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  #401  
Old Posted Feb 22, 2019, 6:41 PM
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BQX streetcar plan back on life support after Amazon pulls out

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Amazon’s decision to bring part of its HQ2 to Queens helped breathe new life into the city’s long-stalled Brooklyn-Queens Connector (BQX) streetcar plan. Now that Amazon has cancelled those plans, BQX could really be on its last legs.

[...]

Though some view the streetcar as a boon for transit-starved neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens, critics have panned the project as unnecessary, uneconomical and a costly handout to developers with property along the planned route.
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  #402  
Old Posted Feb 22, 2019, 7:22 PM
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Originally Posted by NYguy View Post
These things have a way of coming back to bite you in the ass. The city, which has been trying for decades to expand it's central business districts outside of Manhattan had a golden opportunity here for a mega-expansion that no doubt would have led to more expansion in Queens. There is some business began to take shape in LIC, but not necessarily game changers, and especially in the short run, there is a 1 msf office tower that needs tenants. The tenants who will (hopefully) fill up this tower are probably tenants that could have otherwise filled up another commercial enterprise in LIC.

There's not denying that this was a terrible outcome for New York City. Did NYC need Amazon? Would it have benefited greatly by having Amazon building it's campus in LIC, placing 25,000 to 40,000 workers there, in turn further fueling expansion and economic growth to LIC? Hell yeah. While LIC will continue to develop, the difference between having that massive campus there, and not is like night and day.

well it was stupid to chase any jobs away, but amazon was wishy washy for a reason well beyond local whiners. did anyone really believe the 25k employees number they threw around? and 40k? where the hell did that one come from? hoax. realistically? 10k? maybe? eventually? but lic will get that in new residents anyway in a equal amount of time. obviously it isn't farmland. itsa boomin along on its own. and better 20 smaller players than one conspicuous major employer. thats why i say meh.
     
     
  #403  
Old Posted Feb 23, 2019, 1:41 AM
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Originally Posted by mrnyc View Post
well it was stupid to chase any jobs away, but amazon was wishy washy for a reason well beyond local whiners. did anyone really believe the 25k employees number they threw around? and 40k? where the hell did that one come from? hoax. realistically? 10k? maybe? eventually? but lic will get that in new residents anyway in a equal amount of time. obviously it isn't farmland. itsa boomin along on its own. and better 20 smaller players than one conspicuous major employer. thats why i say meh.
People keep asking about the numbers. Why is there a reason to doubt it? How many do they have in Seatle? What are the getting in Virginia? Look at the numbers that Google is putting in Manhattan. Is that a hoax? I mean, seriously.
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  #404  
Old Posted Feb 23, 2019, 1:46 AM
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https://www.city-journal.org/de-blasio-amazon-deal

De Blasio’s Dereliction of Duty
The mayor blew the Amazon deal, but it’s someone else’s fault—as always.


Bob McManus
February 20, 2019


Quote:
New York City mayor Bill de Blasio dragged his presidential ambitions to Washington over the weekend, where he went on Meet the Press and bit the hand that wanted to feed his city billions. The topic was Amazon’s abrupt abandonment of its expansion plans in Queens, which the mayor deemed “an abuse of corporate power. They had an agreement with the people of New York City.”

Amazon, of course, might argue that the people of New York City, as represented in Congress, the state legislature, and the city council, were in the process of abrogating that agreement, and that CEO Jeff Bezos saw no point in being bitten to death by a flock of progressive ducks. Further, the company could contend that once it became clear that the ducks meant to kill the deal or alter it beyond recognition, and not to Amazon’s advantage, the mayor did nothing to help save it. Governor Andrew Cuomo at least threatened, if imprecisely, that there would be political consequences for failure.
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Now that the deal is undone, de Blasio is free to adopt his usual stance of a disinterested observer. The mayor’s ability to find extenuating circumstances to blame for his inability to cope with the responsibilities of office is otherworldly.

