IN PROGRESS: Blue Cross Headquarters

[Cotuit]

Blue Cross to build in Providence to consolidate offices [ProJo 7to7 NewsBlog]

[JJK5]

Here's an interesting project from the architect's portfolio:

http://www.smma.com/portfolio/portfolio.cf...mp;project_id=5

Looks like one of the Waterplace towers knocked on its side.

[Lone Ranger]

K, my question went unanswered the first time, so I'll try asking another way: would this be Providence's first LEED-certified building?

Love the renderings. Hey, glass.

[JJK5]

K, my question went unanswered the first time, so I'll try asking another way: would this be Providence's first LEED-certified building?

Love the renderings. Hey, glass.

[Frankie811]

Now we know what the Gov beef is concerning this project. Carcieri, however, indicated he has serious reservations about the plan.

[Frankie811]

The architect's site mentions a 1,000 car garage. First, perhaps BCBS should be giving out RIPTA passes and building less parking (especially if they are talking about green/LEED design). Second, I'm wondering if those spaces include the ones already built for Waterplace (Waterplace's parking sits under the BCBS pad). Third, I wonder if any parking will be above grade (I assume yes if they are adding parking on top of what Waterplace already has) and if so, where it will be, and how it will be screened.

[Cotuit]

Outside of those 180 spaces, the Blue Cross building would have no additional parking.

[RLucas83]

Wow, 180 spaces for 1,100 employees, looks like they will be giving out RIPTA pases. Good on them.

[misterchlo]

Too bad..this news is really a "net zero" for the city...a wash. A shiny new corporate headquarters would be great in that location, but from a company perhaps relocating from Boston or elsewhere (or even from the suburbs). But this just isn't real economic development. A publicly funded state health care provider, taking advantage of unique tax breaks for that site to build a shiny new headquarters on some of the most prime real estate in town. I don't entirely disagree with the governor on this (which surprises me as I dont often like what he has to say!). And it is just sucking life out of the opposite end of downtown and leaving some big holes over on Empire Street and elsewhere. I really wish Providence would be able to attract a real company to build a headquarters on that site..

[Cotuit]

Though i guess this probably kills Empire @ Broadway for at least the next 5-10 years or so

[Frankie811]

Not necessarily.

[misterchlo]

Hmmmmmm And what have you heard on the street, eh?

Wow! 4 posts in two yrs.

[Cotuit]

Too bad..this news is really a "net zero" for the city...a wash. A shiny new corporate headquarters would be great in that location, but from a company perhaps relocating from Boston or elsewhere (or even from the suburbs). But this just isn't real economic development. A publicly funded state health care provider, taking advantage of unique tax breaks for that site to build a shiny new headquarters on some of the most prime real estate in town. I don't entirely disagree with the governor on this (which surprises me as I don't often like what he has to say!). And it is just sucking life out of the opposite end of downtown and leaving some big holes over on Empire Street and elsewhere. I really wish Providence would be able to attract a real company to build a headquarters on that site..

[matt]

Is this the existing BCBS office on Empire?

[Cotuit]

That's Verizon.

I think the one on the right here they own, the one on the left they rent space in.

And then they also have their LaSalle Square building and rent in a few other places.

[misterchlo]

ahhh..must not get too sucked in..must get back to work..haha. i do appreciate cotuit's half-glass full outlook. blue cross could have moved out of the city altogether into a sprawling messy suburban campus setting. and i do agree that the primary goal of the city's economic development efforts should be to nurture and grow its existing smaller companies into larger success stories. i think i just really would like to see providence develop itself into more of a business center than it currently is, so there is more opportunities for more people to make money and spend it in town. we already have the quality of life, the cultural amenities, dining, etc...but not too many of the all impt job opportunities. that area being right next to the train station seems most logical for a mini business/financial district. however, the forces i see happening (condos, condos, condos) seem to be steering that area into more of a high-end bedroom community. having new fidelity employees right there is a positive, but they will be moving to smithfield after a few years if i'm not mistaken. i'm curious, is there any news on whether a tenant has been found for the top two floors of the Gtech building?

[matt]

That's Verizon.

[Frankie811]

We can't rely on stealing companies from Boston to drive our economic development. It is imperative to the health of the region that Boston not start losing businesses. It would be a short term gain for RI, but an ailing Boston would hurt us in the long run. Now if companies from outside the region are looking at us and Boston, by all means we should do what we can to try to land them over Boston.

[Cotuit]

We could/should market ourselves as New England, instead of indivisual New England states.

[Frankie811]

We can't rely on stealing companies from Boston to drive our economic development. It is imperative to the health of the region that Boston not start losing businesses. It would be a short term gain for RI, but an ailing Boston would hurt us in the long run. Now if companies from outside the region are looking at us and Boston, by all means we should do what we can to try to land them over Boston.

However, we also can't rely on companies from outside the region, with all the positives we could all list about Providence, one fact remains when looking at it nationally, it is expensive. Regionally we are still a bargain compared to Boston, but nationally, we're crazy expensive from cost of living to taxes.

[Cotuit]

When looking at us regionally, the first company that I think of is Metlife, which is headquaters in NYC. Most of their back offices are in Warwick, RI. Why not have their HDQTS in good old Providence? This was, believe it or not, one of my first thoughts after 9/11. In other words, I would have no problems, and would actually encourage RI politicians to persaude NY area businesses to relocated to RI.

[Frankie811]

But indeed many NYC firms were looking to move at least some of their operations out of the city, some simply across the rivers to Jersey City, Brooklyn, and LIC, but others were looking to establish back up offices in Stamford, New Haven, and even Providence.

[CtownMikey]

Jef, I totally agree with you on this. I seem to remember some sort of regional comission that was studying this subject. How we could help each other, New England states that is, through cooperation, instead of competition. We could/should market ourselves as New England, instead of indivisual New England states.

[runawayjim]

When looking at us regionally, the first company that I think of is Metlife, which is headquaters in NYC. Most of their back offices are in Warwick, RI. Why not have their HDQTS in good old Providence? This was, believe it or not, one of my first thoughts after 9/11. In other words, I would have no problems, and would actually encourage RI politicians to persaude NY area businesses to relocated to RI.

[Cotuit]

Have you seen the skyline of Stamford? There are many class A office spaces there.