News:

Thanks to everyone for the feedback on what errors you encountered from the forum database changes made in Fall 2023. Let us know if you discover anymore.

Main Menu

Amazon HQ2

Started by Bruce, September 07, 2017, 05:45:59 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

jemacedo9

Quote from: PHLBOS on September 08, 2017, 10:17:44 AM
Quote from: noelbotevera on September 07, 2017, 11:03:45 PMMy prediction is that they'll pick Philadelphia. There are flights from SeaTac to PHL, and building an HQ there would give them a presence on the East Coast. The SEPTA Regional Rail provides the mass transit needed, and there's still a bit of space along roads like the Blue Route, although it's mostly residential area.

I haven't been to Philadelphia that often, so I might be wrong.
The Philly news stations have mentioned that Philly officials (the mayor along with the head of the Chamber of Commerce) are indeed trying to entice Amazon with incentives to set up shop there.

The best thing (in Amazon's terms) about making this public is...the competition for which state/city/region will provide the most in financial incentives?  Because...that really is the question.  Those other things...population center, proximity to airports and transit...are requirements, yes, but...a very strong tax incentive will be the key...


triplemultiplex

Great, now cities across the country will be falling over each other to give Amazon the biggest handout.  The race to the bottom begins!
"That's just like... your opinion, man."

TheHighwayMan3561

self-certified as the dumbest person on this board for 5 years running

HazMatt

At least around the people I work with (tech industry), there's this strong feeling that it's Raleigh's to lose.  I'm not as confident but the Triangle a growing area with a lot to offer, and politicians here would be willing to throw tax incentives at their feet.

Pink Jazz

Probably the biggest weakness for Phoenix is mass transit.  Much of where mass transit is more heavily concentrated in the Phoenix area are in central/south Phoenix, Tempe, and western Mesa.

MikeTheActuary

Quote from: JJBers on September 07, 2017, 09:45:06 PM
And Windsor Locks is the best choice for Connecticut, not only is there a Amazon facility in the state, there's able land, and CT 20 and I-91 are bordering the area. There's also a Amtrak stop (and a upcoming commuter rail stop), they could also build better connections to Hartford, and Springfield.
Also Hartford and Springfield area is in the ballpark of 2 million people.
Here's a pic


That particular site (which was looked at as a potential casino location) does have a potential downside: it's location under the glidepath for one of BDL's runways will limit the height of any structure built there (which may or may not be a concern).

I've got to believe that most metros and states will be attempting to woo Amazon.  Hartford and Springfield both qualify, with the added benefit of being in easy reach of many upper-tier colleges and universities, but the downside of onerous tax structures needing to be overcome.  Downtown Hartford has a few nearly-vacant towers downtown, plenty of land in need of (re)development around the downtown core, etc.

MikeTheActuary

Quote from: triplemultiplex on September 08, 2017, 11:59:47 AM
Great, now cities across the country will be falling over each other to give Amazon the biggest handout.  The race to the bottom begins!

Yep.  It's a brilliant move on Amazon's part to get the best-for-them development deal they can.

Brandon

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on September 07, 2017, 10:45:11 PM
Apparently Dan Gilbert is trying to push Detroit:

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/dan-gilbert-confirms-apos-trying-011540788.html

Good.  Detroit would be a very good location for them.  Downtown and Midtown are close to Metro Airport, along easily accessible freeways, have bus routes, and now the new train running down Woodward, is right on an international border so it can serve both the US and Canada, is close to really good universities in-state (UM and MSU), and has the land requirements in that area.
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: Brandon on September 08, 2017, 01:19:09 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on September 07, 2017, 10:45:11 PM
Apparently Dan Gilbert is trying to push Detroit:

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/dan-gilbert-confirms-apos-trying-011540788.html

Good.  Detroit would be a very good location for them.  Downtown and Midtown are close to Metro Airport, along easily accessible freeways, have bus routes, and now the new train running down Woodward, is right on an international border so it can serve both the US and Canada, is close to really good universities in-state (UM and MSU), and has the land requirements in that area.

Not only that but cheap land to build something new within the city or hell they could just buy an existing skyscraper.  Essentially Quicken Loans just bought the land where Kern's Department store was once located.  Really the infrastructure is still there with freeways and airport access, it actually is overbuilt considering how much Detroit has shrunk since the 1950s. 

mrsman

Quote from: rantanamo on September 08, 2017, 03:21:12 AM
There are some incredible opportunities in Dallas and Irving for them that fit the requirements perfectly including rail stations(possibly including high speed) and new freeway infrastructure.   They already have a large AWS and logistics presence in DFW.  The region is already talking about throwing huge $$ at them and seems to have a good relationship.  Hard to know what they really prefer though, but there's a great opportunity to mold the area and Dallas would give them what they want if they want a large population and infrastructure but would like to influence the city the way AT&T and Toyota have been rather than rely on existing institutions.

