powers this part of the Bay Area," said Derek Olender.

Anne Marie Norman said, "When you get these really big companies like Google and LinkedIn, it kind of pushes out the little guy. To me there should be a limit to that kind of stuff."

It's the kind of problem most cities in America would like to have.

LinkedIn is still growing. The company's worldwide head count is more than 5,000 employees, with about half of them in Silicon Valley.

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