...The unraveling of the Amazon deal is a textbook example of his aloof, not-my-problem style of governance. As de Blasio said on Meet the Press Sunday, “a majority of New Yorkers believed in it. They wanted the jobs. They wanted the revenue that would help us to create more affordable housing, better mass transit. There was a consensus in New York City.” But there was no unanimity. There never is and there never will be— and thus it falls to political leaders in such circumstance to lead, to make things happen, to forge the agreements that get things done.
Quote:
Here, de Blasio failed. As narrowly focused ideological opposition, NIMBYism, and self-serving political ambition overwhelmed clear public support for the plan, he went mute. When State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins put a vocal Amazon opponent in a position to kill the deal, de Blasio didn’t complain. And when Cuomo warned that Bezos & Co. were growing restive, the mayor was nowhere to be found.

Running a major city is no job for someone inclined to phone it in, and it’s especially hard to do from the Park Slope YMCA, an almost-daily mayoral haunt. De Blasio’s failure to engage, while inexcusable, is not surprising. It’s also possible that he wasn’t fully on board with the deal in the first place. His hostility to capitalistic enterprise is no secret; he’ll spend the tax revenues it generates but with his nose in the air.
Quote:
De Blasio himself, writing in the New York Times after the pullout, tried to explain what he had told the company: “I had counseled a senior Amazon executive about how they could win over some of their critics. Meet with organized labor. Start hiring public housing residents. Invest in infrastructure and other community needs. Show you care about fairness and creating opportunity for working people.” In other words, sign an open-ended pledge to do things the mayor’s own administration has been unable to accomplish, and maybe the city will stoop to doing business with you.

What Bezos and his boardroom thought about that suggestion isn’t in the public record, but the company wasted no time casting off once it became clear that the clean deal that it thought it had negotiated was anything but. Or, as de Blasio put it, Amazon “just took their ball and went home.” It’s hard to blame them.
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  #405  
Old Posted Feb 28, 2019, 2:44 AM
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https://www.wnyc.org/story/amazon-op...r-state-board/

Amazon Opponent Passed Over for State Board

Feb 24, 2019
by Kate Hinds and Jim O'Grady


Quote:
State Senator Michael Gianaris, a fierce critic of Amazon, won't be sitting on the obscure but periodically powerful New York State Public Authorities Control Board after all. The prospect of Gianaris's board membership, which could've given him a veto over the Amazon deal, helped spook the company into backing out of from becoming one of the city's major employers. Amazon supporter Governor Andrew Cuomo could have prevented Gianaris from taking the position but, somewhat inexplicably, never acted.

The Public Authorities Control Board assumed an outsized role in the Amazon drama because the deal included a $500 million grant to build the company's Long Island City campus. The board would have voted on that part of the $3 billion subsidy package.
Quote:
In a letter to Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, who had nominated Gianaris to the board earlier this month, blamed the governor's "inaction" for her withdrawal of Gianaris's name.

"Through comments you have made to others in public meetings and interviews," she wrote, "it has become clear that you do not intend to confirm this appointment to the PACB...To ensure the Senate Majority is properly represented, I hereby formally recommend Senator Leroy Comrie as the Senate’s representative on the Public Authorities Control Board."

Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi's reaction? "Great, but it's a day late and $27 billion short." His implication was that the Amazon deal might've been saved had Stewart-Cousins not put Gianaris's name forward, or withdrawn it before the company bolted, taking with it a projected $27 billion in city and state tax revenues over 25 years. Azzopardi added that the governor would review Comrie's nomination. Comrie did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Quote:
While Cuomo never moved one way or the other on the Gianaris nomination, his budget director, Robert Mujica, said his boss would have eventually rejected it.

"Of course the Governor would never accept a Senate nomination of an opponent to the project and the Governor told that to Amazon directly," he wrote in an open letter slamming Democratic opposition to Amazon.