Dallas would seem to be a great fit for the reasons you mentioned.  I don't believe they would move to a rust belt city that is tied to unions.  Other good choices may be OKC, which is up and coming and very central.   Nashville is also very good location-wise being very accessible to most of the midwest and southeast.

kalvado

Quote from: PHLBOS on September 08, 2017, 10:17:44 AM
Quote from: noelbotevera on September 07, 2017, 11:03:45 PMMy prediction is that they'll pick Philadelphia. There are flights from SeaTac to PHL, and building an HQ there would give them a presence on the East Coast. The SEPTA Regional Rail provides the mass transit needed, and there's still a bit of space along roads like the Blue Route, although it's mostly residential area.

I haven't been to Philadelphia that often, so I might be wrong.
The Philly news stations have mentioned that Philly officials (the mayor along with the head of the Chamber of Commerce) are indeed trying to entice Amazon with incentives to set up shop there.
Can you imagine any single city or town saying "nah, we're not interested"?
Well, Seattle is not making a bet...

jeffandnicole

Quote from: kalvado on September 08, 2017, 02:18:51 PM
Quote from: PHLBOS on September 08, 2017, 10:17:44 AM
Quote from: noelbotevera on September 07, 2017, 11:03:45 PMMy prediction is that they'll pick Philadelphia. There are flights from SeaTac to PHL, and building an HQ there would give them a presence on the East Coast. The SEPTA Regional Rail provides the mass transit needed, and there's still a bit of space along roads like the Blue Route, although it's mostly residential area.

I haven't been to Philadelphia that often, so I might be wrong.
The Philly news stations have mentioned that Philly officials (the mayor along with the head of the Chamber of Commerce) are indeed trying to entice Amazon with incentives to set up shop there.
Can you imagine any single city or town saying "nah, we're not interested"?
Well, Seattle is not making a bet...

Philly's best bet would be to entice them to the South Philly Navy Yard.  All but abandoned, it's now home to corporate hq's and other businesses.  One hotel is there (Marriott Courtyard).  The area has a lot of potential for businesses that don't want to be in a center-city/downtown environment.

It offers very convenient access to I-95.

It offers very convenient access to PHL.

Philly and SEPTA have talked about extended the Broad Street Subway into the Navy Yard (about 1 or 1.5 miles from its existing Southern terminus.  SEPTA buses already go into the Navy Yard. NJ Transit goes to Center City Philly.  Adding a few routes to involve the Navy Yard wouldn't be overly tricky utilizing the Walt Whitman & Commodore Barry Bridges.

The Navy Yard definitely has the space requirements for the initial phases, and can probably easily fit all 8 million square feet of built-out space.

Why Philly won't work:

Unions.

Unions.

Unions.

Unions.

Unions.



Bruce

Unions wouldn't really factor in (they don't play a major role for Amazon's corporate workers in Seattle, which is a union-heavy city itself).

Philly's Navy Yard does seem like a pretty good spot, though. Adjacent to downtown and likely able to support high-rise office development.

hotdogPi

Quote from: Bruce on September 08, 2017, 03:21:57 PM
Philly's Navy Yard does seem like a pretty good spot, though. Adjacent to downtown and likely able to support high-rise office development.

If you look at the original post, they don't want to be adjacent to downtown. They say 30 miles away is ideal.
Clinched, minus I-93 (I'm missing a few miles and my file is incorrect)

Traveled, plus US 13, 44, and 50, and several state routes

I will be in Burlington VT for the eclipse.

jeffandnicole

Quote from: 1 on September 08, 2017, 03:23:47 PM
Quote from: Bruce on September 08, 2017, 03:21:57 PM
Philly's Navy Yard does seem like a pretty good spot, though. Adjacent to downtown and likely able to support high-rise office development.

If you look at the original post, they don't want to be adjacent to downtown. They say 30 miles away is ideal.

They want to be *within* 30 miles.  An Urban/Suburban environment is what they're looking for. I don't see anything saying they don't want to be adjacent to downtown.  The Navy Yard is about 10 -15 minutes away from Philly's central business district via driving; 20 - 25 minutes via the subway.

At 30 miles away, you are on the edge of the suburbs for most areas urban areas.  That also puts areas outside of most mass-transit zones, especially trains and subways. You are also out of the 45 minute requirement for airports in most areas, unless the suburban location is near the airport. 

Bruce

There is no way Amazon would pass off a downtown-adjacent campus. That's what they've been building in Seattle since 2008 (going through two campus moves to make that happen) and they are very comfortable with that arrangement.

