NEW YORK | Amazon - Long Island City | CANCELED

[Crawford]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

Think bigger. You know it's not either or right? Sunnyside station will happen regardless of BQX. And the last I checked its the lack of subway access to the waterfront that is the impetus for BQX.

LIC needs Sunnyside Station and BQX. They serve totally different commuter markets.

And LIC will likely get both now.

[NYguy]

Here's a rough outline of the area to be developed according to the development map...

[antinimby]

Already we are hearing from the dimwit council members like Van Bramer promising to fight Amazon.

[NYguy]

^ Yeah, what he's most outraged about is the way the governor intends to work around him and the nitwits at the city council. Because the state is taking lead on this development, their usual shenanigans won't apply.



https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/13/t...dquarters.html

Amazon Announces New York and Virginia as HQ2 Picks





By Karen Weise
Nov. 13, 2018

Amazon laid out its plans for two of the biggest economic development projects in the country on Tuesday, announcing that it will put major corporate outposts in New York City and Arlington, Va.

The two locations, in Long Island City in Queens and Crystal City in Arlington, just outside of Washington, will eventually house at least 25,000 employees each, the company said in a statement. It also said the new sites would require $5 billion in construction and other investments.

The company also said it will develop a smaller site in Nashville that will focus on operations and logistics. Amazon said that site will create 5,000 jobs.

Amazon could receive more than $2 billion in tax incentives across the two top locations, the company said in its announcement. Up to $1.2 billion of that will come from New York state’s Excelsior program, a discretionary tax credit. In Virginia, the company could receive up to $550 million in cash incentives from the state. Both programs are tied to the number of jobs the company creates — if Amazon’s hiring falls short of projections, the incentive payments will be smaller.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York said in a statement that “with Amazon committing to expand its headquarters in Long Island City, New York can proudly say that we have attracted one of the largest, most competitive economic development investments in U.S. history.”

The company said it would start hiring in New York, Virginia and Tennessee in 2019.

Jay Carney, a senior vice president at Amazon, said the company looked at more than 100 aspects of each location, but “during the process it became clear to us that the overriding criteria was going to be the ability to find and attract talent.”

At a multi-hour meeting in August, the team realized they’d have an easier time doing hiring the number of workers they wanted if they split the headquarters between two areas. “We also think that 25,000 as a floor is easier for the communities to absorb,” he said.

The two locations have parallels. Both sit just across a river from the heart of an iconic metropolis. Both are also seen as having a lot of unfilled potential: Crystal City is a neighborhood filled with office buildings developed in the 1970s for defense contractors but has had high vacancies after the Pentagon reorganized in the years after the Sept. 11 attacks. And Long Island City is a mixed neighborhood home to new apartment towers, low-rise manufacturing and the country’s largest public housing complex.

https://ny.curbed.com/2018/11/13/180...opposition-nyc

Queens officials come out against Amazon’s HQ2 in Long Island City
Some elected officials plan to hold a rally in opposition to Amazon on Wednesday

By Tanay Warerkar
Nov 13, 2018

In New York City, many elected officials, particularly those representing Long Island City and the surrounding neighborhoods, are opposed to the decision. So far, City Council member Jimmy Van Bramer and State Senator Michael Gianaris have both come out against Amazon, saying “offering massive corporate welfare from scarce public resources to one of the wealthiest corporations in the world at a time of great need in our state is just wrong.”

While these elected officials aren’t against Amazon opening its second headquarters in New York City per se, they are against it bypassing the city review process.

The New York Times noted on Tuesday that a group of six elected officials including Van Bramer and Gianaris had sent a letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos last year in support of the company opening a second headquarters in NYC. Both officials clarified their position on Tuesday saying they never supported the new location without a thorough community engagement process.

There will be a public review process, just not one where these idiots can derail the show, and they're hopping mad about it. I love it.

[antinimby]

Is that site zoned for towers?

Also, I don't understand how they plan on hiring next year but development of that site could take years, at least three or four. Wouldn't they need space somewhere temporarily?

