Amazon HQ2

[austlar1]

Originally Posted by OU812

Just my 2¢

Jeff Bezos has a "space port" in west Texas of all places. Maybe he likes Texas?

Whole Foods, already HQ'd here, now being bought out by them....perhaps John Mackey has some pull in their ultimate decision.

Transportation issues? Yeah we have them, but as far as mass transit goes -- I would speculate that many of the employees for an A*HQ2 are mostly car drivers anyways. And many of our expressway problems are slowly getting resolved by tollways. Which I hate, but reluctantly use because the alternative is (typically) unbearable. Again, the employees at this facility can afford tolls, no problem.
However, I assume if the thing is built here, it'll most likely be downtown. Perhaps negating a big chunk of the transportation issues. We'll just need more high rise apartments and condo towers.
The Domain could be another option but not sure if there are height restrictions there?

Bezos owns a large ranch in west Texas and is one of the largest landowners in the state. His mother's family has ranched in the Cotula area for several generations. He grew up partly on a family ranch in south Texas and also attended elementary school in Houston for two years at River Oaks Elementary. He knows a lot about Texas. He thinks of himself as a game changer. Maybe he thinks it would be interesting to use his power, influence, and money to change the tenor of Texas state politics. He bought the Washington Post in the hopes of promoting a centrist agenda, so he is clearly interested in politics. He is not a hard core left wing Democrat; he is much more of a centrist. Don't you think that support from elected reps in say the DFW area for bathroom bills and other discriminatory nonsense would tend to dissipate with the prospect of so many high paying jobs on the line? I think Bezos would pretty much insist on it before doing HQ2 in Texas.

[drummer]

You know, I'd be okay with the Brandywine development. I hope I'm not totally going against something I said in a previous post. If so, forgive me for changing my mind.

The Brandywine development would be right next to the Domain and, while not "downtown", it's growing and has a lot to offer within walking distance. The rail station will probably be moved to that area from Kramer if this were to happen. It's next to two major freeways for the metro, giving reasonable vehicle access as well, and I-35 as well as 360 aren't far away. Lots of living options in multiple directions for employees, and more for those seeking condos/apartments coming in that area in the near future. While I prefer the development on Riverside, this one could work.

That said, I still think Dallas has the Texas bid. Don't hate me.

[We vs us]

Brandywine might be in a stronger position with Amazon's expansion plans than previously thought. Via the Statesman:

EXCLUSIVE: Amazon has quietly more than doubled its Austin presence in past year
Company execs also discussed something called ‘Project Rainforest’ with economic development officials, but city and chamber decline to talk about it.

Posted October 4th, 2017

Amazon has more than doubled its Austin workforce in the past year, and indications are that more local growth could be in the works, separate from the e-commerce giant’s splashy purchase of Austin-based Whole Foods Market and its high-profile search for a second corporate headquarters.

The company, which opened an Austin office in 2015, has increased its local footprint from 350 employees last year to more than 900 now, with another 100 positions currently open but unfilled, Amazon confirmed to the American-Statesman.

Amazon has largely settled on the Domain in North Austin as a hub for its Austin operations. The Seattle-based company occupies about 250,000 square feet of office space in two new buildings at the Domain, a large mixed-used project between MoPac Boulevard (Loop1) and Burnet Road.


http://www.512tech.com/technology/ex...xy8xOq69QBmsI/

[paul78701]

Originally Posted by We vs us

Brandywine might be in a stronger position with Amazon's expansion plans than previously thought. Via the Statesman:

EXCLUSIVE: Amazon has quietly more than doubled its Austin presence in past year
Company execs also discussed something called ‘Project Rainforest’ with economic development officials, but city and chamber decline to talk about it.

Posted October 4th, 2017

Amazon has more than doubled its Austin workforce in the past year, and indications are that more local growth could be in the works, separate from the e-commerce giant’s splashy purchase of Austin-based Whole Foods Market and its high-profile search for a second corporate headquarters.

The company, which opened an Austin office in 2015, has increased its local footprint from 350 employees last year to more than 900 now, with another 100 positions currently open but unfilled, Amazon confirmed to the American-Statesman.