PHLBOS

Quote from: Bruce on September 08, 2017, 03:21:57 PM
Unions wouldn't really factor in (they don't play a major role for Amazon's corporate workers in Seattle, which is a union-heavy city itself).

Philly's Navy Yard does seem like a pretty good spot, though. Adjacent to downtown and likely able to support high-rise office development.
The Navy Yard's located right in the glidepath of 2 of PHL's runways (8-26 & 9L-27R); so high-rise development there is out.
GPS does NOT equal GOD

AlexandriaVA

Does anyone really think Bezos will take AMZ HQ2 to a red state? Hate to bring that up but it's gotta be a factor.

hotdogPi

Quote from: AlexandriaVA on September 08, 2017, 06:31:13 PM
Does anyone really think Bezos will take AMZ HQ2 to a red state? Hate to bring that up but it's gotta be a factor.

States that were red in the 2016 presidential election:

Alabama: Birmingham.
Alaska: Lol no.
Arizona: Will be swing in 2020 and blue in 2024.
Arkansas: Memphis suburbs. Little Rock is not large enough.
Florida: Swing state.
Georgia: Will be swing in 2020 and blue in 2024.
Idaho: No cities large enough, and too close to the first location anyway.
Indiana: They won't go into the Rust Belt.
Iowa: They won't go into the Rust Belt.
Kansas: They won't go into the Rust Belt (eastern half), and the western half has no large cities.
Kentucky: Louisville.
Louisiana: New Orleans.
Michigan: Swing state, and in the Rust Belt anyway.
Mississippi: Memphis suburbs. Jackson is not large enough.
Missouri: They won't go into the Rust Belt.
Montana: No cities large enough.
Nebraska: They won't go into the Rust Belt (eastern half), and the western half has no large cities.
North Carolina: Swing state.
North Dakota: No cities large enough.
Ohio: They won't go into the Rust Belt.
Oklahoma: Oklahoma City, Tulsa (yes, I know it's slightly under 1M).
Pennsylvania: Swing state.
South Carolina: No cities large enough, surprisingly.
South Dakota: No cities large enough.
Tennessee: Memphis, Nashville.
Texas: Will be swing in 2024 and blue in 2028.
Utah: Too close to first location.
West Virginia: No cities large enough.
Wisconsin: Swing state.
Wyoming: No cities large enough.

So, 7 cities (Birmingham, Memphis, Louisville, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and Nashville) would be negatively affected if red/blue states matter.
Clinched, minus I-93 (I'm missing a few miles and my file is incorrect)

Traveled, plus US 13, 44, and 50, and several state routes

I will be in Burlington VT for the eclipse.

AlexandriaVA


jeffandnicole

Quote from: PHLBOS on September 08, 2017, 05:54:00 PM
Quote from: Bruce on September 08, 2017, 03:21:57 PM
Unions wouldn't really factor in (they don't play a major role for Amazon's corporate workers in Seattle, which is a union-heavy city itself).

Philly's Navy Yard does seem like a pretty good spot, though. Adjacent to downtown and likely able to support high-rise office development.
The Navy Yard's located right in the glidepath of 2 of PHL's runways (8-26 & 9L-27R); so high-rise development there is out.

Based on what's there now, they'll at least be able to do about 8 stories.

jakeroot

Quote from: jeffandnicole on September 08, 2017, 07:42:01 PM
Quote from: PHLBOS on September 08, 2017, 05:54:00 PM
Quote from: Bruce on September 08, 2017, 03:21:57 PM
Unions wouldn't really factor in (they don't play a major role for Amazon's corporate workers in Seattle, which is a union-heavy city itself).

Philly's Navy Yard does seem like a pretty good spot, though. Adjacent to downtown and likely able to support high-rise office development.

The Navy Yard's located right in the glidepath of 2 of PHL's runways (8-26 & 9L-27R); so high-rise development there is out.

Based on what's there now, they'll at least be able to do about 8 stories.

Not enough, at least compared to what they're building in Seattle. Sprawling campuses are sooooo 20th century.

briantroutman

Quote from: jakeroot on September 08, 2017, 09:24:11 PM
Sprawling campuses are sooooo 20th century.

I wouldn't say that's an absolute rule. Apple just opened this building–a mere four stories and sprawling over 175 acres–this year.


jeffandnicole

At least they have said a campus-like setting may be acceptable.

And based on a rough block calculation, one building 8 stories tall would be close to or meet their 8,000,000 square foot requirement.

Mrt90




Opinions expressed here on belong solely to the poster and do not represent or reflect the opinions or beliefs of AARoads, its creators and/or associates.