[NYguy]

^ Remember, they were supposed to get some office space immediately (next year). I assuming some hiring will be for that, as according to the state agreement, any hiring in LIC won't be relocations from other Amazon spaces in the city. That's where the Citigroup tower could come into play. They will have up to 1msf available.

As far as the zoning goes, the site was already in the process of being upzoned (in ULURP) but will now be expedited to allow for more commercial space to be built there under the state's plan.

This was the plan making its way through for a residential development...







https://press.aboutamazon.com/news-r...n-virginia-new

Amazon Selects New York City and Northern Virginia for New Headquarters

November 13, 2018
Press release

Amazon today announced that it has selected New York City and Arlington, Virginia, as the locations for the company’s new headquarters. Amazon will invest $5 billion and create more than 50,000 jobs across the two new headquarters locations, with more than 25,000 employees each in New York City and Arlington. The new locations will join Seattle as the company’s three headquarters in North America. In addition, Amazon announced that it has selected Nashville for a new Center of Excellence for its Operations business, which is responsible for the company’s customer fulfillment, transportation, supply chain, and other similar activities. The Operations Center of Excellence in Nashville will create more than 5,000 jobs.

The new Washington, D.C. metro headquarters in Arlington will be located in National Landing, and the New York City headquarters will be located in the Long Island City neighborhood in Queens. Amazon’s investments in each new headquarters will spur the creation of tens of thousands of additional jobs in the surrounding communities. Hiring at both the new headquarters will begin in 2019. The Operations Center of Excellence will be located in downtown Nashville as part of a new development site just north of the Gulch, and hiring will also begin in 2019.

“We are excited to build new headquarters in New York City and Northern Virginia,” said Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon. “These two locations will allow us to attract world-class talent that will help us to continue inventing for customers for years to come. The team did a great job selecting these sites, and we look forward to becoming an even bigger part of these communities.”

Amazon in Long Island City in New York City

-Located just across the East River from Midtown Manhattan and the Upper East Side, Long Island City is a mixed-use community where arts and industry intersect. It is a diverse community with a unique blend of cultural institutions, arts organizations, new and converted housing, restaurants, bars, breweries, waterfront parks, hotels, academic institutions, and small and large tech sector and industrial businesses. Long Island City has some of the best transit access in New York City, with 8 subway lines, 13 bus lines, commuter rail, a bike-sharing service, and ferries serving the area, and LaGuardia and JFK airports are in close proximity.

-As part of Amazon’s new headquarters, New York and Long Island City will benefit from more than 25,000 full-time high-paying jobs; approximately $2.5 billion in Amazon investment; 4 million square feet of energy-efficient office space with an opportunity to expand to 8 million square feet; and an estimated incremental tax revenue of more than $10 billion over the next 20 years as a result of Amazon’s investment and job creation.

-Amazon will receive performance-based direct incentives of $1.525 billion based on the company creating 25,000 jobs in Long Island City. This includes a refundable tax credit through New York State’s Excelsior Program of up to $1.2 billion calculated as a percentage of the salaries Amazon expects to pay employees over the next 10 years, which equates to $48,000 per job for 25,000 jobs with an average wage of over $150,000; and a cash grant from Empire State Development of $325 million based on the square footage of buildings occupied in the next 10 years. Amazon will receive these incentives over the next decade based on the incremental jobs it creates each year and as it reaches building occupancy targets. The company will separately apply for as-of-right incentives including New York City’s Industrial & Commercial Abatement Program (ICAP) and New York City’s Relocation and Employment Assistance Program (REAP).

-The community will benefit from New York City providing funding through a Payment In Lieu Of Tax (PILOT) program based on Amazon’s property taxes on a portion of the development site to fund community infrastructure improvements developed through input from residents during the planning process. Amazon has agreed to donate space on its campus for a tech startup incubator and for use by artists and industrial businesses, and Amazon will donate a site for a new primary or intermediary public school. The company will also invest in infrastructure improvements and new green spaces.

