Amazon HQ2

[GeauxCLT]

1 hour ago, jednc said:

I think this is a great idea. Wonder if there is a way to do this inexpensively? You should suggest this to the group heading up our bid.

And the college should do it coupled with a promise of growth in Comp Science program. If we land Amazon, they'd have an amazing funnel of student placement.

[J-Rob]

No love for Charlotte here in new study:

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2017/10/03/how-charlotte-ranks-in-study-of-best-metros-for.html

Charlotte ranked 24 of 35 metros, 12 spots behind Raleigh.   We might need to get UNCC uptown wrapped like delivered packages sooner than later.  Either that or focus on other companies looking to relocate that some metros might be currently ignoring with all eyes on Amazon.

Edited October 3, 2017 by J-Rob

[Guest]

22 minutes ago, J-Rob said:

No love for Charlotte here in new study:

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2017/10/03/how-charlotte-ranks-in-study-of-best-metros-for.html

Charlotte ranked 24 of 35 metros, 12 spots behind Raleigh.   We might need to get UNCC uptown wrapped like delivered packages sooner than later.  Either that or focus on other companies looking to relocate that some metros might be currently ignoring with all eyes on Amazon.

I read that study, its easily discredited. what  a joke.

[J-Rob]

1 minute ago, ricky_davis_fan_21 said:

I read that study, its easily discredited. what  a joke.

LOL.  Good to know.  Had it been posted by Charlotte Stories I would have ignored.

[Guest]

Just now, J-Rob said:

LOL.  Good to know.  Had it been posted by Charlotte Stories I would have ignored.

I mean the data isn't all that suspect, but data isn't going to mean as much as incentives and geography. Also any metric where they call NYC the easiest to travel city is just flat wrong. Yes you can get anywhere without a car, but have fun doing it, the subway is on the verge of grinding to a halt here as far as I can tell. Don't get me started on what its like to drive here.

[FLOSC843]

Dont believe Ive seen this yet...if so sorry guys.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/karstenstrauss/2017/09/28/the-10-u-s-tech-hubs-where-salaries-stretch-the-furthest/?s=trending#5c32d08c1365

Forbes list of US tech hubs where salaries stretch the furthest. Charlotte tops out the list followed by ATL and Austin.  Detroit rounds out the cities with a few others named to some of the lists Ive seen posted here.

[caterpillar2]

I really think that we have what is required for relocation here. But, I will be happy if Raleigh, Atlanta, Austin, or Dallas  or another southern city is chosen if we're not. 

[15895]

If I had a development wand. I'd love to see Amazon split between Raleigh/Charlotte with some buildings at Gateway and Legacy Union. I'm not sure about the development opportunities at Raleigh Union Station. 

 

I have zero zero faith in Disney World (what Levine compared his first ward area to have the potential of) uptown. 

I also have zero faith in any bid that highlights Charlotte Motor Speedway. 

Edited October 4, 2017 by AirNostrumMAD

[kermit]

CBJ reports the following Charlotte sites as being presented to Amazon:

1. River district
2. Gateway Station ("blocks surrounding")
3. Levineland (although Danny was hinky about his intent)
4. Brooklyn Village
5. "North End Smart District and Applied Innovation Corridor"
6. University City (including the Park and a site along the BLE)

The article is kinda fuzzy, I think they just called five or six folks filed under real estate in their roledex and asked what they thought -- I didn't get a sense there was any real inside knowledge of the actual bid. (yes, I do know that nobody has a roledex anymore)

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2017/10/04/what-sites-in-charlotte-could-be-in-play-for.html?ana=e_du_prem&s=scroll&ed=2017-10-04&u=jDmEk%2BCKbYnAvaVfOFOlFGXcGSC&t=1507145212&j=78932581

Edited October 4, 2017 by kermit

[KJHburg]

^^^ Yes this is an interesting comment:     A spokeswoman for Levine Properties said Daniel Levine didn't want to talk further about offering his site up to Amazon.

[Spartan]

If we are the selected city and Levine doesn't throw everything he has at trying to get an Amazon campus on his land, then 1st Ward is doomed to be parking lots for all eternity.

In other news, Gateway or Brookyln would be fantastic. UCity or North End would be solid. River District would be ok, but disappointing.

[J-Rob]

5 minutes ago, Spartan said:

In other news, Gateway or Brookyln would be fantastic. UCity or North End would be solid. River District would be ok, but disappointing

Just out of curiosity, why would you consider River District disappointing?  To me, UCity already has its identity and would be more disappointing than River District.  Amazon could create an entirely new feel for Charlotte along the river.  I have often wondered why Charlotte didn't grow alongside the river like so many other cities.  I was in Richmond this week and the downtown feel next to the river was really awesome.  Anyways, not arguing, just curious.  I think Brooklyn/Levine would be my preference.

[kermit]

33 minutes ago, J-Rob said:

Just out of curiosity, why would you consider River District disappointing?  

not trying to speak for anyone else but for me the River District will always be dosconnected from the remainder of the metro (even with LRT). Its isolation will make it, at best, a small island of walkability. More likely it will just be another Ballantyne. It would be a huge bummer to have the new largest employeer off in the periphery.

33 minutes ago, J-Rob said:

I have often wondered why Charlotte didn't grow alongside the river like so many other cities.  

The Catawba is non-navigable and before duke built the dams it flooded frequently -- there was no upside to building on it.

[Spartan]

44 minutes ago, J-Rob said:

Just out of curiosity, why would you consider River District disappointing?  To me, UCity already has its identity and would be more disappointing than River District.  Amazon could create an entirely new feel for Charlotte along the river.  I have often wondered why Charlotte didn't grow alongside the river like so many other cities.  I was in Richmond this week and the downtown feel next to the river was really awesome.  Anyways, not arguing, just curious.  I think Brooklyn/Levine would be my preference.

