Ottawa's bid for Amazon HQ2

[Arcologist]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

The front runners being mentioned right now are second tier (maybe even third tier) cities like Austin and Pittsburgh so I think a city like Ottawa is what they're looking for.

And Geekwire ranked Toronto and Ottawa at #1 and #2 for the best fit for the new HQ based on Amazon's criteria.

https://www.geekwire.com/2017/amazon...t-data-decide/

Very interesting Geekwire article, thanks for posting. It's nice to see two Canadian cities at the top of the list, though I can't say I agree with their metrics.

[eltodesukane]

Here is Amazon's Request for Proposal (RFP):
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....516043504_.pdf

The Project is a second corporate headquarters (HQ2), at which Amazon will hire as many as fifty
thousand (50,000) new full-time employees with an average annual total compensation exceeding
one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) over the next ten to fifteen years, following
commencement of operations. The Project is expected to have over $5 billion in capital expenditures
as described in more detail in this RFP.

[acottawa]

Based on the Amazon criteria, the only possible sites I could see (without getting into debates about the farm or greenbelt) would be Tunney's (requiring the feds to vacate much of the site, although they were willing to abandon it for a hospital), the site on Tremblay the feds bought from the province recently (requiring some nearby parcels as well), or Hurdman and some surrounding land (although I understand significant rehabilitation rehabilitation would be necessary so it might not be as shovel ready as Amazon wants).

[McC]

West Lebreton, Bayview, Tom Brown and City Centre make a big, pretty contiguous site, too, no? Trillium is looking residential for their piece, but Phoenix had thought office on that site previously, and I don't see why the developer would ultimately be too fussed one way or the other if they were renting apartments or commercial space.

What about Lincoln Fields with room to grow into the surrounding strip malls and auto dealerships?

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by McC

What about Lincoln Fields with room to grow into the surrounding strip malls and auto dealerships?

When is phase 2 supposed to be completed?

[McC]

Western legs are to be done last, 2023.

[Multi-modal]

Originally Posted by acottawa

Based on the Amazon criteria, the only possible sites I could see (without getting into debates about the farm or greenbelt) would be Tunney's (requiring the feds to vacate much of the site, although they were willing to abandon it for a hospital), the site on Tremblay the feds bought from the province recently (requiring some nearby parcels as well), or Hurdman and some surrounding land (although I understand significant rehabilitation rehabilitation would be necessary so it might not be as shovel ready as Amazon wants).

I think it has to be either west-Lebreton / City Centre (Bayview). Or Hurdman. I think Hurdman especially is a tempting location for Amazon. Its a beautiful natural location, a transit nexus, and is a hop-skip-and-a-jump from uOttawa.

[1overcosc]

The Lebreton plan put forward by the Sens doesn't actually have enough office space to meet Amazon's needs.

[FFX-ME]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

The Lebreton plan put forward by the Sens doesn't actually have enough office space to meet Amazon's needs.

As Claridge has shown us, plans can always be changed when nothing has been built.

https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4287...7i13312!8i6656

[acottawa]

Eight million square feet is an enormous amount of office space. If Amazon were willing to build highrises it would be three Brookfield places (taking up 15 acres) or a dozen World Exchange plazas, although technology companies have not generally been interested in high rise buildings.

[McC]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

The Lebreton plan put forward by the Sens doesn't actually have enough office space to meet Amazon's needs.

as I said above about Trinity Station, I think what matters most is the sale and rental income not whether it's from commercial or residential.

But then again, I would also bet that having more office space adjacent would be a boost to attendance and corporate sponsorship and sales compared to apartments. Based on the little bits of pop-sociology of contemporary condo dwellers that I've read, people are probably a lot more likely to go to a game/event with their colleagues than with their high rise neighbours.

[McC]

Originally Posted by acottawa

Eight million square feet is an enormous amount of office space. If Amazon were willing to build highrises it would be three Brookfield places (taking up 15 acres) or a dozen World Exchange plazas, although technology companies have not generally been interested in high rise buildings.

They don't require the space to all be contiguous and co-located, though:

The sites do not have to be contiguous, but should be in proximity to each other to foster a sense of place and be pedestrian-friendly.
3. Other infill, existing buildings, including opportunities for renovation/ redevelopment and greenfield sites, meeting the proximity and logistics requirements of the Project. This can also be a combination of the above.