“When I took office, I said we would build a new New York State – one that is fiscally responsible and fosters a business climate that is attractive to growing companies and the industries of tomorrow. We’ve delivered on those promises and more, and today, with Amazon committing to expand its headquarters in Long Island City, New York can proudly say that we have attracted one of the largest, most competitive economic development investments in U.S. history,” saidGovernor Andrew M. Cuomo of New York.

“With an average salary of $150,000 per year for the tens of thousands of new jobs Amazon is creating in Queens, economic opportunity and investment will flourish for the entire region. Amazon understands that New York has everything the company needs to continue its growth. The State’s more than $100 billion transportation infrastructure program – the most ambitious in our history – combined with our education initiatives like K-12 tech education and the first-in-the-nation Excelsior Scholarship program, will help ensure long-term success and an unrivaled talent pool for Amazon.”

“This is a giant step on our path to building an economy in New York City that leaves no one behind. We are thrilled that Amazon has selected New York City for its new headquarters,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York City. “New Yorkers will get tens of thousands of new, good-paying jobs, and Amazon will get the best talent anywhere in the world. We’re going to use this opportunity to open up good careers in tech to thousands of people looking for their foothold in the new economy, including those in City colleges and public housing. The City and State are working closely together to make sure Amazon’s expansion is planned smartly, and to ensure this fast growing neighborhood has the transportation, schools, and infrastructure it needs.”

[Austin55]

Damn, that site is only about 20 acres. That will be absolutely packed with jobs.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by Austin55

Damn, that site is only about 20 acres. That will be absolutely packed with jobs.

I was thinking the same. They say anywhere from 4 msf to 8 msf for the headquarters. But the surrounding area is almost "Hudson Yards'like" in it's lack of any real development. I would expect more residential development to flow to that area, meaning many of those people will be walking to work.

The cries of people complaining about a "tax-break" are laughable, expecially compared to the benefits the city will eventually receive by attracting the headquarters.

Many of these questions, for example, have already been answered...


https://nypost.com/2018/11/13/ocasio...ly-concerning/

Queens residents are “outraged” at Amazon’s plans to build part of its second headquarters in Long Island City, according to Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

“We’ve been getting calls and outreach from Queens residents all day about this. The community’s response? Outrage,” Ocasio-Cortez, who officially takes office in January, tweeted.

The 29-year-old went on to say: “Amazon is a billion-dollar company. The idea that it will receive hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks at a time when our subway is crumbling and our communities need MORE investment, not less, is extremely concerning to residents here.”

Ocasio-Cortez tweeted that when it comes to bringing an influx of jobs to the community, “we need to dig deep.”

“Has the company promised to hire in the existing community?” she questioned. “What’s the quality of jobs + how many are promised? Are these jobs low-wage or high wage? Are there benefits? Can people collectively bargain?”

In another tweet, Ocasio-Cortez wrote: “Displacement is not community development. Investing in luxury condos is not the same thing as investing in people and families. Shuffling working class people out of a community does not improve their quality of life.”

Ocasio-Cortez added: “We need to focus on good healthcare, living wages, affordable rent. Corporations that offer none of those things should be met w/ skepticism.”

She continued: “Lastly, this isn’t just about one company or one headquarters. It’s about cost of living, corps paying their fair share, etc. It’s not about picking a fight, either. I was elected to advocate for our community’s interests – & they‘ve requested, clearly, to voice their concerns.”

[chris08876]

Originally Posted by NYguy

Your gentrification crusade gets tiresome, and it's not what New York City is about, nor is it what makes it great.

There needs to be a fine balance. Whats needed is more affordable housing. A lot of it, to curtail gentrification. It can have its positives, but also negatives. A city is nothing without all classes of people, rich or poor IMO.

At the end of the day, the rise in pricing of housing is alarming. More supply is needed. What I like about the Bronx is that this is happening. A lot of filings for 400-600 unit projects over the boroughs. All starts to add up.

I think next to Queens, the Bronx is the next major boom spot.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by chris08876

There needs to be a fine balance. Whats needed is more affordable housing. A lot of it, to curtail gentrification. It can have its positives, but also negatives. A city is nothing without all classes of people, rich or poor IMO.

