PHILADELPHIA | Highrise Development Thread IX - Page 771

PhillySteaks · #**15401** Posted **Sep 7, 2017, 3:39 PM**

Schuykill yards has about 85-90 acres of adjacent development site once the platform is built. So it's fair game.

Honestly I think Schuykill Yards is the best shot the region has outside Wilmington DE. They are looking for +100 acres with potential to build up to 8M square feet of space over 10 years. Oh, it also has to be directly on top of a rail line or major transit system, with arterial roads, and under 45min to an international airport. You can't just plop 100 acres of open land into manhattan, brooklyn, or even queens. I'm not as familiar with Boston but I'm pretty sure they don't have that level of space available with all the characteristics desired. If you look at their timeline also it's incredibly fast. The want the RFPs back by late October with a decision made in 2018 which means development would get going by the end of the year or early 2019. That's INCREDIBLY fast. I suppose Northern VA or Maryland outside the beltway could also be potential contenders.

The only other spot I would think has great potential is Pittsburgh. Google & Uber located there for similar reasons.

Those are the 3 big shots I think PA or the Phila MSA has.

Skintreesnail · #**15402** Posted **Sep 7, 2017, 3:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jsiegel

Well that's an onion in the ointment. I think Philly's asset that no other city has is its proximity to DC and NY, with significantly lower prices.

I'd be shocked if they chose NY, but I could see a more central city like Chicago or Austin getting picked and sadly I think Boston is most likely to give us a run for our money-they already have two smaller Amazon offices in the area.

It'd be smart for city and state leaders to wrangle in Comcast to cheerlead for us. That's an incredible asset that few other cities have and Schuylkill Yards has the potential to be unbeatable. At the end of the day, it's going to be whatever packages a city can offer though.

They seem to be asking for a lot in their RFP (100 acres and 8m sq ft?). Boston is probably the main competition; specifically their seaport project. I'm not sure what other large metro areas have huge redevelopment projects sitting so close to both their downtown and transportation hubs. NY has Hudson yards, but I don't know if it checks all the boxes.

ScreamShatter · #**15403** Posted **Sep 7, 2017, 3:58 PM**

Camden has the kind of space they are looking for too. SY is really a unique opportunity for them though. If Philly would help knock down some of the barriers, that is a chance for Amazon to completely design a section of the city around their business. It could be insane.

The thought of having Amazon and Comcast anchored in Philly blows my mind. Philly would be positioned for a very different future with that massive change.

Parkway · #**15404** Posted **Sep 7, 2017, 4:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScreamShatter

Camden has the kind of space they are looking for too. SY is really a unique opportunity for them though. If Philly would help knock down some of the barriers, that is a chance for Amazon to completely design a section of the city around their business. It could be insane.

The thought of having Amazon and Comcast anchored in Philly blows my mind. Philly would be positioned for a very different future with that massive change.

I'm not sure Camden does have the space or the infrastructure. To put in perspective they want enough space to fill all of our 90s trophy towers.

Skintreesnail · #**15405** Posted **Sep 7, 2017, 4:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhillySteaks

Schuykill yards has about 85-90 acres of adjacent development site once the platform is built. So it's fair game.

Honestly I think Schuykill Yards is the best shot the region has outside Wilmington DE. They are looking for +100 acres with potential to build up to 8M square feet of space over 10 years. Oh, it also has to be directly on top of a rail line or major transit system, with arterial roads, and under 45min to an international airport. You can't just plop 100 acres of open land into manhattan, brooklyn, or even queens. I'm not as familiar with Boston but I'm pretty sure they don't have that level of space available with all the characteristics desired. If you look at their timeline also it's incredibly fast. The want the RFPs back by late October with a decision made in 2018 which means development would get going by the end of the year or early 2019. That's INCREDIBLY fast. I suppose Northern VA or Maryland outside the beltway could also be potential contenders.

The only other spot I would think has great potential is Pittsburgh. Google & Uber located there for similar reasons.

Those are the 3 big shots I think PA or the Phila MSA has.

Does Wilmington have a large-scale project like Schuylkill Yards? The only thing I know about Boston is that they have the Boston Seaport development, which is a lot of land but I don't know how much is left (lots of companies already moved in). It's also right next to South Station (Amtrak station) and has a couple sliver line stops (underground bus rapid transit). Baltimore recently announced Port Covington, but I don't know how realistic it is given the time-frame and the fact there is basically no transit there yet.

Philly Kid · #**15406** Posted **Sep 7, 2017, 4:18 PM**

@PhillyMayor We think Philadelphia would be a PRIME location for Amazon that would make people SMILE! Look forward to submitting a proposal!

PhillySteaks · #**15407** Posted **Sep 7, 2017, 4:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skintreesnail

Does Wilmington have a large-scale project like Schuylkill Yards? The only thing I know about Boston is that they have the Boston Seaport development, which is a lot of land but I don't know how much is left (lots of companies already moved in). It's also right next to South Station (Amtrak station) and has a couple sliver line stops (underground bus rapid transit). Baltimore recently announced Port Covington, but I don't know how realistic it is given the time-frame and the fact there is basically no transit there yet.

I don't think they are targeting places that specifically have these types of in place designs ready. Don't get me wrong it's a great leg up to have something of the sort - but yes I'm sure Wilmington could come up with the space. They also offer extremely competitive tax rates, access to an international airport and interstate highways, proximity to amtrak lines, and a multitude of universities. I wouldn't rule them out. Their big drawback is being adjacent to those universities and talent pools - but similiar to the banking sector down there. People will go to them - that is also why some Midwestern locations shouldn't be ruled out either. Most of their drawbacks though include concentration of universities. You could probably narrow down a short list of potential suitors by filtering all the 1 million population MSAs in the country outside of the West Coast - which I'd think they'd want to stretch out a little further? But who knows.

summersm343 · #**15408** Posted **Sep 7, 2017, 4:32 PM**

Schuylkill Yards is a NO BRAINER for Amazon...

