The New Office/Lab Thread

Interesting, I wonder if this is just public negotiating? The person I know who works for Aetna was pretty confident the Boston deal was dead, but that was a couple months ago. It's possible they've re-opened talks, or they're just using this as leverage to get a better deal in NYC.

Interesting thought...but also, the notion (from the Courant article) that they might open a tech branch in Boston regardless of where HQ goes is nonetheless an intriguing proposition for our local economy / the "innovation district"
 
I hadn't heard any news about this on here (forgive me if it's somewhere else) but it looks like Berkshire Bank is planning a headquarters move to Boston from Pittsfield as part of their acquisition of Commerce Bank. Not sure if that means overhauling existing space or perhaps expanding in downtown?

https://www.bostonglobe.com/busines...ters-boston/bM9gNZaTAXohLBRNz3dHlO/story.html

The bank has said that no jobs currently in Pittsfield will be moved:

MassLive said:
Berkshire Bank, with headquarters at 24 North St. in Pittsfield, has 332 employees at its facilities. No jobs will be moved or lost, spokeswoman Rachel Mabee said Monday. She said senior executives will have offices in both Boston and Pittsfield, and Pittsfield remains its regional headquarters and operational hub.

It sounds like their Boston HQ will be a small office (maybe one floor in an existing downtown tower) where execs can have desks and meetings can be held, but nothing more.
 
Aetna would bring little to Boston. If they are serious about poaching companies from Connecticut they should be going after United Technologies and Pratt & Whitney. It might not be popular with the hard left but being a leader in the defense industry would do far more for the economy than insurance
 
Aetna would bring little to Boston. If they are serious about poaching companies from Connecticut they should be going after United Technologies and Pratt & Whitney. It might not be popular with the hard left but being a leader in the defense industry would do far more for the economy than insurance
"Hard left" people think poaching a company with a market cap of 50B is better than poaching a company with a market cap of 100B? That seems like something you made up. (The internally consistent position of "don't compete for these things, its a race to the bottom" is distinct from either of those positions, and also the likely correct one).
 
Aetna would bring little to Boston. If they are serious about poaching companies from Connecticut they should be going after United Technologies and Pratt & Whitney. It might not be popular with the hard left but being a leader in the defense industry would do far more for the economy than insurance

Ignoring the "hard left" strawman, potentially hundreds of high-paying executive and corporate jobs would bring "little" to Boston? What are you smoking? That's millions of dollars per year in additional taxes and tens of millions (if not hundreds) of dollars per year spent on the local economy. Not to mention the additional revenue (and thus jobs/spending) this will bring to Boston-based consulting shops, legal services, and hospitality. It would also cement Boston as one of the leading insurance hubs in the world with Liberty Mutual, John Hancock and Aetna all headquartered here.
 
"Hard left" people think poaching a company with a market cap of 50B is better than poaching a company with a market cap of 100B? That seems like something you made up. (The internally consistent position of "don't compete for these things, its a race to the bottom" is distinct from either of those positions, and also the likely correct one).

Aetna has a market cap of 145 and United Technologies is around 125 so in the same general range but one attracts a far more desirable workforce than the other. Any asshole can do insurance(ever been to Bermuda?) but United Technologies might actually retain some Harvard/MIT/Tufts grads.
 
It might not be popular with the hard left but being a leader in the defense industry would do far more for the economy than insurance

Massachusetts is anti-defense industry? I hope nobody tells Raytheon.

The Commonwealth has healthy employment in defense. This random Deloitte report I found after 3 minutes of googling puts us 13th in the nation as of 2014, which is higher than our overall population ranking.

Hell, even Smith and Wesson is based here.
 
Aetna has a market cap of 145 and United Technologies is around 125 so in the same general range but one attracts a far more desirable workforce than the other. Any asshole can do insurance(ever been to Bermuda?) but United Technologies might actually retain some Harvard/MIT/Tufts grads.

Are you a troll? Apparently any asshole can't look at google finance: UTX Market Cap, AET Market Cap
 
You're literally of by a factor of 3. (I'm beginning to suspect you did, in fact, pull the "far left" strawman out of your ass)

Wait, I just figured out what going on. You're citing the SHARE PRICE and calling it the MATKET CAP. I may be a far left dumbass, but at least I understand how valuations work. Super awkward that someone who calls others too liberal doesn't understand the simplest concept in all of investing.
 
I'll just say this:
One of Boston's strengths is that it's a multi-industry city.
I'm an engineer at heart, but still I feel there's reason to be excited about any major firm choosing to move here - especially if it helps us diversify.

But I agree that it's especially nice when it happens without major tax breaks or incentives. Hats will go off to Skanska if they can market and lease 121 Seaport without major sweeteners from Baker/Walsh. Same goes for BP w/ TD Garden Office Tower and HYM w/ One Congress further down the road.

Buckle up folks...let's hope there's some landmark dealmaking in our future...
 
Are you a dumbass(or do you just work in insurance)?

So in both cases, I'm off by a small margin. I didn't look those numbers up before I posted them. I knew that's about where they were based my knowledge of the two companies.

Your ignorance of basic financial concepts is stunning and profound. Yet, you call me (and an entire industry to boot) a dumbass. This is why we can't have nice things in the world.

I would suggest you educate yourself before commenting on anything finance related. Here's a good start.
 
Are you a dumbass(or do you just work in insurance)?

So in both cases, I'm off by a small margin. I didn't look those numbers up before I posted them. I knew that's about where they were based my knowledge of the two companies.

You're literally of by a factor of 3. (I'm beginning to suspect you did, in fact, pull the "far left" strawman out of your ass)

Wait, I just figured out what going on. You're citing the SHARE PRICE and calling it the MATKET CAP. I may be a far left dumbass, but at least I understand how valuations work. Super awkward that someone who calls others too liberal doesn't understand the simplest concept in all of investing.

Your ignorance of basic financial concepts is stunning and profound. Yet, you call me (and an entire industry to boot) a dumbass. This is why we can't have nice things in the world.

I would suggest you educate yourself before commenting on anything finance related. Here's a good start.

Oh gosh.. thanks for the laughs today fellas, I needed it. Cheers!
 
Google is slowly consuming all of the FKA Cambridge Center buildings that they don't have. I think VMWare is moving and consolidating.
 
^

Article sources say 80,000 to 120,000 square feet (current location is 18,500). Looking on both sides of the Charles.
 

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