Its ubiquitous products have already invaded the tech marketplace, and now Apple Inc. is seeking a fitting new Northern California home: a spaceship-like structure that will house an estimated 12,000 employees. Apple CEO Steve Jobs made a surprise appearance at a Cupertino City Council meeting late Tuesday to announce plans for a major expansion.
Jobs presented renderings of a proposed 150-acre (60-hectare) campus built around a massive circular building with a heavily landscaped center. The land is currently home to Hewlett-Packard Co., which plans to move out by next year. Apple's existing Cupertino headquarters accommodates about 2,600 employees, with other workers scattered in smaller buildings throughout the city. City officials appeared enthusiastic about the planned expansion. Councilman Orrin Mahoney told Jobs that "the word 'spectacular' would be an understatement."