It's up to our City, the State, Brandywine, Drexel, Penn, Comcast, and even Amtrak to show them this.

This is basically 7M+ square feet ready to go. What other city can say this?

What other location in the country is ready for this much developable space directly next to two top tier schools in UPenn and Drexel, as well as a large research campus in the University City Science Center, and directly next to the downtown of a major city and major metropolitan region? This is also directly next to highway access, and 30th Street Station with subway, regional rail and AMTRAK access... all of which will take you to the Philadelphia International Airport, the Newark International Airport, New York City, DC, Boston, Baltimore, etc. etc....

This site not only connects you to Philadelphia and it's region, but the entire Northeastern United States and beyond. Amazon would have easy access to almost every top tier school along the entire Eastern seaboard for an endless talent pool.

Landing Amazon would instantly speed up the timeline of not only Schuylkill Yards, but 30th Street Station district as well... and likely many other Office project proposals as well like uCity Square, 1301 Market, etc... as this would take a ton of potential office space off of the market.

Let's make it happen! This would be a GAME changer for Philadelphia, and I really don't think any other city currently has what Philadelphia can offer to Amazon.

Milksteak · #**15409** Posted **Sep 7, 2017, 4:37 PM**

Hell, I would be ok with them renaming it Amazon Yards if it brought them here...

summersm343 · #**15410** Posted **Sep 7, 2017, 4:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Milksteak

Hell, I would be ok with them renaming it Amazon Yards if it brought them here...

Yes, 100% yes.

Parkway · #**15411** Posted **Sep 7, 2017, 4:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by summersm343

Yes, 100% yes.

He'll, I'd get an Amazon tramp stamp if it was a requirement.

Londonee · #**15412** Posted **Sep 7, 2017, 4:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScreamShatter

The RFP on Amazon's site says "metropolitan area" of 1m+....not city.

Anyone who thinks Austin, San Antonio, Atlanta, Charlotte, Kansas City, etc aren't in the running are mislead. Philly has advantages over them....we just need to be strong about positioning ourselves.

Seattle is a great city - but doesn't have the elite higher-ed/research cluster available that's needed to replenish and refuel it's talent pool year to year. There's basically one major school there - UW - and with due respect to the Huskies it's not exactly Stanford. So places like Amazon have to fight tooth and nail with Silicon Valley to attract Palo Alto talent up to Seattle - which can't be easy. Plus, their neighbor - a 2 ton elephant in the room (Microsoft) - is in the exact same boat and both companies compete for elite recruits.

That's why you'll see Amazon constantly recruiting on national job boards for talent from all over the country - with the disclaimer "Relocation Opportunity." To me, this is about:

1) being more competitive for elite recruits. (You graduate Stanford and you have 2 job offers: Google or Amazon, which one are you taking?)

2) establish an east coast beach head for further expansion into the 2nd largest global economy (the EU) as well as strengthen ties to political elites and corporate regulators.

As have noted, Philly is in an insane position - with its surplus of higher-ed/research institutions and proximity to DC/NYC/LHR/CDG etc. - it's nearly shovel ready project near said higher-ed/research institutions... - to land a whale.

God, for just this once, could our proximity to NYC and DC pay off for us?

Boku · #**15413** Posted **Sep 7, 2017, 4:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Londonee

As have noted, Philly is in an insane position - with its dearth of higher-ed/research institutions and proximity to DC/NYC/LHR/CDG etc. - it's nearly shovel ready project near said higher-ed/research institutions... - to land a whale.

I'm gonna be that guy and say dearth is not the word you're looking for, lol.

mcgrath618 · #**15414** Posted **Sep 7, 2017, 4:44 PM**

I cannot stress how... well... stressed I am over this
Philly needs this so badly. We need to contact everyone we can and get this done.

SJPhillyBoy · #**15415** Posted **Sep 7, 2017, 4:46 PM**

Amazon is hunting for a city for a $5 billion, 50,000-worker 2nd headquarters \

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/ne...a-5-billion-50.html?ana=yahoo&yptr=yahoo

Philly has got to go for and get this!!

Londonee · #**15416** Posted **Sep 7, 2017, 4:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhillySteaks

The only other spot I would think has great potential is Pittsburgh. Google & Uber located there for similar reasons.

Pittsburgh is regionally isolated: Google and Uber established small research divisions which are, by nature insular - and thus made sense. Pittsburgh's airport - since it lost USAir hub status 10 years ago - is basically a small regional airport and goes almost nowhere nonstop. I mean, there's not even a non-stop flight connecting it to Seattle. Plus both its regional, commuter, and mass transit systems are effectively irrelevant. I don't see it happening.

mcgrath618 · #**15417** Posted **Sep 7, 2017, 4:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SJPhillyBoy

Amazon is hunting for a city for a $5 billion, 50,000-worker 2nd headquarters \

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/ne...a-5-billion-50.html?ana=yahoo&yptr=yahoo

Philly has got to go for and get this!!

A bit late to the party, friend.

Londonee · #**15418** Posted **Sep 7, 2017, 4:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boku

I'm gonna be that guy and say dearth is not the word you're looking for, lol.

brain fart, thanks!

Boku · #**15419** Posted **Sep 7, 2017, 4:54 PM**

Philly will enter national bid process to house Amazon’s new HQ

https://technical.ly/philly/2017/09/07/amazon-headquarters-seattle-philadelphia/

Knight Hospitaller · #**15420** Posted **Sep 7, 2017, 5:00 PM**

Somebody draft Roberts at Comcast to assure Bezos that big biz can thrive here, despite the government.