Amazon has largely settled on the Domain in North Austin as a hub for its Austin operations. The Seattle-based company occupies about 250,000 square feet of office space in two new buildings at the Domain, a large mixed-used project between MoPac Boulevard (Loop1) and Burnet Road.


http://www.512tech.com/technology/ex...xy8xOq69QBmsI/

One of the things that came to mind after reading this is the question as to whether or not the current pipeline of proposed buildings will actually be built. Should Amazon (approx 50k added employees over 5-10-15 years) choose Austin for HQ2, it would make it easier to answer that with a "yes".

[brando]

Originally Posted by We vs us

Brandywine might be in a stronger position with Amazon's expansion plans than previously thought. Via the Statesman:

EXCLUSIVE: Amazon has quietly more than doubled its Austin presence in past year
Company execs also discussed something called ‘Project Rainforest’ with economic development officials, but city and chamber decline to talk about it.

Posted October 4th, 2017

Amazon has more than doubled its Austin workforce in the past year, and indications are that more local growth could be in the works, separate from the e-commerce giant’s splashy purchase of Austin-based Whole Foods Market and its high-profile search for a second corporate headquarters.

The company, which opened an Austin office in 2015, has increased its local footprint from 350 employees last year to more than 900 now, with another 100 positions currently open but unfilled, Amazon confirmed to the American-Statesman.

Amazon has largely settled on the Domain in North Austin as a hub for its Austin operations. The Seattle-based company occupies about 250,000 square feet of office space in two new buildings at the Domain, a large mixed-used project between MoPac Boulevard (Loop1) and Burnet Road.


http://www.512tech.com/technology/ex...xy8xOq69QBmsI/

I think it's going to be clear soon that this is a separate project than the HQ2 and its expansion is an indication that the building of a HQ in Austin is even less likely. They are investing more in an area that would not be suitable for their HQ2 needs.

It just doesn't make sense for Amazon in Austin

1) The city hates tax incentives for corporations
2) The state hates tax incentives for corporations
3) A whole new battle for bathroom bills are coming in 2019. Being in the middle of building their biggest investment is not good PR.
4) There will be no assurances of investments in public transportation until November 2020. MAYBE the ledge helps Austin with the Green Line in 2019 but that's doubtful. The green line bill didn't make it out of the house or senate committees in 2017.

Amazon could be a good fit here in 2025 when a new round of public transportation projects (hopefully) start opening up. The city council (outside of the mayor) hasn't shown much interest in pursuing the project. This is the exact opposite council that you would want if you wanted to seriously pursue this project outside of Cesar. This would have been a Chris Riley baby. The city will regress further if Tovo becomes mayor next year.

[paul78701]

San Antonio has dropped out of the running for Amazon's second headquarters:
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/12/san-...2-running.html

[paul78701]

Will Amazon’s HQ2 home be the old Motorola campus?:
http://viewpoints.blog.mystatesman.c...wspaper_email&

[mumu]

Originally Posted by paul78701

Will Amazon’s HQ2 home be the old Motorola campus?:
http://viewpoints.blog.mystatesman.c...wspaper_email&

The site has some strengths, but I think Catalyst would be #1, if the City will sign off on zoning upgrades. Riverside-Oltorf has so much more dense retail and multi-family zoning and will inevitably be an immediate extension-continuation of Downtown in the years ahead, but on a much denser scale than South Congress, S. Lamar, or East 6/7th (E of I-35).

The Motorola campus doesn't have the urban walkable vibe Amazon wants in order to attract employees who can walk or bike to work, something that is very achievable around Riverside.

[drummer]

If it were to go to the Riverside/Pleasant Valley site (that's the proposed Catalyst location, right?), I wonder how many of those older apartment complexes would remain. I know the ones for the Catalyst development would obviously go away, but there are a lot of older complexes going down toward Oltorf and even a bit south of that. It could change the whole area all the way to 71, potentially, though I'd imagine many of the older single-family neighborhoods would remain.

[lzppjb]

I think Riverside would be an interesting place to line with dense townhomes and whatnot once Catalyst and Oracle are operational. Get some San Fran Painted Ladies or Brooklyn-type equivalents.

[paul78701]

Moody's Analytics metro analysts take a closer look at the 10 best cities for Amazon's HQ2:
https://www.economy.com/dismal/analy...ns-Top-Cities/

Spoiler alert: They picked Austin.

