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Amazon to Build Second HQ in North America

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Re: Amazon to Build Second HQ in North America

#201

Post by numbsafari »

alexval wrote: post #84

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Pittsburgh yet. uber did some early self driving pilots there. CMU is there. Google has a large office there. Amazon has also started hiring software engineers for an office in Pittsburgh too. Cost of living is very cheap. Many upsides to Pittsburgh. I don't know what the city could afford in terms of subsidies though.

Philly sits halfway between NYC and DC, via Amtrak or I-95. They could get in on the new project to cap the rail yards next to 30th Street Station and find themselves situated between the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel campuses, with Temple University a stone's throw away and Princeton accessible via NJT/SEPTA regional rail.

There's also available suburban sites in Southern NJ and Malvern, PA that are accessible via mass transit, the Navy Yard (which desperately needs a subway spur) and tons of developable/reclaimable industrial space in North Philly.

Given how accommodating PHL has been with Comcast, I'm sure Amazon could get what they need.

Re: Amazon to Build Second HQ in North America

#203

Post by Tiktaalik »

Cthulhu_ wrote: post #80
no_one_ever wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Canadian market rate and Vancouver housing prices already kind of turn me off from this

Amazon's page says they'll bring high-paying jobs though, so I don't think that would be a major issue.

Housing in Vancouver is so incredibly expensive that even a great low six figure salary of the sort an Amazon software engineer is likely to have is not really enough to purchase housing.

The median price for a condo in the City of Vancouver is approaching $1 million, and $3 million for a detached home.

http://www.vancourier.com/news/vancouver-s-median-condo-pric...

Re: Amazon to Build Second HQ in North America

#204

Post by Johnny555 »

ynniv wrote: post #198
alexval wrote: post #84

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Pittsburgh yet. uber did some early self driving pilots there. CMU is there. Google has a large office there. Amazon has also started hiring software engineers for an office in Pittsburgh too. Cost of living is very cheap. Many upsides to Pittsburgh. I don't know what the city could afford in terms of subsidies though.

They mention at-site transit in the RFP, and the transit in Pittsburgh seems light.

It's pretty light in Seattle too

Re: Amazon to Build Second HQ in North America

#205

Post by seizethecheese »

While I think it's true that this is at least partially motivated by potential tax-incentives, it's also a smart diversification move by Amazon. Right now they're at the mercy of the Seattle voter, which is a dangerous place to be for a large corporation. Diversifying headquarters creates competition and gives them leverage.

Re: Amazon to Build Second HQ in North America

#206

Post by 52-6F-62 »

uiri wrote: post #195
ihsw2 wrote: post #165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ottawa is an excellent candidate for this as it sits squarely on the Canadian Shield. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Shield Not only that but the public transit is undergoing rapid modernization (ie: light rail) and the software industry is spiking.

All the top students from uOttawa and Carleton end up going to Silicon Valley or Seattle anyways. A few go to Toronto. What's left in Ottawa are largely mediocre government employees. On top of that, you're going to have a tough time convincing people to move somewhere with -40 degree winters.

>you're going to have a tough time convincing people to move somewhere with -40 degree winters.

But there's all that sweet, sweet Rideau Canal beer and poutine.

Aside from that, Ottawa is home to a [small, but] thriving startup and tech community. Prices as compared to SV or Vancouver or Toronto would be lower, while quality of life remains high. Even if it's less exciting. I don't think it's a terrible suggestion. (And I'm saying that from Toronto!)

Re: Amazon to Build Second HQ in North America

#208

Post by esMazer »

adventured wrote: post #171
grecy wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And anyone wonders why the USA does not have money for healthcare, higher education, high speed rail, etc. etc. I am in West Africa and everyone continually asks about the corruption. At least here it's up front and honest. The guy with the AK-47 just wants $5. In the USA, it's the guys in suits getting billions.

Since when does the US not have money for healthcare and higher education? We spend more on both per capita than any other nation on earth. We don't have money for high speed rail? Sure we do, we spend $7 trillion per year on government - 37% of our economy goes to government. Pick your priorities.

"We spend more on both per capita than any other nation on earth." this is very true regarding healthcare. That we have a very bad healthcare system specially compared to other nations that spend way less is a completely different matter.

Re: Amazon to Build Second HQ in North America

#209

Post by fooey »

baron816 wrote: post #143

You have to consider that this may be a political move by Bezos. The term "anti-trust" has been brought up a lot lately in regards to 'Big Tech.' If Amazon becomes a big employer in a lot of low population states, it would effectively be buying itself those states's Senators and creating an 'Amazon Industrial Complex.' On the other hand, Bezos might want to just move the margins and try to make a purple state blue. F…

As a generalization, the people who want to work for Amazon tend to be more on the progressive wing, and an HQ in a heavily conservative region would make it harder to hire talent.

I would guess places like Denver/Boulder (where Google has a site coming), Boston, Portland, or Las Vegas are much more likely than Austin, Charlotte, or Salt Lake City

Re: Amazon to Build Second HQ in North America

#210

Post by clarke78 »

ihsw2 wrote: post #167
clarke78 wrote: post #162

Canada... 'nough said. If we don't do what we can to bring Amazon North then I have absolutely zero faith in our ability to ever take tech seriously beyond the wall. I don't care where the HQ ends up so long as it's on this side of the boarder. #YYZ (Toronto) #YVR (Vancouver) or, the most likely spot, #YGK (Kingston/Waterloo) are all great options. Talent could once again stay here instead of the decade(plus)-long br…

#YOW (Ottawa) should be considered a strong contender.

Totally! Space & cost might be the biggest issues or reasons against putting the HQ in #YYZ or #YVR; #YOW might be a great location.
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