PHILADELPHIA | Highrise Development Thread IX

[McBane]

Originally Posted by acenturi

I would not be surprised if Comcast contributes to and financially supports the city's proposal.

BTW, here is a Forbes "Contributor's" view that Philly should be selected. Unfortunately, IMO the last sentence sorta reduces his credibility.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/modeledbeha...adquarters-in-philadelphia/#2f3914b22624

Why would Comcast support Amazon building their HQ here? Yea, I guess Amazon would attract talent here that could theoretically help Comcast fill up their new Tech Tower, but just as well, established Comcast employees could jump ship to Amazon.

Also, why would Comcast - or any Philadelphia area employer - favor major tax breaks to land a company when they themselves would see no financial benefit. I could see the region's business community imploring the powers that be to use this opportunity to make the city/state more business friendly - for everyone. That includes lowering taxes and rolling back onerous regulations (like asking about salary). But massive tax breaks for Amazon while everyone else has to deal with high taxes and excessive regulations? Why would any of the region's employers support that beyond perhaps lip service about "how wonderful Philadelphia is to do business in?"

And I'm not saying that anyone is come out and be vocally against any sort of package - that's bad optics. But I just don't know to what level the business community here is going to actively work to help recruit Amazon, unless of course the package involves incentives that benefit everyone.

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by McBane

Why would Comcast support Amazon building their HQ here? Yea, I guess Amazon would attract talent here that could theoretically help Comcast fill up their new Tech Tower, but just as well, established Comcast employees could jump ship to Amazon.

Yeah and Comcast - unlike a lot of Silicon Valley companies - does not compete for recruits by offering generous salaries. They'd have to totally rethink compensation strategy otherwise every talented young recruit in the region will gladly go to the company paying 30% more. Comcast benefits from being a big fish in a mid-size pond. For a lot of folks who want to stay in town, they are one of the rarer options for a cool job - and they know it.

[thisisforreal]

Amazon's reputation in the tech world is "wonderful for the resume, terrible for the long term".

Honestly, I'm bearish on the notion that many Comcast folks would jump ship for Amazon. I wouldn't, but I'm not straight out of grad school, either. Recent grads would be much more likely - endure the 65+ hour weeks for 2 years and then go elsewhere. This would make recruiting harder for Comcast, and starting wages would go up considerably, and that would cascade to those more senior positions of folks who don't need the resume builder that Amazon brings.

I don't think Comcast's presence will hurt or help Amazon, except that they can look at the deals that Comcast has garnered and use that to evaluate where our civic leadership presently stands.

[iheartphilly]

In the heyday, competing for talent would of been a huge problem. Now, Amazon, Comcast, even Apple is not what it is like for employees who were employed from the companies infancy. The easy money is made already (i.e., those that started with tech companies in its infancy are many times multi-millionaires). Now, those looking around look at many other factors like quality of life, besides stock options, affordability of housing, job stability, etc. These companies are mature size in market cap.

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by thisisforreal

Amazon's reputation in the tech world is "wonderful for the resume, terrible for the long term".

Yup, it's has a chop-shop reputation (to be fair, so do a lot of successful businesses).

Lure smart kids in with high salaries and the prestige of a big name company, then grind them to the bone for 5 years till they vest - then they move on to something with more work/life balance. Amazon rinses and repeats.

[City Wide]

local Amazon backlash
http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/...nd-richest-man-even-richer-20170910.html

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by City Wide

local Amazon backlash
http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/...nd-richest-man-even-richer-20170910.html

Will Bunch is an idiot. Amazon bringing 50,000 jobs to the city is an upgrade to the city, regardless out what we offer them in tax breaks.

More high paying jobs brings a higher tax base, better schools, lower crime, etc. etc.

This is not only about Amazon, but all the companies they would draw in to be located near them too.

I'm sick of Philadelphia taking an ass-backwards approach to things. We need to fix schools, crime, blight and poverty before bringing new jobs. Do none of these people fucking realize that jobs are the solution to everything?? You attract companies and jobs, and all of these issues will fix themselves.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by Londonee

Yup, it's has a chop-shop reputation (to be fair, so do a lot of successful businesses).

Lure smart kids in with high salaries and the prestige of a big name company, then grind them to the bone for 5 years till they vest - then they move on to something with more work/life balance. Amazon rinses and repeats.

