299 replies to this topic

[avery]

It is great to hear.  Hopefully, they will call RTP home.

[BoylanHghts]

All of this talk about the growth in RTP has gotten me thinking about its relationship to the urban centers around it. We all know that the vast majority of the workers in RTP drive from the surrounding cities and towns to work in RTP and then back home at night (I use to be one of them, and I have to say I don't miss the commute).

My question is in regards to Austin, TX. We always hear how the Triangle and Austin compare to each other in regards to metro area size, research center, universities, biotech, quality of life, etc. Is the main research center located outside of the city? Is it essentially a vast office park like RTP? Do they have the same traffic and growth problems associated with this type of separation? Do they have a rail system?

Just curious if Austin has experienced any of the same issues and is there anything we can learn their experience.

Edited by BoylanHghts, 09 March 2006 - 09:10 AM.

[RaleighLover]

My cousin's long time boyfriends is from Austin and when he first moved up here with her he once remarked to me how much Raleigh and Austin are alike.

[DanRNC]

Austin's R&D sector is actually more spread out than RTP's. They have a series of office parks whereas ours tends to be centered around RTP/Morrisville although many more operations seem to be popping up around Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill and elsewhere in the Triangle. Traffic is much worse. The movie "Office Space" was based on Austin.

[BoylanHghts]

DanRNC, on Mar 9 2006, 10:17 AM, said:

Austin's R&D sector is actually more spread out than RTP's. They have a series of office parks whereas ours tends to be centered around RTP/Morrisville although many more operations seem to be popping up around Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill and elsewhere in the Triangle. Traffic is much worse. The movie "Office Space" was based on Austin.

The opening scene in Office Space where they are all crawling to work on the interstate cracks me up.  

"Damn it feels good to be a gangsta"

[avery]

BoylanHghts, on Mar 9 2006, 10:42 AM, said:

The opening scene in Office Space where they are all crawling to work on the interstate cracks me up.  

"Damn it feels good to be a gangsta"

That is one of my top 5 movies of all time.  Yeah, I like when he locks the doors while driving to work.

[Subway Scoundrel]

BoylanHghts, on Mar 9 2006, 10:00 AM, said:

All of this talk about the growth in RTP has gotten me thinking about its relationship to the urban centers around it. We all know that the vast majority of the workers in RTP drive from the surrounding cities and towns to work in RTP and then back home at night (I use to be one of them, and I have to say I don't miss the commute).

My question is in regards to Austin, TX. We always hear how the Triangle and Austin compare to each other in regards to metro area size, research center, universities, biotech, quality of life, etc. Is the main research center located outside of the city? Is it essentially a vast office park like RTP? Do they have the same traffic and growth problems associated with this type of separation? Do they have a rail system?

Just curious if Austin has experienced any of the same issues and is there anything we can learn their experience.

I have never been to austin but go a few steps up in stature to  place like San Jose and the offices and companies are part of the fabric of the city.  You drive down a street like Wake Forest/Falls of th Nuese and there sits Nortel, Palm, Net Apps, Brocade.  Go down the interstate and you see Intel or Oracle or 3Com.   The companies are not sitting outside but built into the city.   In DT, there are 2 buildings for Adobe and just off DT, Ebay and others are there.

[jaxpalmer]

http://www.newsobser...ory/416026.html

nothing is final as of yet, but if the triangle lands this, then  

[guy4charlotte]

"Four states are under consideration: Massachusetts; New York; North Carolina and Rhode Island. The final choice will depend on several factors including the available work force and economic incentives, said Bristol-Myers spokesman Tony Plohoros."


yeh...especially those "economic incentives"......in other words, it's time to start ponying up the bling-bling boys.  BMC says it will make the announcement at the end of Q2.

[guy4charlotte]

guy4charlotte, on Mar 9 2006, 04:09 PM, said:

"Four states are under consideration: Massachusetts; New York; North Carolina and Rhode Island. The final choice will depend on several factors including the available work force and economic incentives....

Actually the work force issue could be almost as important as the $$$.....NC has a "right to work" law....see NCGS § 95-80 (Membership in labor organization as condition of employment prohibited).  

To my knowledge, NY, RI and MA do not have "right to work" laws.  I have no idea how heavily unionized BMC is or if this would even be a factor.  However, I suspect the majority of the jobs created would be relatively low paying mfg jobs and the "available work force" for such jobs might be better here than in the other states which are more heavily unionized.

Edited by guy4charlotte, 09 March 2006 - 03:33 PM.

[jaxpalmer]

well, it said its going to take 5 years to build, so in addition to all the stuff the triangle will get in 5 years this will look pretty nice if the triangle gets it.

[DanRNC]

There is actually another thread "Triangle May Get Another Huge Biotech Company" that has been following these developments. The wages will most likely vary as this will be a research facility as well as production facility. I would imagine that most these jobs will be skilled and wages will not be low. I don't know about the union issue.

[jaxpalmer]

^ ahh, did not know that, moderators, feel free to merge this topic if need be.

[orulz]

OK, the topics have been merged.

[DanRNC]

Science magazine had a blurb on areas with the highest percentage of scientists (percentage of total workforce) and Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill came in with 8.9% behind San Jose (12%) and Washington, DC/MD/Va (9.4%) in large metros. Seattle/Bellvue/Everett, WA came in at 8.3%.

[DanRNC]

The TBJ was mentioning that UNC and NCSU may get $100 million for a new research institute but details on intellectual property rights were being ironed out.

[Subway Scoundrel]

Still another Biotech company moves jobs and site here.  This is really the future of The Triangle.  The number of jobs created does not mention the supporting jobs as mfg suppliers, supporting companies, lawyers, etc.....

http://www.wral.com/...002/detail.html

[DanRNC]

The key is: A qualified/ample workforce.

All these other locales thinking they can create a knowledge based/biotech economy are sadly mistaken as they will learn in due time.

[Tayfromcarolina]

True RTP area is the tops in the biotech field.  Perfect with the universities and large work pool.

[jaxpalmer]

the triangle is ideal for these type of companies, nowhere else in the south can touch the triangle in the research, technology, education fields.