Council approves Apple's new "spaceship" campus

The Cupertino City Council voted unanimously this week to approve plans for Apple's new "spaceship" campus, the San Jose Mercury News reports.

Plans for the 2.8-million-square-foot building were first proposed by the late Steve Jobs in 2011. The building itself will be a four-story construction that will house more than 14,000 employees.

The project is expected to cause traffic congestion issues, though Apple has agreed to underwrite numerous roadway improvement plans to lessen the impact.

In addition, Apple said it would raise the percentage of employees who use public transportation or Apple's shuttle buses to commute to work from under 30 percent to 34 percent.

The new campus will include a 1,000-seat corporate auditorium, a fitness center, central plant, and underground parking, among other features. Apple said it hopes to begin demolishing existing buildings on the site later this year.

Writing on Twitter, Apple CEO Tim Cook said, "Our home for innovation and creativity for decades to come. Cupertino City Council Gives Unanimous Approval for Apple's New Campus."

For more on the Apple Campus 2 project, check out a special City of Cupertino landing page dedicated to the effort.

New iPads and Macs are expected to be announced during an Apple news event on October 22.