I'm not against development at all. I'm saying gentrification for the sake of gentrification isn't the answer. It implies replacing the people that are aleady there instead of improving the area around them. Obviously the Bronx could use more development and better housing opportunities. But New York City doesn't need to be "sanitized" completely with a brush. There are different neighborhoods with different vibes, and that's a part of what has always made the city great.

[chris08876]

Originally Posted by Austin55

Damn, that site is only about 20 acres. That will be absolutely packed with jobs.

I'm excited about the increased street activity as a result. LIC is already hustling and bustling, and with this projected day time population increase, it will be full of energy.

I do wonder how traffic will be, because as of now, "vehicular" traffic in LIC is horrific.

[antinimby]

The 29-year-old went on to say: “Amazon is a billion-dollar company. The idea that it will receive hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks at a time when our subway is crumbling and our communities need MORE investment, not less, is extremely concerning to residents here.”

Ocasio-Cortez is a moron. Let's assume Amazon didn't come, where would the money come from to fix the subway? Tax breaks are not money that the state currently has in its hands. It is future money that the state is not collecting but if Amazon didn't come here, then that money would not exist anyway.

[chris08876]

Originally Posted by NYguy

I'm not against development at all. I'm saying gentrification for the sake of gentrification isn't the answer. It implies replacing the people that are aleady there instead of improving the area around them. Obviously the Bronx could use more development and better housing opportunities. But New York City doesn't need to be "sanitized" completely with a brush. There are different neighborhoods with different vibes, and that's a part of what has always made the city great.

I agree. I think what he's referring too if I'm reading between the lines is the reduction in crime that gentrification brings, but its merely displacing the problem, not fixing it.

But yes, I'm a big advocate of the city being affordable for all. I'm somewhat against the gated community mentality. For example, I do not like whats going on in DoBro. The rise in prices, it makes the neighborhood and its proxies inaccessible for the masses, which sucks. But, I guess its a topic for another thread.

With Amazons move, I hope it kick starts some of the waterfront projects in the pipeline like Astoria Cove.

Also some of the mega developments along the S.Bronx. I think that node can serve as a good location for future EE's.

Maybe the city will consider expanding ferry routes to that area.

[Busy Bee]

Like I commented some time ago, and I know it sounds a little bats now, but I think the Bronx could absorb 200,000-300,000 units over the next 30 years. The Bronx is legit the most urban, geographically interesting borough besides Manhattan and to say it has potential is like saying "cool" when you dig up a basketball sized nugget of gold. There are large amounts of lots just waiting for high-density development including what I believe could be a plethora of high rises in the 20-30 floor range. The MTA should take note because a couple subway investments in the borough could send demand through the roof including the second ave T up to Fordham Rd along Third Ave, the M-N to GCT route over the Hell Gate, modernization and additional M-N services, the Triboro line connecting with Queens and Brooklyn and maybe an extension of the Concourse line out to Co-op City. Invest in that borough and it will be on fire in a totally different way it was in the 1970s.

[NYguy]

^ There are some large developments in the Bronx already in the works.

Originally Posted by chris08876

I agree. I think what he's referring too if I'm reading between the lines is the reduction in crime that gentrification brings, but its merely displacing the problem, not fixing it.

I'm just going with what he says. And there's crime everywhere, even on the streets of Manhattan.


Meanwhile, as far as the concerns in LIC go over the state and city helping to attract that massive development and HUGE amount of jobs to the area, here's where that will happen,
a ground level view courtesy of Google earth...







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[tdawg]

They're coming to Anable Basin? I never would have guessed that. It's a bit of a hike to the subways from there.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by tdawg

They're coming to Anable Basin? I never would have guessed that. It's a bit of a hike to the subways from there.

Yes it is. This was the rumored site, and it turns out to be so. A lot of that probably has to do with the land available. Ferry service will likely be expanded again, and a new wave of development triggered in the area. I believe a bulk of the workers will live in LIC, meaning a lot of walking to work. Which in turn makes for more pedestrian traffic, and all the things that brings, more shops, etc.

