Amazon HQ2 RFP

[jklo]

Worcester is applying.

The mayor of Newton favors Worcester because having Amazon in Worcester would help bring about the E-W high speed rail wish.
http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/09/amazon_should_choose_worcester.html

Uh, Amazon won't be the one paying Seti. It's very much going to be a one way street.

Even in Boston, I am thinking the city/state is going to have to not only give the land away but build the HQ for them for for free (or something equivalent). And tax breaks. I think that's for starters what Amazon is going to want. Likely transit upgrades too on the state's dime.

 

[tysmith95]

Uh, Amazon won't be the one paying Seti. It's very much going to be a one way street.

Even in Boston, I am thinking the city/state is going to have to not only give the land away but build the HQ for them for for free (or something equivalent). And tax breaks. I think that's for starters what Amazon is going to want. Likely transit upgrades too on the state's dime.

I'm expecting some breaks, but I will be upset if the state or city builds a campus for amazon for free. Maybe just give them some land like the massdot parcels and promise public transportation fixes, but building the whole campus for them would be outrageous.

 

[aquaman]

Can Boston fill Amazon's job needs?

http://www.bostonglobe.com/business...lent-boston/quW1jXN0ePqid5gGjdmw0I/story.html

This article is just a ridiculous excuse for filling column space. Amazon is not going to be hiring only from whatever city it chooses. Seriously, does anyone think Pittsburgh could fill 50,000 tech jobs better than Boston could? Ludicrous.

The new HQ2 is going to be a global magnet for talent to relocate to Boston, in addition to pulling from the local talent pool, of which Boston is uniquely blessed. Will some talent leak toward amazon from existing local tech companies? No doubt. But will thousands of people, over the next 10-15 years, migrate to MA to work at amazon and other tech companies? Without question.

 

[aquaman]

Boston + Cambridge should file joint proposal for

a. West End or
b. South Station area or
c. Dot Ave or
d. Downtown signature tower parcels + Dot Ave

+ NorthPoint/East Cambridge area.

Didn't the RFP say that offices could be linked by rapid transit? If so, a combination of SST/Post Office, Dorchester Ave, and Kendall - all within a few Red Line stops is an interesting concept. But if it comes down to it, a win by either city would benefit both in terms of employment and increased property values.

 

[JohnAKeith]

Billerica planning on making a bid.

PS. I saw the post above about millennials and respect your response but am not responding as I hate the derailing of threads, even though I just attempted to do so.

Billerica: Prime spot for Amazon is right here

"If you don't play, you can't win."

"Well, somebody out there has gotta win."

It's what you hear whenever the lottery jackpot swells.

Now, these catchphrases have moved over to the bidding war for Amazon, in which cities from all over North America are pitching their communities for the new Amazon headquarters.

Those slogans could be heard in Billerica on Thursday, as officials confirmed they're working on an application for the northern section of town -- a property near the Commuter Rail, which also includes Tewksbury and a small bit of Lowell.

Read more: http://www.lowellsun.com/todayshead...prime-spot-amazon-is-right-here#ixzz4tSQQnHPf

 

[tysmith95]

Totally off topic, but I wish Boston would annex some of it's northern neighborhoods. It makes no sense to me how most of the southern neighborhoods (dot, roxbury, HP, WestRox, Rossie, Mattapan) but almost none of the northern ones besides Charlestown are part of the city.

 

[shmessy]

Billerica planning on making a bid.

PS. I saw the post above about millennials and respect your response but am not responding as I hate the derailing of threads, even though I just attempted to do so.

Billerica: Prime spot for Amazon is right here



Read more: http://www.lowellsun.com/todayshead...prime-spot-amazon-is-right-here#ixzz4tSQQnHPf

All of Cinderellas ugly stepsisters think they are going to the ball despite Amazon very clearly signalling they want bright lights/big city. Billerica? Worcester? Even Suffolk Downs with its fuel tanks??? Children, please!

'Oh, look ladies, here comes Methuen!!'

Some local pols are as ridiculous as those stage mothers of fat, ugly 6 year olds at a Junior Miss Pageant.