This is what Comcast would gain from Amazon. The talent they bring in may start to settle in Philly and when they are looking for the next step, the logical place to go is...Comcast. Yes, there will be turnover both ways, but Amazon is known for chewing it's employees up, where as Comcast treats their employees very very well. Is there a pay gap? Maybe, I haven't seen anything supporting that directly.

The benefits is it makes the talent pool for the overall market better. It also possibly attracts more tech businesses that come for Amazon but work wonders with Comcast. There's a reason tech companies cluster and as Comcast becomes more and more of a tech company, they will want other big kids to play with nearby.

[1487]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Will Bunch is an idiot. Amazon bringing 50,000 jobs to the city is an upgrade to the city, regardless out what we offer them in tax breaks.

More high paying jobs brings a higher tax base, better schools, lower crime, etc. etc.

This is not only about Amazon, but all the companies they would draw in to be located near them too.

I'm sick of Philadelphia taking an ass-backwards approach to things. We need to fix schools, crime, blight and poverty before bringing new jobs. Do none of these people fucking realize that jobs are the solution to everything?? You attract companies and jobs, and all of these issues will fix themselves.

its an editorial- just his opinion. Means nothing in terms of policy. And he actually said he thinks Philly would rank high amongst their choices.

[jjv007]

Originally Posted by 1487

its an editorial- just his opinion. Means nothing in terms of policy. And he actually said he thinks Philly would rank high amongst their choices.

1487's definitely back

[1487]

Originally Posted by jjv007

1487's definitely back

Indeed and I don't believe a word of what Amazon is saying publically. I hate profitable companies who beg for corporate welfare.

[Kfmcshan]

17-story tower out, 130 modular apartments in for Spruce Hill car wash

A car wash in Spruce Hill will no longer be replaced by a 17-story residential tower. Instead, it a six-story modular apartment building will be dropped onto the site.

West Philly Local reports that new plans for 4125-23 Chestnut Street were presented to the Spruce Hill Neighborhood Association last week, calling for 130 prefab apartments at what’s currently a Wash ‘N Lube. The meeting was mostly informational, since the site is zoned CMX-4 and the project can be built by-right.

It’s a big change from the previous owner’s original plans, which called for a 17-story tower with 240 units; a series of bonuses would have made way for the building to be more than three times its allowed height. But after community pushback, the developer ditched the tower and sold the property to Vaughan Buckley for $5.4 million in July, according to property records.

https://philly.curbed.com/2017/9/11/1628...t-modular-apartment-building-spruce-hill

[City Wide]

Originally Posted by 1487

its an editorial- just his opinion. Means nothing in terms of policy. And he actually said he thinks Philly would rank high amongst their choices.

But isn't all you or I or anybody say on this site about this issue just an opinion? (in my opinion, the SY's/30th. ST. Station area is the absolute best for Amazon) All these lists that papers and web sites come up with are really just opinions. The only judge at the end of the game will be Amazon. It's only their opinion that counts, and even then their opinion doesn't make it the right choice, just the one that matters.

But that doesn't keep us from voicing our opinions. (in my opinion, the Cities proposal to Amazon shouldn't mention Gray's Ferry or the Navy Yard or the old Reading Co. docks in Port Richmond) And I'm quite sure my opinion isn't going to effect Amazon's final decision.

Did you enjoy your vacation? I know I did.

[Philly Fan]

From the Inquirer Editorial Board:

Philly should go after Amazon, but we shouldn't give away the store | Editorial

[1487]

Originally Posted by City Wide

But isn't all you or I or anybody say on this site about this issue just an opinion? (in my opinion, the SY's/30th. ST. Station area is the absolute best for Amazon) All these lists that papers and web sites come up with are really just opinions. The only judge at the end of the game will be Amazon. It's only their opinion that counts, and even then their opinion doesn't make it the right choice, just the one that matters.

But that doesn't keep us from voicing our opinions. (in my opinion, the Cities proposal to Amazon shouldn't mention Gray's Ferry or the Navy Yard or the old Reading Co. docks in Port Richmond) And I'm quite sure my opinion isn't going to effect Amazon's final decision.

Did you enjoy your vacation? I know I did.

will bunch has zero impact on any policy or any economic development packages offered by Philly or PA. So I don't see the point in going on a rant about his editorial. But obviously you disagree- so knock yourself out. I wouldn't notice if you (or anyone else) was on "vacation". I don't have any personal animosity towards anyone who posts here- but apparently for some folks this is a big deal. To each his own.

