Amazon HQ2 thread

[isaidso]

A few more. Not too fond of the initial rendering for the main transit hall but here it is:


Courtesy of pierrecarapetian


Courtesy of UT

[chris08876]

Real estate investor wants Amazon to build second headquarters on a Hudson River landfill

After landing on Amazon’s list of 20 potential cities for its second headquarters in January, New York City is one step closer to securing $5 billion in city investment and 50,000 high paying jobs. Although the city pitched four neighborhoods for the tech-giants’ HQ2 (Midtown West, Long Island City, the Brooklyn Tech Triangle, and Lower Manhattan), one investor has a different, less grounded location in mind. Real estate mogul Charles Urstadt took out an ad in the New York Post on Friday detailing his plan to bring Amazon to a landfill in the Hudson River.

Urdstadt, best known as the founder of the state-agency Battery Park City Authority, calls for Amazon to pay a nominal amount for underwater land measuring 2,000 feet from north to south, stretching 1,000 feet into the river.

Urdstadt first revealed his ambitious vision for HQ2 in an op-ed published last month in the Broadsheet. He recommends New York use landfill to create the property in the Hudson. He wrote: “Using fill to extend Battery Park City beyond its current northern border (roughly at Chambers Street) by half a mile (to a point just below Canal Street) would create more than 60 acres of additional new land in Tribeca, one of the most desirable residential and business districts in the United States.”

In exchange for the new acres of waterfront land, Amazon would pay a “nominal annual ground rent,” which Urdstadt says would be a fraction of the cost if the company had to purchase it instead. And the staff of the Battery Park City Authority, which is made up of architects and engineers, would be in charge of overseeing and maintaining the landfill.

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6SQFT

[C.]

Why doesn't the Toronto proposal also include new residential uses? Separation of uses for mega developments sounds like something out of the 80s. What makes the nearby Google Sidewalks development so exciting is the radical integration of different land uses. IF Amazon selects Toronto, it would be shocking if they don't demand residential uses to be interwoven into the HQ2 campus.

[C.]

Originally Posted by chris08876

Real estate investor wants Amazon to build second headquarters on a Hudson River landfill




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6SQFT

I would love to see more fillin of the Hudson river. Maybe bring back the 100,000 seat West Side Stadium proposal, too.

[mhays]

Originally Posted by CIA

Why doesn't the Toronto proposal also include new residential uses? Separation of uses for mega developments sounds like something out of the 80s. What makes the nearby Google Sidewalks development so exciting is the radical integration of different land uses. IF Amazon selects Toronto, it would be shocking if they don't demand residential uses to be interwoven into the HQ2 campus.

Good question. HQ1 has a 20% non-motorized commute rate, and it's common to live a block or two from your office. It's also built among an existing grid, dominating significant areas but also interwoven with other things.

[Innsertnamehere]

Wait it still has an 80% auto commuting share? I believe that is the average for the entire GTA. Even without residential in the immediate area I would be surprised if auto commuting was over 50%. Downtown Toronto hovers around 20%.

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by CIA

Why doesn't the Toronto proposal also include new residential uses? Separation of uses for mega developments sounds like something out of the 80s. What makes the nearby Google Sidewalks development so exciting is the radical integration of different land uses. IF Amazon selects Toronto, it would be shocking if they don't demand residential uses to be interwoven into the HQ2 campus.

The site is not zones for residential. It's meant as a grand corporate campus. There are other sites in the package should Amazon want something mixed use and intergrated with the rest of the urban landscape. The developer can pretend all they want. This isn't being built near this scale without Amazon.

[C.]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

Wait it still has an 80% auto commuting share? I believe that is the average for the entire GTA. Even without residential in the immediate area I would be surprised if auto commuting was over 50%. Downtown Toronto hovers around 20%.

This isn't the big picture. It's beyond transportation modal share. As mhays stated, It's about being able to provide housing options right next to the office. The general theme of the HQ2 RFQ is mixed use. Again, I would be really surprised if HQ2 is entirely office and retail with no housing options. For progressive Toronto with a booming housing market and shortage, I'm surprised it wasn't a consideration.

[C.]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

The site is not zones for residential. It's meant as a grand corporate campus. There are other sites in the package should Amazon want something mixed use and intergrated with the rest of the urban landscape. The developer can pretend all they want. This isn't being built near this scale without Amazon.

Argh, straight out of the 1980s.

[mhays]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

Wait it still has an 80% auto commuting share? I believe that is the average for the entire GTA. Even without residential in the immediate area I would be surprised if auto commuting was over 50%. Downtown Toronto hovers around 20%.

Who said that? They're probably close to 20% auto commutes at HQ1, and less in the buildings closer to the original CBD. The parking ratio for those buildings is 1 per 1,000 sf, or about one for every 6 or 7 workers.

You realize that transit involves motors?

[the urban politician]

I heard from one of my top insider sources that Amazon has come to a decision, and that's its Chicago.

So without further ado......

CONGRATULATIONS Chicago!

[the urban politician]

^ This one requires a bit more celebration.....

[atlantaguy]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

I heard from one of my top insider sources that Amazon has come to a decision, and that's its Chicago.

So without further ado......

CONGRATULATIONS Chicago!

LOL! Unless your 'top insider source' is Bezos, this means squat.

[James Bond Agent 007]

Originally Posted by chris08876

Real estate investor wants Amazon to build second headquarters on a Hudson River landfill




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6SQFT

Slowly but surely, Westway will happen one way or another.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by atlantaguy

LOL! Unless your 'top insider source' is Bezos, this means squat.

I too have heard from my top insider source that Chicago is it...

My source is TUP....

[atlantaguy]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

I too have heard from my top insider source that Chicago is it...

My source is TUP....

Do tell...

[chris08876]

I'd be happy for Chicago (although I question this "insider" info lol).

So long as its not out in the burbs somewhere, in an office park fashion, its a win-win really.

That would be sacrilege, it went into the suburbs.

Ultimately, I think state political allegiance heavily favored towards the left will eliminate some cities. The ones in states that are Red will not make it. I'm still thinking somewhere in the Mid-Atlantic/NorthEast region ultimately.

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by chris08876

I'd be happy for Chicago (although I question this "insider" info lol).

So long as its not out in the burbs somewhere, in an office park fashion, its a win-win really.

That would be sacrilege, it went into the suburbs.

Ultimately, I think state political allegiance heavily favored towards the left will eliminate some cities. The ones in states that are Red will not make it. I'm still thinking somewhere in the Mid-Atlantic/NorthEast region ultimately.

You should spend less time analyzing things and more time....

Dancing!

Be happy for Chicago in all its glory. Chicago! Rah rah Chicago! We won Amazon! We love Bezos! Thanks to that bald headed fuck for choosing us! Finally we're worthy!!

[austin242]

Is it possible they would wait till after mid terms to decide then? It's not impossible that Texas could turn blue for a couple of years. Highly unlikely but not impossible. So vote blue or your state will loose 5billion plus dollars.

[skyscraperpage17]

Originally Posted by atlantaguy

LOL! Unless your 'top insider source' is Bezos, this means squat.

^^^This.