[C.]

Some observations...

-We've seen a lot of information about the commercial component, but I wonder what about housing. There is such a housing shortage right now that I would not be surprised if housing is an integral part of the 20 acres, along with the office space. I seem to recall the RFP calling for mixed-use campuses.

-I would think a hotel or two may also be part of the plans. Having three HQs is still going to result in a lot of senior executives traveling from office to office. A hotel nearby would be a strong asset.

-Hopefully we see some cool transit improvements. Would the BQX streetcar be a benefit? Maybe some major MTA and LIRR announcements are on the way? Just seems transit access is lacking for the 25,000 to 40,000 workers the legal agreement calls for.

-Retail in the area should also see a boom, adding to the number of workers. It would be lame if all Amazon employees eat at the company cafeteria for lunch or ditch happy hour after work.

-it's not important to me, but would not be surprised if we get a supertall or two out of this. It's a very small site that will hold millions of sqft of office space and presumably a sizable amount of housing.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by CIA

Some observations...

-We've seen a lot of information about the commercial component, but I wonder what about housing. There is such a housing shortage right now that I would not be surprised if housing is an integral part of the 20 acres, along with the office space. I seem to recall the RFP calling for mixed-use campuses.

I wouldn't worry too much about the housing. There was already talk of a coming housing glut in LIC, including not one, but 3 major new residential towers and massive amounts of units already under construction. Also, this plan would only utilize part of the site that was currently undergoing a rezoning for residential use. So potentially, even those sites that directly border the complex could still be built residential. This is all on top of the already existing potential development sites outside of the project boundaries.



https://archpaper.com/2018/11/govern...ty-amazon-hq2/

Governor Cuomo proposes rezoning in Long Island City as Amazon confirms HQ2 locations

By JONATHAN HILBURG
November 13, 2018

New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo is reportedly planning to rezone the 20-acre Anable Basin site in Long Island City (LIC) using a General Project Plan (GPP) to accommodate the online retail giant. Though the area is currently zoned as a light manufacturing district, its owner, the plastic container company Plaxall, had previously tapped WXY for a master plan that would redevelop the industrial zone into a mixed-use redevelopment.

Using a GPP, the same process used to rezone Brooklyn’s Pacific Park (neé Atlantic Yards), the state would potentially be able to initiate a rezoning of Anable Basin without the approval of New York’s City Council. As a result, the basin and two adjacent city-owned sites that Amazon has been eyeing could potentially become a mixed-use campus and series of office buildings, zoned at a much higher density than New York’s zoning code would typically allow.

The Plaxall draft plan had previously angled to build 5,000 residential units, but as Crain’s noted, the GPP would allow for millions of square feet of office, residential, and mixed-use space. Although the GPP would still require an environmental review and is subject to community input during that phase, all of the recommendations received from the local community board and City Planning Commission would be non-binding.

In Amazon’s official HQ2 press release this morning, the company disclosed that New York State would be giving away $1.525 billion in tax credits. Most of that, $1.2 billion, would be returned through New York State’s Excelsior Program over 10 years, subsidizing each employee to the tune of $48,000. The remaining $325 million will be given to Amazon in the form of a direct grant from Empire State Development, based on the amount of square footage it’s expected to occupy.

In return, Amazon has pledged to invest $2.5 billion in each portion of its dual headquarters. A portion of the property taxes from the new Amazon campus will go toward funding transportation improvements in Long Island City, and the tech company has also promised to carve out space for a tech incubator and public primary school.

You have to go 3 minutes in to see anything here...


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• Video Link

[chris08876]

@ CIA

They need to rezone the area to allow for more units. Height wouldn't necessarily be the limiting reagent, but how many units they can cram in a given lot. A couple of 1000-1500 unit towers would do wonders. 5 Pointz for example has a ton of units, yet is not really that tall. We need developments that are in the range of 550-720 ft range, and that have 1500-2000 units.

Really to cater to projected growth, and provide some nice affordable housing.