IBM research center in San Jose offers buyers opportunities, poses challenges

SAN JOSE — Any buyer that manages to snag the iconic IBM Almaden Research Center in South San Jose could wind up with a property that offers opportunities, but also poses possible challenges.

The 687-acre site consists of a stark contrast in land uses: a research and development hub totaling hundreds of thousands of square feet that is adjacent to pristine open spaces that total hundreds of acres.

The property became available after IBM decided to close the research hub and shift its workers a few miles away to IBM's Silicon Valley Lab at 555 Bailey Rd. on the edges of Coyote Valley in San Jose.

Commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield is attempting to sell the IBM Almaden Research Center property on behalf of long-time owner IBM, according to a marketing brochure.

“This offering provides investors the unique opportunity to reposition or redevelop a property of unique scale within Silicon Valley,” the brochure states.

Among the challenges is a new owner would have to determine whether to buy the entire site or only the location with the existing research center. Neighborhood organizations and open space groups might also weigh in on the site’s future.

“The most important part of this proposal may be the preservation of 652 acres of open space,” said Bob Staedler, principal executive with Silicon Valley Synergy, a land-use consultancy. “I hope the property owners engage early with the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority and Peninsula Open Space Trust to explore conservation options.”

The research hub totals 544,500 square feet and occupies a 35-acre portion that’s zoned industrial park, marketing materials show. Another 652 acres are open spaces that exemplify the hillside areas on the south side of San Jose.

An unidentified investment group is seeking city approval to rezone the property.

Investors are looking at what could emerge on a small section of the IBM Almaden Research Center site while preserving as open space several hundred adjoining acres on the property at 650 Harry Road, city files show.

The proposal seeks to change the site's zoning designation, which currently is agricultural with a planned development overlay.

The investors hope to shift the zoning to "industrial park" for 35 acres at the site and to "open space" on 652 acres, city files show. San Jose-based land-use consultant Erik Schoennuaer represents the investment group.

“The current zoning is an antiquated custom zoning from 1980 specifically for the IBM Research Center operation,” Schoennauer said. “This application is simply a conforming rezoning to establish zoning on the property that matches the existing general plan designations of industrial park and open space.”

The site could be bought by an owner that also intends to occupy the existing buildings, marketing materials show.

“There are limited opportunities for users to purchase office and research and development buildings on a site of this scale in Silicon Valley,” Cushman & Wakefield stated in the brochure.

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This story was originally published June 22, 2026 at 2:26 PM.