 

[stellarfun]

Didn't the RFP say that offices could be linked by rapid transit? If so, a combination of SST/Post Office, Dorchester Ave, and Kendall - all within a few Red Line stops is an interesting concept. But if it comes down to it, a win by either city would benefit both in terms of employment and increased property values.

Amazon did not specifically say linked by rapid transit (or mass transit, for that matter). For non-contiguous sites, Amazon said these should be proximate and in pedestrian friendly locations.

Amazon appears very keen on District Energy Stations. More text is devoted to that than on any other criterion.

https://www.amazon.com/p/feature/8sbggvr8fsks7kg

The efficiencies associated with District Energy stations typically require proximity.

 

[Digital_Islandboy]

Re: The New Office Thread

I think Boston is too high cost of a market for them. But I hope I'm wrong. Per CNBC discussion this morning, the consensus (albeit best guesses by morning anchors) seemed to be a Texas city (Austin or Dallas) or Toronto.

This might be something better for out near Springfield/Western Massachusetts as Amazon I am sure will want ample land to be able to expand distribution warehouses later on as needed around their campus. Plus it could kick start light rail, monorail, commuter rail, or people mover transport out in Western Mass where industry is lacking.

 

[Digital_Islandboy]

Totally off topic, but I wish Boston would annex some of it's northern neighborhoods. It makes no sense to me how most of the southern neighborhoods (dot, roxbury, HP, WestRox, Rossie, Mattapan) but almost none of the northern ones besides Charlestown are part of the city.

If Boston makes an offer for Cambridge I'd take 'em up on it. I HATTTE this crap about having to go all the way out to Woburn to do Jury Duty when Suffolk County Court is just across the Charles River and I'm not allowed to just serve there next to me.

 

[Digital_Islandboy]

Uh, Amazon won't be the one paying Seti. It's very much going to be a one way street.

Even in Boston, I am thinking the city/state is going to have to not only give the land away but build the HQ for them for for free (or something equivalent). And tax breaks. I think that's for starters what Amazon is going to want. Likely transit upgrades too on the state's dime.

I'd rather not have my tax dollars filling Amazon's coffers considering it is already one of the largest companies on the planet. Hope they don't pick Cambridge. Amazon can afford to pay for their own HQ.

 

[bolehboleh]

I don't see why we should discount any city or town in the state. In the cases of Billerica and Worcester, you have highway and train access that could be good for people who are willing to do a reverse commuter. The piece of land they're talking about in Billerica is quite large and located close to 495 as well. If we want them in the state, then all reasonable options should be considered.

 

[bobthebuilder]

Re: The New Office Thread

Uh, Amazon won't be the one paying Seti. It's very much going to be a one way street.

Even in Boston, I am thinking the city/state is going to have to not only give the land away but build the HQ for them for for free (or something equivalent). And tax breaks. I think that's for starters what Amazon is going to want. Likely transit upgrades too on the state's dime.

I HIGHLY doubt that whatever city gets picked will be building the new HQ, or paying for the renovations. Amazon will get a sweet deal on the land (if they build their own) or will get some good tax breaks (if they lease a space), but they will not be getting the build-out for free.

This might be something better for out near Springfield/Western Massachusetts as Amazon I am sure will want ample land to be able to expand distribution warehouses later on as needed around their campus. Plus it could kick start light rail, monorail, commuter rail, or people mover transport out in Western Mass where industry is lacking.

It's not likely that they would want to build fulfillment/distribution centers immediately near the HQ2. They are currently building a 1M SF center on Staten Island in New York. I could reasonably see an HQ2 in Boston, and if they need it, a distribution center in Worcester/Western MA.

 

[FenwayResident]

I don't see why we should discount any city or town in the state. In the cases of Billerica and Worcester, you have highway and train access that could be good for people who are willing to do a reverse commuter. The piece of land they're talking about in Billerica is quite large and located close to 495 as well. If we want them in the state, then all reasonable options should be considered.

Because Amazon specifically stated they want a city with over 1 million people. It has no chance to be anywhere in MA but Boston or Cambridge.

 

[stefal]

I'm going to +1 on any city not building their HQ for them. That's a little too far.

