Amazon HQ2: Advanced talks about second headquarters in Northern Virginia • Hacker News Board

Re: Amazon HQ2: Advanced talks about second headquarters in Northern Virginia

#31

Post by CalRobert » Sat, Nov 03, 2018, 4:01 PM UTC

tomohawk wrote: post #26

hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Crystal City really has so much going for it: 1. As you point out, right next to Pentagon and federal government. 2. Good transportation: right on the Metro and literally across the street from National Airport. 3. If you're going to have 2 headquarters, having them be on opposite coasts makes sense. 4. And I think another one that is pretty unique to Crystal City is that Amazon and their employees definitely want to…

> 2. Good transportation Surely, you jest. Yeah, it's on a metro line, but hardly anyone lives near a metro line. That area is consistently rated as the #1 or #2 worst traffic in the country for years.

Sounds like good transportation with terrible urban planning.

Re: Amazon HQ2: Advanced talks about second headquarters in Northern Virginia

#32

Post by snowwrestler » Sat, Nov 03, 2018, 4:02 PM UTC

hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #17

headShrinker wrote: post #2

Just a stones throw away from Washington DC, imagine that. I’m sure it’s no coincidence that Amazon is in talks to do billions of dollars worth of work with the DOD and that the location choice of the second headquarters might have a lot to do with that.

Crystal City really has so much going for it: 1. As you point out, right next to Pentagon and federal government. 2. Good transportation: right on the Metro and literally across the street from National Airport. 3. If you're going to have 2 headquarters, having them be on opposite coasts makes sense. 4. And I think another one that is pretty unique to Crystal City is that Amazon and their employees definitely want to…

Another major advantage of Crystal City is that it is full of empty real estate. It was built up to house major federal agencies and their contractors, but all the agencies have moved out, and so have most of the contractors.

The Patent and Trademark Office had 5 huge buildings; they moved to Alexandria. The Dept of Defense is moving a lot of its employees to Fort Belvoir, and the contractors are following.

It's really kind of crazy to have such a major business district so deep in a major metropolitan area, with such low average occupancy.

Re: Amazon HQ2: Advanced talks about second headquarters in Northern Virginia

#33

Post by totablebanjo » Sat, Nov 03, 2018, 4:02 PM UTC

tomohawk wrote: post #26

hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Crystal City really has so much going for it: 1. As you point out, right next to Pentagon and federal government. 2. Good transportation: right on the Metro and literally across the street from National Airport. 3. If you're going to have 2 headquarters, having them be on opposite coasts makes sense. 4. And I think another one that is pretty unique to Crystal City is that Amazon and their employees definitely want to…

> 2. Good transportation Surely, you jest. Yeah, it's on a metro line, but hardly anyone lives near a metro line. That area is consistently rated as the #1 or #2 worst traffic in the country for years.

What are you talking about that no one lives near a metro line?

It’ll be on the same line as Shaw which is one of the most desirable neighborhoods for 20/30 somethings in DC right now.

Re: Amazon HQ2: Advanced talks about second headquarters in Northern Virginia

#34

Post by bradleyjg » Sat, Nov 03, 2018, 4:03 PM UTC

tinyhouse wrote: post #28

> "The company may be having similar discussions with other finalists." The article sounds very speculative. I don't know anything about this place, but if it's expensive like people here say it is, then I don't see the point of Amazon moving there. I think a place like downtown Chicago would make more sense. (if only the winter was not as cold and better public schools...)

Chicago has a lot of "natural" advantages, but the governments of Chicago and Illinois are too dysfunctional to put together a competitive bid.

Re: Amazon HQ2: Advanced talks about second headquarters in Northern Virginia

#35

Post by snowwrestler » Sat, Nov 03, 2018, 4:04 PM UTC

jayess wrote: post #21

hak8or wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would they want their hq out in the boonies? And amazon (and many other tech companies) adjust their salary to cost of life in the area. The closer they are to a big city, the better, because they can attract more talent from the people already living close by.

