Amazon HQ2

[kevinb1994]

Crystal City also appears to be a strong contender.

Article makes good points. Certainly less cramped than other areas of Arlington.

Crystal City would be nice for access to/from DCA aka Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

[jakeroot]

Crystal City also appears to be a strong contender.

Article makes good points. Certainly less cramped than other areas of Arlington.

Crystal City would be nice for access to/from DCA aka Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Assuming National can support a potentially massive increase in Amazon-related traffic. At least there (will be?) a Yellow > Blue > Silver Metrorail connection to Dulles too, just in case.

[abefroman329]

Crystal City also appears to be a strong contender.

Article makes good points. Certainly less cramped than other areas of Arlington.

Crystal City would be nice for access to/from DCA aka Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Assuming National can support a potentially massive increase in Amazon-related traffic. At least there (will be?) a Yellow > Blue > Silver Metrorail connection to Dulles too, just in case.

It's just Blue -> Silver from Crystal City.

[jakeroot]

Crystal City also appears to be a strong contender.

Article makes good points. Certainly less cramped than other areas of Arlington.

Crystal City would be nice for access to/from DCA aka Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Assuming National can support a potentially massive increase in Amazon-related traffic. At least there (will be?) a Yellow > Blue > Silver Metrorail connection to Dulles too, just in case.

It's just Blue -> Silver from Crystal City.

Of course. Thanks. In my head I keep thinking Blue ends at Pentagon. No idea why.

[1995hoo]

Crystal City also appears to be a strong contender.

Article makes good points. Certainly less cramped than other areas of Arlington.

Crystal City would be nice for access to/from DCA aka Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Assuming National can support a potentially massive increase in Amazon-related traffic. At least there (will be?) a Yellow > Blue > Silver Metrorail connection to Dulles too, just in case.

It's just Blue -> Silver from Crystal City.

Of course. Thanks. In my head I keep thinking Blue ends at Pentagon. No idea why.

If you were around during the summer when they were doing track work, you probably encountered the truncated Blue Line and have that map in your head. Understandable. The Blue ended at Arlington Cemetery during that period, but for practical purposes everyone had to change at the Pentagon (or sooner).

[jakeroot]

In my head I keep thinking Blue ends at Pentagon. No idea why.

If you were around during the summer when they were doing track work, you probably encountered the truncated Blue Line and have that map in your head. Understandable. The Blue ended at Arlington Cemetery during that period, but for practical purposes everyone had to change at the Pentagon (or sooner).

Could be. A neighbor of ours in Court House was complaining about the blue line either be truncated, or only running every 20 minutes or something, and how he had to drive to work when he normally didn't need to. Basically, I got used to ignoring the blue line. I was last there in August for about four weeks, and the construction ended not long before I left. I did go from L'Enfant > Pentagon on yellow, and then blue to the Cemetery to get some pics for the VA thread. In my head, might have just incorrectly assumed that blue ended at Pentagon since that's where I switched...I'm obviously not used to the metro yet.

[PHLBOS]

Crystal City also appears to be a strong contender.

Article makes good points. Certainly less cramped than other areas of Arlington.

Crystal City would be nice for access to/from DCA aka Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

DCA's non-stop route map:

While the above-route map for DCA looks impressive; one needs to keep in mind that DCA has slot/perimeter restrictions.  As a result, the longer DCA routes are usually flown with less frequency.

[vdeane]

Looks like northern VA is likely: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/03/amazon-reportedly-in-advanced-stages-of-naming-va-as-2nd-headquarters.html

[kevinb1994]

Looks like northern VA is likely: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/03/amazon-reportedly-in-advanced-stages-of-naming-va-as-2nd-headquarters.html

I read a comment on a recent Washington Post article suggesting Eisenhower Avenue in Alexandria. Not a bad place for HQ2 (there is still plenty of space available on which to build one). Potomac Yard on the city line between Arlington and Alexandria would also work.

[Bruce]

Looking around at both areas, it doesn't look like there's enough room for Amazon's planned campus in either spot, unless it was split or stretched (which is probably not as desirable). Unless they're able to build a few 30-story highrises like they've done in Seattle, it'll need a lot more space.

[jakeroot]

Looking around at both areas, it doesn't look like there's enough room for Amazon's planned campus in either spot, unless it was split or stretched (which is probably not as desirable). Unless they're able to build a few 30-story highrises like they've done in Seattle, it'll need a lot more space.

If we are being loose in our definition of "Crystal City", there's a massive open spot of land near the Fashion Centre which could accommodate a well-sized campus.

A lot of the structures in Crystal City are also pretty old, at least compared to the age of other tall buildings in the DMV. It's possible they might knock a few down to clear some room for some new tall buildings.

[vdeane]

Looks like Amazon is going to choose not one, but two cities: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/05/amazon-will-reportedly-create-two-new-headquarters-instead-of-one.html

[LM117]

Looks like Amazon is going to choose not one, but two cities: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/05/amazon-will-reportedly-create-two-new-headquarters-instead-of-one.html

I wish they would make up their fucking mind already and get it over with. They're milking the PR for all it's worth at this point.

[kevinb1994]

Looks like Amazon is going to choose not one, but two cities: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/05/amazon-will-reportedly-create-two-new-headquarters-instead-of-one.html

I wish they would make up their fucking mind already and get it over with. They're milking the PR for all it's worth at this point.

I really don't know if they (Amazon) can pull that off.

[jakeroot]

Wait are they going for HQ2 and HQ3? Or two equal mini-HQs that together are equal to a single HQ?

