Amazon HQ2

[The ATX]

Kyle is not going to get HQ2. But anyway, I suspect this is the Kyle site. It's a large undeveloped area along 1626 just east of Mountain City, and it's inside the Kyle city limits.

[drummer]

The reality also is that if there are 50,000 people working at the headquarters, all of the area suburbs would benefit one way or another (assuming the location is centrally located). Lots of rooftops.

[abigdeal]

Originally Posted by The ATX

The state is going to offer the same state level incentives to any city's bid. It has nothing to do with any incentives that a particular city may or may not offer.

This. It's the way all of the state incentive packages work and not exclusive to the Amazon deal.

[brando]

Originally Posted by hookem

This. Definitely this.


And yet most analysts have Austin, and sometimes Dallas, in the very short list of likely candidates of likely HQ2 locations.

These very early evaluations were relatively superficial and comparisons on things that were easily quantifiable on the attributes of cities. They didn't analyze the financial political workings of hundreds of cities. My point is when you look at the Austin city government then you start to see problems along with the Texas ledge. None of these rankings are doing that. They'll just take notice when what we see now eventually manifests itself in real world implications.

Originally Posted by hookem

I think you are overreacting to some political theatrics that don't materially change anything. I believe the state still willingly hands out money to big corporations, and the city council is still very much enamored with the "right" kind of high profile company.

A lot of people, myself included, believe this whole "bid" thing with Amazon is nothing more than a publicity stunt and slight fishing expedition. They have their short list, or even a single preferred location, and they are negotiating with them behind the scenes.

Could be Austin, or maybe not. If it is, the mayor and the others in the know are keeping it quite close to the vest.

Repeating slashing of the Governor's incentives funds is not political theatrics. The senate cutting film/music incentives to 10 million and the house eliminating it entirely are not political theatrics. The city council constantly punting issues over and over is not political theatrics.


I don't think you're right here. I hope that if Austin doesn't get it, you'll think about what I was saying and not dismiss it. The problem with the council and the ledge is real and one of those things you can look back to when you find yourself in a recession.

[The ATX]

The ATL Business Journal has an article about Austin's no incentive HQ2 bid:

https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/...eting-for.html

[brando]

If the new HQ goes to a different city then I wonder if some of the jobs in Austin will be transitioned from ATX to wherever they go or if whatever they are doing in Austin will always stay here.

[We vs us]

Originally Posted by brando

If the new HQ goes to a different city then I wonder if some of the jobs in Austin will be transitioned from ATX to wherever they go or if whatever they are doing in Austin will always stay here.

If at all, I bet not many. As we know, Austin's a prime spot for a significant satellite office. Lots of talent, quality of living, yadda.

Also: Whole Foods.

[masonh2479]

Originally Posted by We vs us

If at all, I bet not many. As we know, Austin's a prime spot for a significant satellite office. Lots of talent, quality of living, yadda.

Also: Whole Foods.

Agreed, it doesn't make since to take away workers from Austin because of the reasons stated. If anything, Amazon might hire more workers for Austin even if they don't choose us for HQ2. If they really needed to take workers from other locations and couldn't hire all new ones, they might ask for volunteers to move, not just from one place. At least that's what I would do.

[undergroundman]

Originally Posted by brando

If the new HQ goes to a different city then I wonder if some of the jobs in Austin will be transitioned from ATX to wherever they go or if whatever they are doing in Austin will always stay here.

That is a concern that I've mentioned on other forums myself. There's always the possibilty that they move their Whole Foods HQ to the new HQ2 location. Not only would that mean the staff relocating but also the upstart organic food vendors looking to do business with WF. That would put some downward pressure on our local real estate market. It's a possibilty, not a certainty. It really depends on how efficiently WF HQ can operate remotely. It's a $14B investment. I'm sure Amazon's executives would love to have the WF execs nearby.

I don't think they'll changed their plans to grow their Amazon satellite office in NW Austin though.

[Sigaven]

Originally Posted by The ATX

The ATL Business Journal has an article about Austin's no incentive HQ2 bid:

https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/...eting-for.html

Can someone be a doll and copypaste the article for those of us who can't get behind the paywall pretty please

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by Sigaven

Can someone be a doll and copypaste the article for those of us who can't get behind the paywall pretty please

It's not behind a pay wall when I click on the link.

[MichaelB]

Ranking personal choices.... cause I know Amazon is gonna call me before they decide. ;-)

OK... I'm gonna put an outside bet for my #1 choice on the old Statesman property.
Central- Urban core- walkable to DT and South Congress. Lots of housing options nearby.
Good amount of room. You are on the south end of DT so easy to airport out Riverside.
Still need better transportion.... but I could see some easier solutions including some form of modern streetcar up and down congress. ( fantasy... don't shot me for that)
No grocery in a few block is a challenging for walking groceries home.

My second place goes for combining the property for the 600 Guadalupe project with the old Post office. Two city blocks with only some partial obstruction by the CVC and another potential 1/2 block to the west.
Walkable to living and Grocery..... that also just might be their recently acquired Whole Foods HQ! Less land. But very central.

A begrudging 3rd place to the Domain. Lots of living and grocery shopping/dining thats ( only) somewhat walkable depending on where you are. Not in an urban corp.... but a satellite one.

[undergroundman]

Originally Posted by Sigaven

Can someone be a doll and copypaste the article for those of us who can't get behind the paywall pretty please

A little secret workaround...click on the link and then immediately hit the Stop button before the "paywall" javascript gets a chance to load/execute.

[brando]

Originally Posted by masonh2479

Agreed, it doesn't make since to take away workers from Austin because of the reasons stated. If anything, Amazon might hire more workers for Austin even if they don't choose us for HQ2. If they really needed to take workers from other locations and couldn't hire all new ones, they might ask for volunteers to move, not just from one place. At least that's what I would do.

Just remember that they are on the hook for 50,000k jobs to the campus in order to meet their obligations under an incentive package. That's not easy. It's hard to imagine much expansion in Austin while they are going to legally have to add jobs to their new HQ (if it's not Austin). Also, it's an issue of cost for offices. You have to spend the money on the new campus but you don't have to spend it on other cities.

It would be really great to see their presence stay constant.

[Sigaven]

Originally Posted by undergroundman

A little secret workaround...click on the link and then immediately hit the Stop button before the "paywall" javascript gets a chance to load/execute.

That's not how it works for me, I have to click to the next page to view the article. It's not a pop-up that stops you from reading.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by undergroundman

A little secret workaround...click on the link and then immediately hit the Stop button before the "paywall" javascript gets a chance to load/execute.

Also, for sites that give you X number of free pages, you can usually open it in an incognito window to reset that number an infinite number of times. I know this works with the NY Times and Crains (and I'm a paid subscriber to both, but sometimes it's just easier to go aroud than to log in, lol).

[The ATX]

This could also be posted in the North Austin Thread. This is Brandywine's pitch to Amazon for both Broadmoor and Schuylkill Yards in Philly as HQ2.

Here's the link to a 123 page flipbook:
http://fliphtml5.com/fcyu/ucjj/basic/51-100

Here are some Broadmoor renderings from the flipbook:

[We vs us]

Wowsers.

[MichaelB]

thats a mess.
One cool shape... and the rest is "washing machine" aesthetic...
just push spin.....

[KevinFromTexas]

I like the facade designs. I think those are actually quite beautiful. And the angled roof on the one in the foreground in that last one is ok. The others are just modern boxes, with the exception of the tallest one.