M
ark Zuckerberg has been quietly buying up properties in his Palo Alto neighborhood, transforming the once-peaceful Crescent Park into a private compound. Since 2011, the Meta CEO and his wife Priscilla Chan have acquired at least 11 homes along Edgewood Drive and Hamilton Ave, spending over $110 million.

    The couple's estate now includes guesthouses, lush gardens, a pickleball court, and a pool with a hydrofloor cover. A 7-foot silver statue of Chan stands in the center, while an underground bunker lies beneath it. Neighbors have reported ongoing construction issues, including clogged streets and surveillance cameras trained on their yards.

    Critics accuse city officials of bending to Zuckerberg's influence, citing instances where police created tow-away zones for his events and permits were approved without public hearings. Former Architectural Review Board member Peter Baltay recalled being asked to leave the site during a review process.

    Zuckerberg has been accused of finding loopholes in local laws and zoning ordinances. City Council member Greer Stone said, "We should never be a gated, gilded city on a hill where people don't know their neighbors." Zuckerberg's spokesman denied that cameras target neighbors and cited security threats as the reason for protective measures.

    While some interactions with the Zuckerbergs have been positive, residents like Michael Kieschnick feel the sense of community has been lost. "Billionaires everywhere are used to making their own rules," he said. "But it's a mystery why the city has been so feckless."