From Amazon's RFP:

The Project is expected to have over $5 billion in capital expenditures
as described in more detail in this RFP.
...
Phase I Building (500,000-1,000,000 sf) | $300,000,000-$600,000,000
Phase II Building (1,000,000-2,000,000 sf) |$600,000,000-$1,260,000,000
Phase III Building (2,000,000-3,000,000 sf)| $1,260,000,000-$1,985,000,000

Over 10 years, Amazon intends on investing $5 billion dollars into their new campus. I can't see where this idea that a city would build their HQ for them would be a must. Yes, Amazon operates on the thinnest of margins and tends to go cheap, but their capital investment in Seattle is reaching $4 billion with 33 buildings over 7 years. They also invested $43 million in Seattle public transit. Seems like they don't go cheap on HQ+operations (though they probably could've given the architect a bigger budget on the towers-those are kind of bland).

----
On another note, in the past ~5 years, I've heard increased complaints from family and friends about the lack of availability in hotel rooms across Boston. Their RFP notes 233,000 additional annual hotel nights from visits related to Amazon operations. I hope Botston looks into possible options/policies to make hotels more viable to build in and around the city. It also rules out places like Billerica, unless they are able to count Greater Boston hotels within a 30-45 min-driving-time-radius. In that case, Boston nor Billerica should have to worry that much.

----

Thinking about the GE angle, this might actually be our killer advantage over any other location. Amazon and GE are both looking at a similar future of connected industrial technology. There is an opportunity for tech clustering around that basis.

This would be phenomenal for the Fort Point/Seaport/Dot Ave/Widdet area. Seattle jumped from having 7 Fortune 500 engineering/R&D Centers in 2010 (when Amazon moved there) to 31 in 2017. GE+Amazon would bring in dozens of new companies.

----

Because Amazon specifically stated they want a city with over 1 million people. It has no chance to be anywhere in MA but Boston or Cambridge.

While I do not support a Billerica bid, the RFP asks for a location within 30 miles of a population center. Billerica is 25 miles from Downtown Boston.

 

[tysmith95]

Yah I'd see the places with land available for a urban campus in the Boston area being Fort Point/Dot Ave/Widdet, Suffolk Downs, Allston Yards, and Northpoint/Innerbelt/Assembly/Rutherford (although that would involve three municipalities). Most likely I'd say would be the dot ave/fort point area.

Looking at google maps, the area between Rutherford and Assembly could be a dark horse. Add in some building purchases in the Inner Belt or other areas and there is tons of room for amazon to build a large urban campus. Great transit and highway access, plus you're fairly close to MIT/Kendall and Tufts.

It might require some eminent domain, but i'd be in favor of using that to get Amazon to locate here. The same thing would be required at Widdet, though having multiple municipalities always complicates things.

 

[Rover]

I'm just not on board with the idea that Amazon wants to save/revitalize a downtrodden city. This sorta reminds me of people thinking if we let casinos in there one of them is going to spend +1Bn or more rebuilding the area's transit systems.

Amazon most likely wants to be able to get up and running quickly and then continue to ramp up with quality people in a desirable location without adding turning around a hollowed out metropolis to the mix. From a business standpoint that makes no sense and I'd add all of Amazon's requirements seem specifically designed to weed these places out (need a 1M+ city with transit and an int'l airport plus a deep pool of tech talent, etc). Notice they didn't put anything in there about cheap land or a no tax environment.

 

[odurandina]

^^Will being less than 5 miles from the talent bloom offset the pricey real estate, (and isn't that cost just a held asset in your real estate bank)? ...If it weren't, who would locate to New York, SF, Seattle, Boston, etc?

America's City States are in a consolidation phase.

 

[jklo]

Re: The New Office Thread

I HIGHLY doubt that whatever city gets picked will be building the new HQ, or paying for the renovations. Amazon will get a sweet deal on the land (if they build their own) or will get some good tax breaks (if they lease a space), but they will not be getting the build-out for free.

Amazon is certainly capable of scouting for an HQ2 without needing this RFP. It just seems to me that they did it this way because they are looking for a bidding war. And given the attention they are getting on this, it's working. Does that mean they will get a free HQ? No... but given that pretty much every city in the US and Canada is in on this you figure at least one reasonably desirable place will offer it.

 

[tysmith95]

I guess it's better then cities paying for football stadiums.