Amazon HQ2 RFP

Status
Not open for further replies.
Re: The New Office Thread

atlantaden said:
How bout the 161 acres at Suffolk Downs as a possible Amazon site?
Click to expand...

That's.... a pretty good idea, actually. Depending on how big the campus would be, it would have up to three T stops on site. Also it's really close to the airport, I-90, Route 1, and Route 1A. Amazon could probably buy the land pretty cheap relative to Cambridge or Seaport, too.

That would cause a major change to all the towns up there. I wonder how the current residents of Malden, Chelsea, Revere, Winthrop, etc. would react?
 
Re: The New Office Thread

Amazon with 50,000 tech jobs (predominately software) is looking at 10-perhaps 20 percent attrition annually, meaning it has to locate geographically where local / regional universities produce enough graduates with requisite skills, and the local / regional labor market is sufficiently rich in such talent that there is a lot of lateral / upward mobility. I suspect Amazon feels the Seattle market is pretty tapped out on both accounts.

As I read the RFP, this does not have to be a single site. One could have multiple locations provided they are proximate, and individually meet the other criteria, e.g., mass transit access.

Thus, Boston might package Suffolk Downs and Widett Circle.

Finally, Amazon knows the political leanings of its workforce.

Liberal conservative affiliation by profession / industry
Professions-by-Crowdpac-Score.png
 
Re: The New Office Thread

BosDevelop said:
Isn't the population of Austin under 1 million? Albeit not by much.
Click to expand...

Only if you don't count the metro area. But by that same metric, Boston is also under 1 million (and quite a few other "big" cities).

Metro Austin has more than 2 million people.
 
Re: The New Office Thread

FenwayResident said:
That's.... a pretty good idea, actually. Depending on how big the campus would be, it would have up to three T stops on site. Also it's really close to the airport, I-90, Route 1, and Route 1A. Amazon could probably buy the land pretty cheap relative to Cambridge or Seaport, too.

That would cause a major change to all the towns up there. I wonder how the current residents of Malden, Chelsea, Revere, Winthrop, etc. would react?
Click to expand...

The Globe identified Suffolk Downs as well. I think it would be a tough sell for Eastie from a gentrification perspective. That's happening anyway, but it would be tough to salvage much of the current character with 50,000 $100K jobs next door. It's also height-limited, and I want something better for that site than to be a garden campus of 5-story buildings.
 
Re: The New Office Thread

If they end up on the blue line, get some $$ out of them for red line-blue line connector.
 
Re: The New Office Thread

It would be amazing if Boston could ever land this, but my money would be on a Texas city - probably either Dallas or Austin.
 
Re: The New Office Thread

mass88 said:
It would be amazing if Boston could ever land this, but my money would be on a Texas city - probably either Dallas or Austin.
Click to expand...

Unlikely, IMO. Amazon won't go with Texas, Arizona, NC, or a few others because of state laws they find discriminatory. It's not that they'll only look at blue states, but there's a few specific red states they'll avoid.
 
Re: The New Office Thread

What about Amazon as the anchor, office, tenant (500K sqf) in the South Station Tower. As the USPS moves out of the Dorchester Street location Amazon could build/expand into the USPS space and/or expand into parcels 25, 26, and 27 along Kneeland Street.
 
Re: The New Office Thread

BeeLine said:
What about Amazon as the anchor, office, tenant (500K sqf) in the South Station Tower. As the USPS moves out of the Dorchester Street location Amazon could build/expand into the USPS space and/or expand into parcels 25, 26, and 27 along Kneeland Street.
Click to expand...

I like this.
  • Meets their criteria of having 500k square feet to begin with
  • Gives them the opportunity to turn possibly both sides of the Fort Point into a (truly) great public space,
  • Other companies will be able to develop near them, possibly stretching all the way down to Widdett over the 10 year build out.
  • Sits on a major transit hub, a short drive or bus ride to airport, and a very short drive off 93. Seems to meet all their transportation criteria.
  • Could possibly get investment from Amazon for SSX and improvements to S.S. (they invested $43 mil into Seattle transit).

The only issues I see with this is the bureaucratic nightmare involved with the site. Amazon would have to deal with the MBTA, Fed. Govt. MassDOT, the City of Boston, and I presume many other agencies and permits before they can even start building (after South Station Tower is built).

On a more theoretical note (the more I read about it, the less I see Boston getting Amazon) but if Boston were chosen, what should the city do with 50k more residents/commuters? Our housing stock is already extremely limited.
 
Re: The New Office Thread

For a variety of reasons, I don't think they will pick a tier 1 city northeast city. I think the west coast is out because they are already there. If they wanted to do Boston, NYC, Philly, DC they would just do it. I also think they won't get the best deal from any of these ones.

I think the Providence is a good dark horse. 1.5 mil metro. Still pulls from the Boston workers pool- 45 min express train to SS and their 900 workers. Acela to NYC Much cheaper housing and real estate and the ability to totally revitalize the city, which has a good vibe.

Atlanta is my major big southern pick, but I think some midwest city is most likely. Toronto on the big end, Cleveland, Cincy, Milwaukee, Pitt on the second.
 
Re: The New Office Thread

choo said:
For a variety of reasons, I don't think they will pick a tier 1 city northeast city. I think the west coast is out because they are already there. If they wanted to do Boston, NYC, Philly, DC they would just do it. I also think they won't get the best deal from any of these ones.

I think the Providence is a good dark horse. 1.5 mil metro. Still pulls from the Boston workers pool- 45 min express train to SS and their 900 workers. Acela to NYC Much cheaper housing and real estate and the ability to totally revitalize the city, which has a good vibe.

Atlanta is my major big southern pick, but I think some midwest city is most likely. Toronto on the big end, Cleveland, Cincy, Milwaukee, Pitt on the second.
Click to expand...

It's tough to think of a city that meets all of their demands.

On the one hand, they want a large, public-transit-capable city that will attract young talent. Cross off most of the south and midwest from the list.

On the other hand, they want cheap real estate, a "business friendly" government (ie low taxes), and low cost of living. Now, cross off the large coastal cities.

What's left?
 
Re: The New Office Thread

^ The art of the RFP is asking for the impossible and seeing who comes closest.
 
Re: The New Office Thread

Some compelling suggestions - Widett Circle, Suffolk Downs, Sullivan Square, USPS in Fort Point. All are good ideas that provide branding and building options that any international corp HQ would likely desire. Build-to-suit sort of thing. And still be in the city.

Something else, Boston compares favorably to Seattle in many ways. Think about it. The many similarities. Young-ish, tech-ish, coastal, liberal, highly educated. Might not be relevant. But it might be.

Another plus, reasonable access to Europe from a nearby international airport. No small thing for a growing conglomerate.

That we recently landed GE may demonstrate positively how the city and the state can accomplish just this sort of thing.

I agree with earlier comment: Texas not in he running. Geographical and political reasons.

I think the dark horse possibility is Toronto, for many of the same reasons Boston is attractive.
 
Re: The New Office Thread

FenwayResident said:
It's tough to think of a city that meets all of their demands.

On the one hand, they want a large, public-transit-capable city that will attract young talent. Cross off most of the south and midwest from the list.

On the other hand, they want cheap real estate, a "business friendly" government (ie low taxes), and low cost of living. Now, cross off the large coastal cities.

What's left?
Click to expand...

What about Wilmington DE? Close to 3 major cities, has the one of the busiest Amtrak stations in the country, 25-30 min to Philadelphia INTL, and surrounded by corporate America.
 
Re: The New Office Thread

The RFP seems to be pitching Amazon as the anchor tech employer in the chosen metropolitan area. However, the workforce they want to attract is prone to job hopping, so it needs be an area that has other viable options. That rules out most of the smaller midwestern cities in tax friendly states.

I would guess Chicago, Denver/Boulder or Atlanta. Research Triangle if they are willing to place less emphasis on transit.
 
Re: The New Office Thread

nm88 said:
That we recently landed GE may demonstrate positively how the city and the state can accomplish just this sort of thing.
Click to expand...

True, but GE is currently in the process of screwing over the City and State after signing the deal.
 
Re: The New Office Thread

Equilibria said:
True, but GE is currently in the process of screwing over the City and State after signing the deal.
Click to expand...

And being played may also be a positive. Not one you promote.
 
Re: The New Office Thread

Chicago seems likely given the requirements. It would be a huge boon for the city.

I guess it's a good problem for Boston to have that getting an Amazon HQ would only be "good" rather than "absolutely necessary".
 
Re: The New Office Thread

Some of the cities being chosen as favorites are overlooking the within 45 minutes of an international airport criterion.

Assuming that Seattle focuses on Asia, then the second headquarters would focus on Europe.
http://international-tech.amazon-jobs.com/locations.html

https://www.amazon.eu/p/feature/q2p5euabwgp6p7q

This is the sort of stuff that, IMO, makes Texas poison to JB.
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.go...tion-in-supporting-freedom-of-speech-in-publi

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...of-gop-led-states-in-fight-over-climate-probe

https://texasattorneygeneral.gov/ne...tion-urging-trump-administration-to-phase-out
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Back
Top