I consider any suburban location disappointing. I give UCity a pass because they have light rail and there's hope for a better future up there.

3 minutes ago, kermit said:

not trying to speak for anyone else but for me the River District will always be dosconnected from the remainder of the metro (even with LRT). Its isolation will make it, at best, a small island of walkability. More likely it will just be another Ballantyne. It would be a huge bummer to have the new largest employeer off in the periphery.

The Catawba is non-navigable and before duke built the dams it flooded frequently -- there was no upside to building on it.

I'm more interested in how a company like Amazon can affect the existing city fabric than developing a new part of the city. We have a ton of underdeveloped land and it could potentially positively affect existing neighborhoods.

 

All of that said, if they come here and pick the River District I won't complain.

[KJHburg]

Amazon HQ2 article of the day and at the top of the heap in the race for the new HQ this writer thinks CHARLOTTE 

http://nsjonline.com/article/2017/10/skvarla-charlotte-is-amazons-answer/  

[Spartan]

Walking around uptown yesterday, I noticed that the new fancypants CATS buses are all displaying a message that says something like "Hey Amazon, #CLTisPrime!"

[ah59396]

If for some reason Charlotte does land Amazon, I'm immediately buying speculative property in the city.  And you should too.

[Scribe]

11 minutes ago, ah59396 said:

If for some reason Charlotte does land Amazon, I'm immediately buying speculative property in the city.  And you should too.

That would be already too late.

[ah59396]

18 minutes ago, Scribe said:

That would be already too late.

I dunno, i've never seen a housing market like the one here right now.  I don't know if charlotte would be quite as bad, but I mean...

 

 

 

 

 

I wish that was a joke.  This is 5 miles from downtown Seattle as the crow flies.

[caterpillar2]

27 minutes ago, ah59396 said:

I dunno, i've never seen a housing market like the one here right now.  I don't know if charlotte would be quite as bad, but I mean...

 

 

It would be around $4 million in Knightsbridge, London close to where I lived for years.  And, it would likely end up with three families living inside. 

 

 

I wish that was a joke.  This is 5 miles from downtown Seattle as the crow flies.

 

[elrodvt]

^32K under the redfin estimate. BUY! ;-)

I expected the CLT downtown market would be going up faster than it is given the lack of units for sale. But the appreciation has been pretty slow for some reason.

[ah59396]

1 hour ago, caterpillar2 said:

 

Well yeah, London, New York, Hong Kong, are a different animal.

I use Seattle because we are much more comparable to it than to Alpha + world cities. 

In 2000, the average home price in King County, WA was $296k.  It's $625k now.  Seattle's housing market was very much so comparable to Charlotte's 15 years ago.  The shift happened quickly and dramatically.  Certainly Amazon wasn't the sole reason for that, but it's a big one.

Meck County is at $207k right now, up 10% over year prior.  The county is filling up quick.  Once it can't build anymore single family stock, the prices will start to rise quick.  Especially if you've gt 50,000 new Amazon jobs in town.

[KJHburg]

Seattle was viewed as an affordable west coast city years ago. Then Californians discovered it and prices started going up and up. The job growth mainly Amazon and other tech led to another upward spike of housing prices and now it is expensive as most California markets not all but most of the coastal ones.  Denver is going the same way.   If Amazon chooses Charlotte you will see higher home prices here if their jobs panned out as they say. 

[KJHburg]

Give your input on the Amazon HQ2 bid this Wed morning at UNC Charlotte uptown I cant make it but some of you maybe can. https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2017/10/06/want-to-give-input-on-charlottes-amazon-hq2.html?ana=e_ae_set1&s=scroll&ed=2017-10-06&u=oAaDx%2B74FoP4qOJ%2By4AU6dhJPpc&t=1507326452&j=78945821

[KJHburg]

My last Amazon post for the weekend. 

Denver wont offer incentives above and beyond their ordinary which is not much.  I have never believed Denver was their choice despite what a newspaper said.  https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2017/10/06/metro-denver-will-push-lifestyle-workforce-over.html?ana=e_ae_set2&s=article_du&ed=2017-10-06&u=oAaDx%2B74FoP4qOJ%2By4AU6dhJPpc&t=1507327470&j=78945801

Phoenix offers up a dead mall site https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2017/10/06/phoenix-s-first-mall-leads-arizonas-bid-for-amazon.html?ana=e_ae_set2&s=article_du&ed=2017-10-06&u=oAaDx%2B74FoP4qOJ%2By4AU6dhJPpc&t=1507327591&j=78945801

Rocket city aka Huntsville Alabama is in to win   https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2017/10/06/huntsville-to-submit-bid-for-amazon-hq2.html?ana=e_ae_set2&s=article_du&ed=2017-10-06&u=oAaDx%2B74FoP4qOJ%2By4AU6dhJPpc&t=1507327627&j=78945801

Ft Worth puts in a bid and almost every large Dallas suburb like Plano, Frisco, Richardson etc. https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2017/10/06/fort-worth-brings-in-the-mega-projects-to-lure.html?ana=e_ae_set3&s=article_du&ed=2017-10-06&u=oAaDx%2B74FoP4qOJ%2By4AU6dhJPpc&t=1507327683&j=78945801

and finally Wake County home of Raleigh and Cary will win it according to local leaders. https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2017/10/06/wake-county-commission-chair-on-amazon-hq2-we-know.html?ana=e_ae_set1&s=article_du&ed=2017-10-06&u=oAaDx%2B74FoP4qOJ%2By4AU6dhJPpc&t=1507327824&j=78945961

Enjoy and I will be glad when this elephant hunt is over.