Microsoft unveils plan for Redmond HQ expansion

While one giant Seattle-area company looks for a second headquarters, another is doubling down on its current location.

Microsoft plans a multibillion-dollar overhaul of its main campus in Redmond, Washington, adding space for 8,000 more workers and creating areas for collaboration and recreation as the company tries to keep up with growth in hiring and trends toward more open office spaces.

The five-to seven-year plan will knock down 12 low-rise buildings at the heart of the company’s original headquarters and replace them with 18 new buildings, many  of them double the height, President and Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith said