March 22, 2019
Stanford’s new home in Redwood City
Yesterday, I joined Provost Drell, Redwood City Mayor Ian Bain, and other leaders from Redwood City, San Mateo County, and Stanford to officially open Stanford’s Redwood City campus. This was a historic moment, marking our first significant footprint outside of the main campus and a strategic investment in Stanford’s future.
More than a decade ago, Stanford purchased the 35-acre site in Redwood City with a broad vision for enhancing the university’s mission. In the early 2000s, leaders in our campus community and on our Board of Trustees had the foresight to recognize that, in order to strengthen Stanford’s core academic mission, we could eventually need additional land beyond our main campus. Over the course of these discussions, a clear vision emerged for a new campus in Redwood City that would become integral to Stanford’s mission and operations.
Stanford Redwood City is central to our plans for how Stanford will tackle the challenges of the 21st century in the decades to come. Co-locating our critical administrative units on a new campus allows us to allocate our limited space on the main campus for academic purposes, creating new flexibility in the university’s approach to teaching, research, and housing. At the same time, it gives us one integrated, accessible, and convenient site to scale the critical support functions that are necessary for Stanford’s academic and research missions to succeed.
We are so fortunate to have found wonderful partners in the leadership and community of Redwood City, who have worked closely with us to plan this new campus and welcome it into their vibrant community. We are delighted to have the opportunity to give back to the community through educational enrichment programs, which include an entrepreneur boot camp, a speaker series, leadership training. I believe these initiatives are only the beginning of great things to come for Stanford and Redwood City.
The Redwood City campus was designed to reflect Stanford’s aesthetics, spirit, and culture. Designers and architects reflected Stanford’s look and feel in warm and inviting buildings, courtyards, and cafes. The staff will have access to a brand-new fitness and recreation facility, a child care center, and ample conference space.
But it is the talented and hardworking staff who are moving to Redwood City who will make this a true second home for Stanford. Their collaboration, optimism, hard work, and flexibility will shape this new campus and bring Stanford to life in our new home.
To all of our Redwood City staff: I am deeply grateful for your embrace of this change. It is important that you know that this move will be a change for all of us on the main campus too. We must all embrace new ways of working with colleagues at a distance—from staying connected through video meetings and phone calls, to using collaborative technology to work together on important projects. As you settle into your new space, we want to hear about the experience, so that we can ensure the best possible work environment for you. This move has been, and will continue to be, a team effort and a change for all of us.
It is extraordinary to see all that has been accomplished in the two years since we gathered for the groundbreaking of Stanford Redwood City. Our architects and design team have built us a beautiful campus in Redwood City, and this week, our trailblazing staff are bringing Stanford to life in this new home. Thank you all for making this move a success.
