PHILADELPHIA | Highrise Development Thread IX

[Boku]

Atlanta and Dallas being out of the running already would be a stunner.

[Milksteak]

Originally Posted by sayitaintso

New data dump. The following cities are out of the running for HQ2:

Dallas
Denver
Atlanta

Do your sources know who has been chosen? If so, are they leaking it to you slowly just to keep you on the edge of your seat? Or are you leaking it to us slowly to keep us on the edge of our seats?

If neither of the above, is this slowly being leaked within Amazon to keep everybody on the edge of their seats?

Inquisitive minds want to know

[Philly Fan]

Originally Posted by Boku

Atlanta and Dallas being out of the running already would be a stunner.

There have been some indications from at least two of the twenty finalist regions that Amazon prefers an "urban" area:

After considering several sites in the Triangle, including at least two in Raleigh and three in Research Triangle Park, Amazon has made it known that downtown Raleigh is its preference, a source told WRAL TechWire Wednesday.

“They want to go urban,” a source said.

That statement is supported by Arlington, Texas, officials who said recently that the city was no longer under consideration because Amazon wanted an “urban” site.

https://www.wraltechwire.com/2018/05/31/...own-raleigh-for-hq2-apple-deal-imminent/

But ultimately, Arlington, which submitted its HQ2 proposal as part of the Dallas-Fort Worth region's bid, wasn't a fit.

Dubbed HQ2, Amazon's second headquarters will cost $5 billion to build and could create as many as 50,000 jobs.

On Tuesday, Arlington officials announced Amazon passed on the city, stating it is "no longer moving forward in the selection process" for HQ2. Arlington was informed of the tech giant's decision in recent weeks.

"I think they're looking for a more advanced urban setting," Mayor Jeff Williams told CNNMoney.

http://money.cnn.com/2018/05/16/technology/amazon-hq2-arlington-texas/index.html


Hopefully, that ends up meaning older, northeast urban, as opposed to Sunbelt urban.

[Knight Hospitaller]

So, for reference, the list would now be:

Austin, Texas
Boston
Chicago
Columbus, Ohio
Indianapolis
Los Angeles
Miami
Montgomery County, Md.
Nashville, Tenn.
Newark, N.J.
New York City
Northern Virginia
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Raleigh, N.C.
Toronto
Washington, D.C.

I think the "surprising" elimination of Atlanta means Philly's chances just went up. Atlanta is lacking in the kind of urbanism most favor in this forum, but I think it was the most likely standard bearer for a Southeast location. I don't see Raleigh or Miami taking the prize. I think it's mostly likely going to be a NE location now. Contrary to my DC loving friends, I think we have pole position in the northeast.

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by allovertown

Interesting. If your sources are correct and it's not a PST city nor those three then we're down to:
Austin
Boston
Chicago
Columbus
Indianapolis
Miami
Montgomery County
Nashville
Newark
New York City
Northern Virginia
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Raleigh, N.C.
Toronto
Washington, D.C.

Still 16 cities.

And for the sake of simplicity, I think you can probably combine the 3 DC bids into one as well, so really it's 14 cities. Seeing the effect and publicity we've received by making the Top-20, there would be inherent value in Amazon subsequently releasing a Top-10 list or even a Top5. Making that list for Philly would be something of an eye-opener, especially for European companies.

Anyways, excluding Denver/Atlanta/Dallas and with due respect to the smaller metros on the list, IMO that leaves just these cities with a shot at the Golden Ticket.


Austin
Boston
Chicago
Newark/New York City
Philadelphia
Toronto
Washington, D.C.

[Knight Hospitaller]

^ I'm thinking the top 3 are Philly, Chicago and Austin.

[Philly Fan]

Originally Posted by Knight Hospitaller

^ I'm thinking the top 3 are Philly, Chicago and Austin.

I'm thinking the top 3 are Philly, Philly, and Philly--as in "location, location, location."

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by Knight Hospitaller

^ I'm thinking the top 3 are Philly, Chicago and Austin.

Yeah Boston always seemed like a good pick, but their choice to put forward Suffolk Downs as the top location seems like a total Fail Job, to me. When you compare that location (in a marshy, swamp land with almost nothing around it 20minutes from downtown) versus what we are offering at Schuylkill Yards, it's night and day.