One project down, another to target...



https://nypost.com/2019/02/24/cuomo-...ng-opposition/

Cuomo-backed $1B arena in Belmont Park facing opposition

By Rich Calder and Carl Campanile
February 24, 2019


Quote:
Another megaproject being pushed by Gov. Cuomo is on track to get Amazoned.

A $1 billion arena and entertainment venue on state-owned property near Belmont Park is facing opposition from local leaders, and will have to go before the Public Authorities Control Board.

Amazon abandoned plans for a second headquarters in Long Island City, Queens, after an opponent of the project, Sen. Michael Gianaris, was nominated to the board, effectively giving him veto power over the deal.


After Amazon pulled out, Gianaris’ name was withdrawn and the person finally put on the PACB is Queens Sen. Leroy Comrie, whose district takes in part of Belmont Park. The Belmont project would include 435,000 square feet of retail space, restaurants, a 250-room hotel and 19,000-seat arena for the NHL’s Islanders. But some local officials aren’t on board.

“I’m opposed to the project right now,” said state Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, citing traffic congestion and lack of regular train service to the area.
Quote:
Cuomo’s camp dismissed the comparison to the Amazon fiasco, and said there is support for the deal.

“We . . . are proud of our . . . community engagement efforts,” said Empire State Development spokesman Jack Sterne.
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  #406  
Old Posted Feb 28, 2019, 3:59 AM
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Still coming to grips here, so please excuse me. Someone a few pages back said roughly “..Don’t go blaming just AOC. This fiasco is the fault of both Democrats AND Republicans..” I by no means am trying to start a political battle, I’m just honestly intrigued by the statement. Can I trouble the poster or anyone to DM me with an article or some kind of backup showing that a Republican politician took part in Amazon’s reversal? Thanks. Again, just looking for clarification.
     
     
  #407  
Old Posted Feb 28, 2019, 5:29 AM
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what a schmuck.

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  #408  
Old Posted Feb 28, 2019, 2:16 PM
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^ Yep. One line that stuck with me, he mentioned "[LIC]Housing market is in crisis right now", which is a funny way of saying there isn't enough supply to keep up with the demand. To solve this "crisis" would require more development; obviously more residential towers to accommodate the great demand. I've never heard of good economic conditions for investors and builders as a "crisis". Would be funny if it weren't so sad.
     
     
  #409  
Old Posted Feb 28, 2019, 3:20 PM
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Originally Posted by Skyguy_7 View Post
Still coming to grips here, so please excuse me. Someone a few pages back said roughly “..Don’t go blaming just AOC. This fiasco is the fault of both Democrats AND Republicans..” I by no means am trying to start a political battle, I’m just honestly intrigued by the statement. Can I trouble the poster or anyone to DM me with an article or some kind of backup showing that a Republican politician took part in Amazon’s reversal? Thanks. Again, just looking for clarification.
Not exactly to your point, but AOC doesn't represent LIC and didn't have anything to do with this deal at any stage. The fact that her name keeps coming up just shows how much soft power and sway she already holds over Southern NY politics.
     
     
  #410  
Old Posted Mar 1, 2019, 5:19 AM
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^ Has nothing to do with her sway, and more with this obsession with her from everywhere else. I mentioned as well that she didn't have anything to do with this deal, and had no say in it. Carolyn Maloney supported the deal, it was her district.



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Originally Posted by Skyguy_7 View Post
Can I trouble the poster or anyone to DM me with an article or some kind of backup showing that a Republican politician took part in Amazon’s reversal? Thanks. Again, just looking for clarification.
Google it. I"m sure you'll find it if you want to. In the meantime, we'll try to keep clear of those party political discussions.




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  #411  
Old Posted Mar 1, 2019, 5:27 AM
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https://qns.com/story/2019/02/27/lon...g-amazon-deal/

Long Island City businessman travels to Seattle in hopes of rescuing Amazon deal

By Bill Parry
February 27, 2019


Quote:
A Long Island City businessman, still fuming that Amazon abandoned its plan to build an HQ2 campus in his neighborhood and create at least 25,000 jobs due to a “lack of collaborative relationships with state and local officials,” flew to Seattle on a mission.

