City OK’s Math Institute

Center will be fourth of its kind in world
Morgan Hill – A new gothic castle could soon rise in the hills east of Morgan Hill after the city council approved plans for the American Institute of Mathematics’ conference center modeled after the Alhambra Palace in Spain.

The proposed center, in the works for years, will contain a highly regarded Bay Area think tank currently housed in a Palo Alto warehouse whose visiting scholars hail from all over the globe. 

Plans for the actual conference center have met little resistance in the community, despite controversy since 1998 over its owners having illegally remodeled a private golf course at the site without the correct environmental review. The American Institute of Mathematics (AIM) wants host a PGA tournament in the future, but not for several years. First, it must meet environmental mitigation for the golf course, which has damaged ground water, and submit a separate Environmental Impact Report for hosting large events.

About 30 people, many of them esteemed members Bay Area math circles, spoke in favor of the proposed “math castle’s” educational and cultural significance, including professors from UC Davis, UC Berkeley, Stanford University and San Jose State. 

Keith Devlin, who appears on National Public Radio as the “Math Guy” and who is executive director of the Center for the Study of Language and Information at Stanford, commented on the center’s potential for invigorating young minds in Morgan Hill schools through periodic one-on-one interactions with some of the world’s seminal mathematicians. 

Pressed by councilman Mark Grzan to verbally commit to making strong connections with local schools, AIM director Brian Conrey said he would work to make it so. 

Conrey and other AIM representatives also described some of the programs already in place designed to help local students.

Started 12 years ago by Fry’s Electronics chief John Fry and Steve Sorenson, AIM has since become widely known among math gurus as one of the world’s premier conference centers in the field, rubbing shoulders with similar institutes in Germany, France and Canada. 

“The idea was to get groups of mathematicians working together, and preserve math history with a library as part of the facility,” Conrey summarized in his remarks. 

Said AIM Deputy Director Steven Krantz, the center will be “an example of learning and erudition for Morgan Hill.” 

At issue for the council Wednesday was whether to approve amendments to the proposed project’s Environmental Impact Report, for the reason that the scope of building plans for the massive castle-like center have broadened since original approval was granted by the city in 2004. Architects have since enhanced their plans to create a more realistic replica of the mesmerizing Moorish castle, which was built more than 600 years ago using highly advanced mathematical designs. One of the original castle’s notable features is its system of running water still in operation today. 

Morgan Hill’s fortress will be 166,000 square feet, including stately courtyards, a 145-seat auditorium, 20 guest suites, dining facilities, lecture halls and conference rooms. 

Seeing an opportunity for construction to boost the city’s economy, Councilman Larry Carr suggested that developers work with the city to localize the purchase of building materials. Sorenson agreed to work toward that goal. 

Councilman Greg Sellers expressed a long-term view of the math institute’s potential for economic stimulus, saying Morgan Hill would become a more desirable place to live and do business. 

Grzan stated he was skeptical of such “conjecture” in lieu of any quantitative data on economic returns for the city, basing his vote in favor of the project on its perceived benefits to the city’s educational and cultural character. 

Tony Burchyns covers Morgan Hill for The Times. Reach him at (408) 779-4106 ext. 201 or tburchyns@morganhilltimes.