PHILADELPHIA | American Commerce Center | 1,510' Pinnacle / 1,210' Roof | 63 FLOORS - Page 20

TechTalkGuy · #**381** Posted **Mar 23, 2008, 8:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by theWatusi

Wal*mart tower?

Well, since the iPod is very popular these days, perhaps an Apple might want to lease office space in the American Commerce Center, but it's highly doubtful they would wish to move their headquarters from the west coast.

Perhaps Google may wish to invest in a signature tower?

Hmmmm, the Google Tower.

Ninjawho · #**382** Posted **Mar 23, 2008, 8:16 PM**

I'd be all for a hi-tech industry setting up shop in our area...that's something we don't have a lot of. That's the only problem to having a Google or Apple move here, tho,...we don't have a hi tech sector.

aluminum · #**383** Posted **Mar 23, 2008, 8:40 PM**

I'm pretty sure this design is going to evolve into an even better one. We just need to wait.

theWatusi · #**384** Posted **Mar 24, 2008, 12:39 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ninjawho

we don't have a hi tech sector.

aside from relocating from uber nerds from cali, how hard would it be to set up a high tech company?

Ninjawho · #**385** Posted **Mar 24, 2008, 1:35 AM**

well thats the benefit of silicon valley and San Fran. all of America's hitech industry is based there...so the human capital is already in that area to begin with, just like nyc has the financial market cornered and Houston the energy industry. How hard can it be? I don't know. If Verizon could be lured back we'd be probably be the communication center? Maybe not...but if ACC can lure a MAJOR tenant it might be enough to bring other similar businesses to the area...

of course that could just be wishful thinking on our part. The market usually doesn't dictate that way.

We Got Five · #**386** Posted **Mar 24, 2008, 1:56 AM**

I think many of us are overstating the signature tower/centralization effect that will court an array of companies to Philly. There are deals going on right now...they will fill this tower and BRT will fill Cira South. If you increase rail service and provide the right amenities, corporations will follow. We have an opportunity (situated between D.C. and NYC) to be a financial stronghold. It's important that we look in the mirror and see that. We also need to court the smaller players - see Shunra as an example.

The hotel and retail component will only help this tower get off the ground. Once these components line up, we'll hear about tenants.

Don098 · #**387** Posted **Mar 24, 2008, 3:35 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by We Got Five

I think many of us are overstating the signature tower/centralization effect that will court an array of companies to Philly. There are deals going on right now...they will fill this tower and BRT will fill Cira South. If you increase rail service and provide the right amenities, corporations will follow. We have an opportunity (situated between D.C. and NYC) to be a financial stronghold. It's important that we look in the mirror and see that. We also need to court the smaller players - see Shunra as an example.

The hotel and retail component will only help this tower get off the ground. Once these components line up, we'll hear about tenants.

Amen. There's too much discussion about tax laws whose turnover rates can greatly exceed the time it takes even to build a skyscraper. We need to keep things in perspective here and not spend too much energy trying to puzzle scenarios into an economic and tax structure that is likely to change on macro scales. We're in an election year, we have a brand-spanking new mayor, and things are about to shift seismically. Cities will always inherently have more clout than the suburbs for conducting commerce just based on geography for one, so changing things as relatively small as tax laws to encourage these types of tenants is not as black-and-white-impossible as many of you are suggesting.

Nowhereman1280 · #**388** Posted **Mar 24, 2008, 4:21 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by theWatusi

aside from relocating from uber nerds from cali, how hard would it be to set up a high tech company?

Well you would have to overcome massive agglomeration economies which would probably require massive incentives by the city. Even then, it would still be questionable since not many tech nerds would love to move away from the sweet nerdy action that exists in SV.

Chriss · #**389** Posted **Mar 24, 2008, 1:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don098

changing things as relatively small as tax laws to encourage these types of tenants is not as black-and-white-impossible as many of you are suggesting.

You do realize that we're talking about the eternal Philadelphia City Wage tax, right??? I look forward to the day it goes away (it has been reduced lately), but I'm not holding my breath for it.

