After
World War II,
Stanford University found itself in difficult financial circumstances. In 1951, the initiative was authorized and 209 acres were allocated. In 1953,
Varian Associates moved in as the park's first tenant. In the early days, Stanford tightly controlled development, without the help of an outside developer. It also rigorously screened potential tenants to ensure they were in line with university objectives. By 1956,
Hewlett-Packard established its world headquarters in SRP. The park acquired more land as it grew from 40 tenants in 1960 to 100 tenants in 1985 to over 150 by January 2018. The name was changed in the 1970s to
Stanford Research Park to highlight "the focus of cooperation between the university and the tech companies". In 1991, the Stanford Management Company was established to manage the university's financial and real estate assets, including SRP.
Controversies In 2014, the Palo Alto City Council allowed a proposed
affordable housing community with 180 units in the Stanford Research Park to proceed, despite protests by neighborhood residents. The community opened in June 2017. In 2016,
Stanford University and twelve of the park's largest companies formed the Transportation Management Association in order to mitigate
traffic congestion from employee commutes, noting that it was making companies within the park less attractive to current and prospective employees. SRP lacks a nearby
Caltrain station. The group is exploring several options, including "new shuttles,
carpool routes and a trip-planning app". ==See also==