John Brown Smokehouse owner Josh Bowen, a former supporter of state Senator Michael Gianaris and City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer who now blames them for Amazon’s departure, met for 2 hours Monday with a top executive at the e-commerce giant’s headquarters trying to rescue the deal.

“Someone has to represent Queens, Mike and Jimmy abdicated their duties,” Bowen said. “We we were supposed to meet on the 15 and I insisted I deserved my meeting.”

An Amazon spokeswoman confirmed the meeting took place.
Quote:
After a tour of the Seattle headquarters, Bowen grew more angry.

“The opposition has portrayed Amazon as some evil corporation but I found them to be exemplary, way more progressive than our elected leaders,” Bowen said. “And now that I’ve seen their facility with their workspace atriums with live trees I want to cry knowing this could have all been in Long Island City. All I know is they wanted to make Queens a powerhouse for the ages and that’s why I went because I want the same thing for my daughter.”

Bowen could have been on a beach in the Caribbean or working on opening his second restaurant, the Mothership Meat Company in Dutch Kills.

“This trip wasn’t convenient for me it’s just something I needed to do.” Bowen said. “And when all was said and done and I asked if they would reconsider he looked me in the eye and said never say never.”


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“Office buildings are our factories – whether for tech, creative or traditional industries we must continue to grow our modern factories to create new jobs,” said United States Senator Chuck Schumer.
     
     
  #412  
Old Posted May 28, 2019, 12:55 AM
mrnyc mrnyc is offline
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well well well

amazon is back.

except in manhattan this time.

at related’s manhattan west:

https://nypost.com/2019/05/27/amazon...ans-west-side/
     
     
  #413  
Old Posted May 28, 2019, 1:09 AM
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yeah, I called this. I'm sure others saw it coming too.
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  #414  
Old Posted May 28, 2019, 10:34 AM
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  #415  
Old Posted May 28, 2019, 12:04 PM
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So if Amazon is building HQ2 in Midtown, the NIMBYs and pandering politicans will look like total idiots. Not only are they "cursed" with tens of thousands of high-paying jobs, all the benefits Amazon promised have disappeared.

But this is very good news, nonetheless. At least in Midtown, there's no AOC. And the whiners won't even notice Amazon, given Midtown's size.

Also, kudos to the pundits and analysts who correctly called this. A number of prominent folks predicted Amazon HQ2 was still a go, but relocated.
     
     
  #416  
Old Posted Sep 26, 2019, 11:47 AM
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I wonder what was planned for the Queen's site. Does anybody have any idea? I'm guessing a campus style series of low & mid rises.
     
     
  #417  
Old Posted Jan 2, 2020, 9:09 PM
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I wonder what was planned for the Queen's site. Does anybody have any idea? I'm guessing a campus style series of low & mid rises.
High rise cluster like Jersey City or Hudson Yards. Would have been sweet. https://newyorkyimby.com/2018/11/400...azons-hq2.html
     
     
  #418  
Old Posted Jan 2, 2020, 9:20 PM
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I wonder what was planned for the Queen's site. Does anybody have any idea? I'm guessing a campus style series of low & mid rises.
this and this together but with a lot more offices



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  #419  
Old Posted Aug 18, 2020, 7:22 PM
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2000 amazon jobs coming to the old midtown lord&taylor dept store building:


https://nypost.com/2020/08/18/amazon...ylor-building/
     
     
  #420  
Old Posted Aug 19, 2020, 12:02 AM
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They added high paying office jobs in six cities total.

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Amazon intends to hire new staff across Dallas, Detroit, Denver, New York (Manhattan), Phoenix, and San Diego.
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/18/amaz...us-cities.html
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