[paul78701]

Originally Posted by paul78701

San Antonio has dropped out of the running for Amazon's second headquarters:
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/12/san-...2-running.html

I found it interesting that SA officials basically said that they believe that Amazon has already decided where they want to put their HQ2:

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff also wrote an open letter to Jeff Bezos explaing their decision, saying, "it's hard to imagine that a forward-thinking company like Amazon hasn't already selected its preferred location," and "the public process is creating a bidding war among states and cities."

They're pretty much insinuating what has already been echoed here and elsewhere. i.e. That Amazon is just using this bidding process as a means to get the best incentives they can get from their preferred location.

[mumu]

Originally Posted by drummer

If it were to go to the Riverside/Pleasant Valley site (that's the proposed Catalyst location, right?), I wonder how many of those older apartment complexes would remain...

The answer is: all of them would be demolished unless they have a long term tax abatement for low income housing.

[We vs us]

Originally Posted by mumu

The site has some strengths, but I think Catalyst would be #1, if the City will sign off on zoning upgrades. Riverside-Oltorf has so much more dense retail and multi-family zoning and will inevitably be an immediate extension-continuation of Downtown in the years ahead, but on a much denser scale than South Congress, S. Lamar, or East 6/7th (E of I-35).

The Motorola campus doesn't have the urban walkable vibe Amazon wants in order to attract employees who can walk or bike to work, something that is very achievable around Riverside.

I agree with this. The Motorola campus, as cool as it might be, just isn't central enough to the action, which seems to be what Amazon puts a premium on.

I'm even skeptical of the Domain area, which still sorta feels like a suburban office park, regardless of what you do with it.

Is there a reason we think the Statesman site isn't a contender?

[paul78701]

Originally Posted by We vs us

Is there a reason we think the Statesman site isn't a contender?

I would think it would be a contender. Unless it isn't large enough to hold 8 million square feet of office space.

[austlar1]

It's going to go to Richardson or downtown Dallas, if it goes anywhere in Texas. That's my take. Richardson is making a very strong bid in conjunction with UT Dallas. The Hillwood/Victory Park proposal in downtown Dallas is also very strong, but they'll need an educational partner. I suspect UT Dallas would be happy to oblige. Hillwood has done many development deals with Amazon in the past.

[mumu]

Originally Posted by austlar1

It's going to go to Richardson, if it goes anywhere in Texas. That's my take. They are making a very strong bid in conjunction with UT Dallas.

Maybe, but about as boring a place as can be for a metro area. Good luck to Amazon in attracting selective Coastal-types to work there. The only interior areas that can draw the same caliber of people as SF Bay/Boston/Seattle/NYC are Denver and Austin and maybe NC-Triangle.

[We vs us]

Originally Posted by mumu

Maybe, but about as boring a place as can be for a metro area. Good luck to Amazon in attracting selective Coastal-types to work there. The only interior areas that can draw the same caliber of people as SF Bay/Boston/Seattle/NYC are Denver and Austin and maybe NC-Triangle.

This. You can’t underestimate the culture piece, IMHO. This is why Dallas probably won’t get it — it’s just not a pleasing enough place to live for coastal tech types.

[paul78701]

Originally Posted by We vs us

This. You can’t underestimate the culture piece, IMHO. This is why Dallas probably won’t get it — it’s just not a pleasing enough place to live for coastal tech types.

Exactly. The cities that mumu mentioned are the top tier that tech workers go to. (I might swap DC for Denver, though) I believe I've mentioned them before. Dallas tech workers are often more interested in moving to Austin than staying there.

[Armybrat]

Originally Posted by drummer

If it were to go to the Riverside/Pleasant Valley site (that's the proposed Catalyst location, right?), I wonder how many of those older apartment complexes would remain. I know the ones for the Catalyst development would obviously go away, but there are a lot of older complexes going down toward Oltorf and even a bit south of that. It could change the whole area all the way to 71, potentially, though I'd imagine many of the older single-family neighborhoods would remain.

In the late 1950s, a custom home builder named Van Spinks tried to negotiate with a farmer who owned the pasture land around the Riverside/Parker Lane intersection. The fellow wouldn't budge from his $400/acre price, so Spinks gave up on it. He built my parents' house on Elmhurst drive in late '58 and we moved in the next February or Match.

Then I watched the Riverside area explode with apartment complexes just 3 or 4 years later. Sometime around then the city straightened Riverside Drive out just east of I-35. Part of "old" East Riverside still snakes through the 'hood from Summit Drive, which was a gravel road when we moved in. So was Parker Lane.