[kevinb1994]

Wait are they going for HQ2 and HQ3? Or two equal mini-HQs that together are equal to a single HQ?

Probably just HQ2 in two different locations which IDK if it can work out for Amazon or not. Bloomberg has just mentioned on TV that Amazon is zeroing in on New York and Arlington for HQ2. Not surprising but I would bet on one of the outer boroughs for HQ2 in New York because it just wouldn't work for them in Manhattan.

[Bruce]

The New York City bid specifies Long Island City, which is just across from Midtown Manhattan. Arlington's would be in Crystal City, which is a bit removed from the high-rise district in Rosslyn.

Seattle is claiming that this is a huge win, given that we'd remain the largest Amazon base by far. Trying to accommodate 50K tech employees in one location would have been too ambitious, even for one of the largest companies around.

[kevinb1994]

The New York City bid specifies Long Island City, which is just across from Midtown Manhattan. Arlington's would be in Crystal City, which is a bit removed from the high-rise district in Rosslyn.

Seattle is claiming that this is a huge win, given that we'd remain the largest Amazon base by far. Trying to accommodate 50K tech employees in one location would have been too ambitious, even for one of the largest companies around.

Yeah LIC is what I'd have in mind for HQ2. Same with Crystal City. And yeah Seattle will still be home to HQ1.

[jakeroot]

Arlington's would be in Crystal City, which is a bit removed from the high-rise district in Rosslyn.

There are quite a few high rise districts outside of Rosslyn. The DMV is a lot like Vancouver. Rosslyn is downtown Vancouver, but there are lots of other high rise areas, like Court House, Crystal City, and Arlington proper.

[kevinb1994]

Arlington's would be in Crystal City, which is a bit removed from the high-rise district in Rosslyn.

There are quite a few high rise districts outside of Rosslyn. The DMV is a lot like Vancouver. Rosslyn is downtown Vancouver, but there are lots of other high rise areas, like Court House, Crystal City, and Arlington proper.

Interesting comparison. Haven't been to Vancouver so I have no idea what it's like up and over there.

[jakeroot]

Arlington's would be in Crystal City, which is a bit removed from the high-rise district in Rosslyn.

There are quite a few high rise districts outside of Rosslyn. The DMV is a lot like Vancouver. Rosslyn is downtown Vancouver, but there are lots of other high rise areas, like Court House, Crystal City, and Arlington proper.

Interesting comparison. Haven't been to Vancouver so I have no idea what it's like up and over there.

Vancouver's skyscraper situation is reminiscent of some Asian cities. There's a main city centre but there's a ton of other smaller hubs with shopping and housing, usually in the form of 30+ storey buildings. Check out "Vancouverism" on Wikipedia.

If you plop down street view anywhere in Vancouver with an open view, there's a good chance of a skyscraper being in view. Looking across the border from Whatcom County is especially funny as it's all farmland.

[kevinb1994]

Arlington's would be in Crystal City, which is a bit removed from the high-rise district in Rosslyn.

There are quite a few high rise districts outside of Rosslyn. The DMV is a lot like Vancouver. Rosslyn is downtown Vancouver, but there are lots of other high rise areas, like Court House, Crystal City, and Arlington proper.

Interesting comparison. Haven't been to Vancouver so I have no idea what it's like up and over there.

Vancouver's skyscraper situation is reminiscent of some Asian cities. There's a main city centre but there's a ton of other smaller hubs with shopping and housing, usually in the form of 30+ storey buildings. Check out "Vancouverism" on Wikipedia.

If you plop down street view anywhere in Vancouver with an open view, there's a good chance of a skyscraper being in view. Looking across the border from Whatcom County is especially funny as it's all farmland.

Yeah it's pretty rural out there AFAIK.

[kevinb1994]

https://www.marketwatch.com/amp/story/guid/02E465EA-E139-11E8-A5F4-C69C003E438C

According to MarketWatch there have been gripes and laughter in the wake of recent reports on HQ2 being split between two areas (NYC and Arlington).

[jakeroot]

Arlington's would be in Crystal City, which is a bit removed from the high-rise district in Rosslyn.

There are quite a few high rise districts outside of Rosslyn. The DMV is a lot like Vancouver. Rosslyn is downtown Vancouver, but there are lots of other high rise areas, like Court House, Crystal City, and Arlington proper.

Interesting comparison. Haven't been to Vancouver so I have no idea what it's like up and over there.

Vancouver's skyscraper situation is reminiscent of some Asian cities. There's a main city centre but there's a ton of other smaller hubs with shopping and housing, usually in the form of 30+ storey buildings. Check out "Vancouverism" on Wikipedia.

If you plop down street view anywhere in Vancouver with an open view, there's a good chance of a skyscraper being in view. Looking across the border from Whatcom County is especially funny as it's all farmland.

Yeah it's pretty rural out there AFAIK.

The rural part being Whatcom County. Apparently, per capita, Vancouver has the most residential skyscrapers of any city in North America as well.

I've gotten the impression from living in Arlington that DC has similar levels of density in certain pockets, unlike my hometown of Seattle where tall buildings are pretty much only in Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, and Everett.

[abefroman329]

I've gotten the impression from living in Arlington that DC has similar levels of density in certain pockets, unlike my hometown of Seattle where tall buildings are pretty much only in Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, and Everett.

Population density within the District is lower than it might be otherwise due to the ban on skyscrapers that are taller than 13 stories.