World's largest green roof planned for Silicon Valley shopping center

Dive Brief:

A Cupertino, CA, shopping mall could have the world’s largest green roof as part of a $3 billion renovation plan its owners unveiled this week. The estimated $300 million green roof would be the focal point of the complex. See a rendering of the proposal here.
Vallco Shopping Mall, which The San Jose Mercury News described as “struggling” and “half empty,” is slated for a mixed-use makeover that will add “downtown-style retail,” along with offices and homes.
The green roof will be a sort of elevated, 30-acre community park atop and around the mall’s buildings and will include an orchard, a vineyard and 3.8 miles of trails. “There will be nothing like it when we are done,” according to a managing director for the developer, Sand Hill Property Co.

Dive Insight:

The Sacramento Business Journal called the effort — dubbed "the Hills at Vallco " — "sweeping" and “a tremendous engineering feat."

The park will be twice as big as any other elevated green space, according to the developer. “There aren’t many developers out there that would be willing to do this project as proposed,” the managing director told The Journal. “We’re spending a lot of money because we want to be a long-term owner here.”

In return for the community’s support, the developer has promised to build a $40 million elementary school nearby. “Consider it part of doing business in Cupertino, where concern over development’s impacts on the city’s world-famous schools can sink even a garden-variety apartment building,” The Journal noted.

Before choosing architects for the project, Sand Hill hosted 20 community meetings throughout the spring to gauge local support. The developer also received more than 3,800 project suggestions from community residents.

Sand Hill is currently in the process of conducting an environmental review for the development proposal, and the comprehensive plans will be submitted to the city within the next month. The San Jose Mercury news predicts the project could go to the city planning commission and city council for review by the fall of next year.