Don098 · #**390** Posted **Mar 24, 2008, 3:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chriss

You do realize that we're talking about the eternal Philadelphia City Wage tax, right??? I look forward to the day it goes away (it has been reduced lately), but I'm not holding my breath for it.

The real impasse to change are jaded attitudes like these, not the laws themselves. There's a word for that in psychology, it's called a self-fulfilling prophecy.

skyscraper · #**391** Posted **Mar 24, 2008, 6:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chriss

You do realize that we're talking about the eternal Philadelphia City Wage tax, right??? I look forward to the day it goes away (it has been reduced lately), but I'm not holding my breath for it.

the city wage tax, while it sucks, is not the real issue, it's the business privelige tax. when companies are looking for places to do business, they look at their direct bottom line. the bpt affects their cost of doing business directly and is therefore more of a factor in determining where they will set up shop. the city wage tax is more of an indirect influence because it affects employees, not the employers directly. some people won't work in the city because of it, but most will not let it affect their decision of where to work.

giamomj · #**392** Posted **Mar 24, 2008, 6:51 PM**

Please advise - I've missed it somehow...thanks.

Gia

UCityPhila · #**393** Posted **Mar 24, 2008, 7:19 PM**

Not 100 percent sure, but I believe BRT = Brandywine Realty Trust.

Swinefeld · #**394** Posted **Mar 24, 2008, 7:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by UCityPhila

Not 100 percent sure, but I believe BRT = Brandywine Realty Trust.

Correct-a-mundo.

We Got Five · #**395** Posted **Mar 24, 2008, 9:53 PM**

Yes - BRT is Brandywine Reality Trust.

Skyscraper,

You are right on the money, well said. Most employees understand that the wage tax is part of "city" work life. The BPT is a major factor in determining "who" does business in the city.

tua21506 · #**396** Posted **Mar 25, 2008, 12:13 AM**

I don't know if anyone already posted a link to Ingas blog but she discuses ACC in more depth than her column... sort of a preliminary review i guess...http://changingskyline.blogspot.com/

skyscraper · #**397** Posted **Mar 25, 2008, 1:01 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tua21506

I don't know if anyone already posted a link to Ingas blog but she discuses ACC in more depth than her column... sort of a preliminary review i guess...http://changingskyline.blogspot.com/

looks like my prophecy is beginning to come true. she is already starting to come out with negative stuff about the building, and she hints at her column this week to be about not skyscraping Philadelphia. she thinks we can't handle it, and I will bet you that somewhere in that column will be some comparison to new york: that we are not new york and that only her beloved new york can handle more than one tower in a small area.

murdoc9 · #**398** Posted **Mar 25, 2008, 4:34 AM**

not like I post much, but it seems when there isn't much news is when the thread gets off topic, anyone know when we are supposed to have this thing go through the approval process? (if this has already been answered I do apologize, I didn't see it in the last couple of pages.) Personally, I love the preliminary design, I love the open space in the hotel; it looks enormously large and open, which would be great to see, but I wonder about using that space more profitably.

Quixote · #**399** Posted **Mar 25, 2008, 5:26 AM**

Wow, I can't believe I missed this one! Philly is definitely on the upswing!

bucks native · #**400** Posted **Mar 25, 2008, 5:34 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by murdoc9

not like I post much, but it seems when there isn't much news is when the thread gets off topic, anyone know when we are supposed to have this thing go through the approval process? (if this has already been answered I do apologize, I didn't see it in the last couple of pages.) Personally, I love the preliminary design, I love the open space in the hotel; it looks enormously large and open, which would be great to see, but I wonder about using that space more profitably.

There's profit in beauty. Bold design. Eye-popping wowzaa! And the ACC hotel design speaks to each of these. Would you rather stay at the mid-town Holiday Inn or ACC's hotel?

And the discussion above about no tech jobs in Phila - come on - Comcast uses high technology, so does Unisys, and Penn and Drexel, and SAP is close enough. I've had many friends turn down jobs in Silicon Valley because it's just too damn expensive to live decently there.