CNN doesn't think we are top contenders apparently.

http://money.cnn.com/2017/09/11/technology/amazon-cities/index.html

[jjv007]

Besides an omission of Philly, the CNN article also omits Chicago from its list of eight which imo is at least a top three candidate. ^^

[chris08876]

Bummer to see these projects canceled or stalled.

Moved: PHILADELPHIA | 1528 Cherry | 17 FLOORS
summersm343
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Moved: PHILADELPHIA | Edgewater II | 260 FT | 22 FLOORS
summersm343
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Moved: PHILADELPHIA | 740 South Broad | 270 FT | 22 FLOORS
summersm343
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Moved: PHILADELPHIA | Renaissance Plaza | 292 FT x2 & 195 FT x2 | 29 FLOORS x2 & 19 FLOORSx2
summersm343
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Moved: PHILADELPHIA | 709 Chestnut | 32 FLOORS
summersm343
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Moved: PHILADELPHIA | Mellon Independence Center Tower | 429 FT | 35 FLOORS
Insoluble
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Moved: PHILADELPHIA | 4125 Chestnut | 215 FT | 17 FLOORS
summersm343

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by chris08876

Bummer to see these projects canceled or stalled.

Moved: PHILADELPHIA | 1528 Cherry | 17 FLOORS
summersm343
-	-	-
	 	
Moved: PHILADELPHIA | Edgewater II | 260 FT | 22 FLOORS
summersm343
-	-	-
	 	
Moved: PHILADELPHIA | 740 South Broad | 270 FT | 22 FLOORS
summersm343
-	-	-
	 	
Moved: PHILADELPHIA | Renaissance Plaza | 292 FT x2 & 195 FT x2 | 29 FLOORS x2 & 19 FLOORSx2
summersm343
-	-	-
	 	
Moved: PHILADELPHIA | 709 Chestnut | 32 FLOORS
summersm343
-	-	-
	 	
Moved: PHILADELPHIA | Mellon Independence Center Tower | 429 FT | 35 FLOORS
Insoluble
-	-	-
	 	
Moved: PHILADELPHIA | 4125 Chestnut | 215 FT | 17 FLOORS
summersm343

Yeah, no news on these in a while.

-1528 Cherry. This is stalled. I can see the land, as well as the parking lot owned by the city next door, being sold a few years down the road to be combined for a larger tower.

-Edgewater II. There are new owners that bought the Edgewater complex. I can see the new owners moving forward with the second tower at some point in the future, but it seems to be stalled for now.

-740 South Broad. This may be stalled. Maybe a new owner will buy the land and plans to move forward.

-Renaissance Plaza. This was always likely a fantasy project. Hopefully a legit developer can pry this lot away from the current owners in the future.

-709 Chestnut. One of the partners backed out of the project. Parkway still owns the lot though, and they've been pretty good at developing the lots they own. I could see this lot being revisited a few years down the road.

-Mellon Independence Tower. This is likely stalled. Not sure if it will ever be resurrected.

-4125 Chestnut. This project is moving forward, but has been downsized from 17 floors to 6 floors.

[acenturi]

Originally Posted by 1487

its an editorial- just his opinion. Means nothing in terms of policy. And he actually said he thinks Philly would rank high amongst their choices.

As long as the City (or any City) prepares a response which addresses every single RFP item, Amazon is required to provide a Line by Line reason for rejection - OR this entire drama could end up in court. Amazon will likely use the acceptable rejection criteria "non-responsive" if even 1 RFP item is ignored, or glossed over. IMO, Amazon will select the candidate city which commits the most $ to support its RFP requirements and find logical reasons (per their Attorney) to reject the others. Personally, I find it somewhat irresponsible that Amazon's BOD would expose the company to the potential massive litigation that this public horse race could produce. Amazon should have just approached each City privately with their requirements and solicited a response.

[eixample]

Originally Posted by acenturi

As long as the City (or any City) prepares a response which addresses every single RFP item, Amazon is required to provide a Line by Line reason for rejection - OR this entire drama could end up in court. Amazon will likely use the acceptable rejection criteria "non-responsive" if even 1 RFP item is ignored, or glossed over. IMO, Amazon will select the candidate city which commits the most $ to support its RFP requirements and find logical reasons (per their Attorney) to reject the others. Personally, I find it somewhat irresponsible that Amazon's BOD would expose the company to the potential massive litigation that this public horse race could produce. Amazon should have just approached each City privately with their requirements and solicited a response.

Amazon isn't the government. No litigation worries for this RFP.