[Knight Hospitaller]

Originally Posted by Philly Fan

I'm thinking the top 3 are Philly, Philly, and Philly--as in "location, location, location."

From your keyboard to God's monitor.

[Philly Fan]

Originally Posted by Knight Hospitaller

From your keyboard to God's monitor.

In this case, I'd rather it go to Jeff Bezos' monitor.

[skyscraper]

Originally Posted by Londonee

And for the sake of simplicity, I think you can probably combine the 3 DC bids into one as well, so really it's 14 cities. Seeing the effect and publicity we've received by making the Top-20, there would be inherent value in Amazon subsequently releasing a Top-10 list or even a Top5. Making that list for Philly would be something of an eye-opener, especially for European companies.

Anyways, excluding Denver/Atlanta/Dallas and with due respect to the smaller metros on the list, IMO that leaves just these cities with a shot at the Golden Ticket.


Austin
Boston
Chicago
Newark/New York City
Philadelphia
Toronto
Washington, D.C.

and I don't think Toronto has a snowball's chance in hell. I think it's staying in the US.

[sayitaintso]

Originally Posted by Londonee

I'm assuming this is coming from your sources? And this won't be made official? If so, 2 of those 3 were considered media favorites at some point along this absurd ride....

Naturally...of course not... and yes the "media"

[sayitaintso]

Originally Posted by Milksteak

Do your sources know who has been chosen? If so, are they leaking it to you slowly just to keep you on the edge of your seat? Or are you leaking it to us slowly to keep us on the edge of our seats?

If neither of the above, is this slowly being leaked within Amazon to keep everybody on the edge of their seats?

Inquisitive minds want to know

As previously discussed the location is settled. They are leaking to me.

[GtownFriend]

A different angle from Grey's Ferry Bridge.

IMG_1960 by SEPTA 5761, on Flickr

[Boku]

For the record, I'm not buying anything sayitaintso is selling. Always fun to speculate though!

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by sayitaintso

As previously discussed the location is settled. They are leaking to me.

If everything you're saying is accurate, I'd have to think - based on human nature alone - that Philly is NOT the choice. Putting yourself in your friends shoes - knowing that you are a Philly booster, eagerly and aggressively pushing for info - and the fact that you've said they are leaving the company soon and have little to lose, they seem to have no reason to *not* give you some indirect nod if it's Philly. A non-admission, admission - so to speak.

[Atlanta3000]

Originally Posted by Boku

For the record, I'm not buying anything sayitaintso is selling. Always fun to speculate though!

I don't know Boku, sayitaintso data Dumps seem very credible. It seems like sayitaintso has high-level sources that have chosen him/her/shim exclusively to leak this very sensitive info.

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by Boku

For the record, I'm not buying anything sayitaintso is selling. Always fun to speculate though!

Yeah, what doesn't add up is the "the location is already settled" aspect of it, specifically in regards to the slow leaks (ie not Denver, ATL, or Dallas). It makes sense to me, if they are working through the proposals and slowly crossing off cities that won't work for them...hence the installment leaks, but still havent determined their final selection.

If not, and the location is already settled, and they are dotting i's and crossing t's that means one of two things about these folks:

1) They themselves are not on in the inside circle, but maybe 1 or 2 degrees of separation and are picking up crumbs as they are left behind by the folks with actual knowledge. Or,

2) They know everything and they are slowly leaking to you simply to fuck around with you - which makes them pretty shitty people - and you need to get new friends.

[JohnIII]

Originally Posted by GtownFriend

A different angle from Grey's Ferry Bridge.

IMG_1960 by SEPTA 5761, on Flickr

This is one of the best views of downtown and it has great potential because if SLS Tower ever gets built; the tower at Broad and Pine; and Blatstein's Towers at Broad and Washington will spread the skyline out will to the right or south and any development in the 30th Street Station District or Schuylkill Yards will spread the skyline to the left or west.

In a decade this may be the ideal location to see the city as oppose to the South Street Bridge not that the South Street Bridge isn't exceptional, but rather that it'll be to close to capture the full scope of the skyline due to its proximity; it will be to close to capture the full panorama because the skyline will expand to far which is a great thing.

[Milksteak]

^Great photo, my only gripe is that it completely hides my favorite skyscraper in the city.