As though it's a binary choice. Washington DC metro, or the boonies.

I'd love to know which major U.S. city does not have terrible traffic near its downtown.

Re: Amazon HQ2: Advanced talks about second headquarters in Northern Virginia

#36

Post by samstave » Sat, Nov 03, 2018, 4:05 PM UTC

tinyhouse wrote: post #28

> "The company may be having similar discussions with other finalists." The article sounds very speculative. I don't know anything about this place, but if it's expensive like people here say it is, then I don't see the point of Amazon moving there. I think a place like downtown Chicago would make more sense. (if only the winter was not as cold and better public schools...)

Why not Detroit?

They could remodernize Detroit in a massively good way.

Re: Amazon HQ2: Advanced talks about second headquarters in Northern Virginia

#37

Post by tomohawk » Sat, Nov 03, 2018, 4:06 PM UTC

totablebanjo wrote: post #33

tomohawk wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 2. Good transportation Surely, you jest. Yeah, it's on a metro line, but hardly anyone lives near a metro line. That area is consistently rated as the #1 or #2 worst traffic in the country for years.

What are you talking about that no one lives near a metro line? It’ll be on the same line as Shaw which is one of the most desirable neighborhoods for 20/30 somethings in DC right now.

Metro serves a tiny fraction of N. VA. Sure, if you're in DC and commuting out, it's probably ok, but people don't tend to stay in DC very long. Once they have kids and realize there is no hope of reasonable public education there, they move.

Re: Amazon HQ2: Advanced talks about second headquarters in Northern Virginia

#38

Post by neurobashing » Sat, Nov 03, 2018, 4:07 PM UTC

tacomonstrous wrote: post #11

How's the public transit there? I was under the impression that this was a major piece of the puzzle for HQ2.

metro is somewhere between "incompetence that leads to dead passengers"[1], "shit's on fire, yo"[2] and "meh". Lately the biggest scandal is they turn down ads for the ACLU in favor of Northrup Grumman.

In any event it's generally minimally acceptable at best. Dumping a ton of people onto it will not help matters.

[1] https://www.aboutlawsuits.com/dc-metro-crash-lawsuit-filed-4... [2] https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/washington-d-c-s-metro-...

Re: Amazon HQ2: Advanced talks about second headquarters in Northern Virginia

#39

Post by polynomial » Sat, Nov 03, 2018, 4:07 PM UTC

tinyhouse wrote: post #28

> "The company may be having similar discussions with other finalists." The article sounds very speculative. I don't know anything about this place, but if it's expensive like people here say it is, then I don't see the point of Amazon moving there. I think a place like downtown Chicago would make more sense. (if only the winter was not as cold and better public schools...)

That was my first thought as well, that they would have a hard time finding a more expensive place for every metric, from real estate* to salaries.

However I don't see Amazon and Chicago being a good match, culturally, if that makes sense, nor do I think there are compelling strategic reasons for basing this location there.

*edit: Based on snowwrestler's comment it sounds like Crystal City has seem some large occupants move out, so real estate prices may be trending down. However it's still a fair premium to pay to be next to the airport, compared to farther out (where you also have a high concentration of software developers.)

Re: Amazon HQ2: Advanced talks about second headquarters in Northern Virginia

#40

Post by fweespeech » Sat, Nov 03, 2018, 4:08 PM UTC

hak8or wrote: post #18

7174n6 wrote: post #10

The traffic and congestion is already horrible. The cost of living is excessive. I don't understand why these companies - that can locate anywhere - want to lessen the quality of life for their employees.

Why would they want their hq out in the boonies? And amazon (and many other tech companies) adjust their salary to cost of life in the area. The closer they are to a big city, the better, because they can attract more talent from the people already living close by.

> And amazon (and many other tech companies) adjust their salary to cost of life in the area.

Which raises costs for everyone and the "location adjustment" is usually less than what is really needed.

I was expecting it to be a bit further out, like Chantilly/Ashburn/Manassas. Close enough to serve the function but far enough out costs for employees/real estate is lower.