Microsoft still must seek permits for construction of individual buildings, and road improvements must accompany the development. If built according to the current plans, the campus cut into the forested hilltop north of Interstate 90 would hold 15 buildings -- and as many as 3,000 of the Redmond-based behemoth's employees.

Stacy Drake, a company spokesperson, told GlobeSt.com earlier this month the plans are not, however, cut into stone. "We don't have plans yet for how many sf we will end up building. A lot will be determined by [Microsoft's] growth. We want the predictability of knowing this space will be available when the need arises, but, it is a project that will be built in phases."

Drake says offices Microsoft now occupies provide sufficient space to meet the company's current needs. As 2001 drew to a close, its aggregated sites measured out at 7.9 million sf -- with approximately 3.1 million sf being company owned and the remainder under leases.