If they filled the Bayview yards, the western edge of the Flats, City Centre, Trinity Station and Tom Brown (with an awesome new community centre inside); there's still heaps more nearby development lands to grow organically into at the Escarpment lands, and along the O-Train corridor between Somerset and Gladstone and north of Carling. Sure a lot of it is zoned residential for now, and some of it may have filled in by then, but lots won't have.

I look at the arc from Place-de-Ville Phase III all the way down to the Carling O-Train station, and there's no shortage of empty and nearly-empty, serviced land (on the Metro!) that's going to take forever for slow-and-steady-growing Ottawa to fill in. Compare it with False Creek: 35 years of continual development in the densest and consistently-hottest market in the country (including two major global events: Expo 86 and the Olympic Village, 2 pro sports stadia, and a Casino), and there are still huge lots waiting to be developed.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by McC

They don't require the space to all be contiguous and co-located, though:


If they filled the Bayview yards, the western edge of the Flats, City Centre, Trinity Station and Tom Brown (with an awesome new community centre inside); there's still heaps more nearby development lands to grow organically into at the Escarpment lands, and along the O-Train corridor between Somerset and Gladstone and north of Carling. Sure a lot of it is zoned residential for now, and some of it may have filled in by then, but lots won't have.

I look at the arc from Place-de-Ville Phase III all the way down to the Carling O-Train station, and there's no shortage of empty and nearly-empty, serviced land (on the Metro!) that's going to take forever for slow-and-steady-growing Ottawa to fill in. Compare it with False Creek: 35 years of continual development in the densest and consistently-hottest market in the country (including two major global events: Expo 86 and the Olympic Village, 2 pro sports stadia, and a Casino), and there are still huge lots waiting to be developed.

Maybe that's what they want, but I can't see that having a huge appeal to Amazon. They would have a block-by-block zoning fight and property owners implementing hurricane pricing, as well as difficulty getting from one Amazon building to another, plus it sucks up a huge amount of residential land at the very time the city needs to house tens of thousands of Amazon workers.

[Truenorth00]

Is Ottawa, Queen's Park and the Feds offering up any tax breaks for Amazon? They've specifically mentioned those are required.

[FFX-ME]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

Is Ottawa, Queen's Park and the Feds offering up any tax breaks for Amazon? They've specifically mentioned those are required.

That is so shady...

[McC]

If this map is accurate, I don't understand how you couldn't fit a campus similar to Amazon's current one in Seattle into the existing development plans for LeBreton, OR Bayview OR the Escarpment OR Tunney's OR Preston-Carling. It's 7 blocks, so that's not even an "and" situation, requiring tricky land assembly or disconnected sites.

source: https://cdn.geekwire.com/wp-content/...mazonsites.png

[MoreTrains]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

Is Ottawa, Queen's Park and the Feds offering up any tax breaks for Amazon? They've specifically mentioned those are required.

Ive read Queens Park isnt willing to offer anything. So it would be up to the Feds and the City. Love that companies at a certain size get crap like that.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by MoreTrains

Ive read Queens Park isnt willing to offer anything. So it would be up to the Feds and the City. Love that companies at a certain size get crap like that.

Ontario runs 127 programs that gives money to private companies, so it shouldn't be hard for Amazon to find a bunch.

http://nationalpost.com/news/canada/...tario-liberals

[citydwlr]

Why couldn't Bayview, 900 Albert, Lebreton, Preston/Carling and Tunney's all provide space for Amazon? The campus doesn't need to be all in one place. Seattle has a number of Amazon buildings spread throughout the city...

[eltodesukane]

Originally Posted by McC

If this map is accurate, I don't understand how you couldn't fit a campus similar to Amazon's current one in Seattle into the existing development plans for LeBreton, OR Bayview OR the Escarpment OR Tunney's OR Preston-Carling. It's 7 blocks, so that's not even an "and" situation, requiring tricky land assembly or disconnected sites.

source: https://cdn.geekwire.com/wp-content/...mazonsites.png

Day One tower & Meeting Center in Seattle: