PHILADELPHIA | Schuylkill Yards Future Phases | 1,095 - 375 FT | 70 - 28 FLOORS

[iheartphilly]

Philly and the rest got played...it was always NOVA as I've stated many posts back.

[reparcsyks]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

I won't be upset if they don't choose us for Chicago or even Raleigh.
I will be incredibly upset if they don't choose us for NoVa.

You may want to start stocking up on tissues and stress balls now.

[Zapatan]

This is exciting

Philly will look like a different city after this

[skyscraper]

Originally Posted by reparcsyks

You may want to start stocking up on tissues and stress balls now.

The Onion get the scoop on HQ2:
https://www.theonion.com/you-are-all...eff-1829865580

[Knight Hospitaller]

Originally Posted by Philly Fan

Also, it could just be that Philly's done a better job of keeping quiet about any follow-up visits.

Indeed, neither the list of cities visited or not visited is exhaustive. The word “including” precedes the visited cities. Hopefully the reported NoVa intel is off base. We will see.

[City Wide]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

I won't be upset if they don't choose us for Chicago or even Raleigh.
I will be incredibly upset if they don't choose us for NoVa.

You make it sound like you believe this HQ2 was a rational process, which is highly doubtful. Sure Amazon put out some areas of concern (mass transit, etc) they were interested in, but one of those factors was the size of the public bribe that would be needed for them to choose a city. I'm just saying there has been very little leakage as to what is important to Amazon in this process, but whatever it is, it's more then just adding up who has the most pluses and picking them.

[39.95n]

Ignoring what Amazon may or may not do, the designation of a huge chunk of West Philly as a federal opertunity zone has the potential to be transformative for the Schuylkill Yards project:

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/19/inve...-treasury.html

http://dced.maps.arcgis.com/home/web...a993a00d77ed4c

Capital gains invested in these areas get very favorable tax treatment. If nothing else it should make financing construction easier. Doubt it will change Mr Bezos' mind, but it could certainly influence the decisions of other businesses...

[iheartphilly]

Originally Posted by 39.95n

Ignoring what Amazon may or may not do, the designation of a huge chunk of West Philly as a federal opertunity zone has the potential to be transformative for the Schuylkill Yards project:

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/19/inve...-treasury.html

http://dced.maps.arcgis.com/home/web...a993a00d77ed4c

Capital gains invested in these areas get very favorable tax treatment. If nothing else it should make financing construction easier. Doubt it will change Mr Bezos' mind, but it could certainly influence the decisions of other businesses...

As a publicity traded company, Bezos has a mandate to maximize shareholder profits. This would certainly help with the bottom line. Are any of the top 20 cities excluded in the FOZ list?

[Urbanthusiat]

Originally Posted by iheartphilly

As a publicity traded company, Bezos has a mandate to maximize shareholder profits. This would certainly help with the bottom line. Are any of the top 20 cities excluded in the FOZ list?

Are likely sites in QOZs?

Philly: Yes

NoVA: No

DC: No

Montgomery County MD: Looks like there's a few OZs that could work. Not familiar with what locations they're proposing.

NYC: Manhattan - No; Brooklyn - Yes; Long Island City - possibly, but doesn't look like the OZ areas are where Amazon would want to be in LIC.

Chicago: No

Newark: Yes

Boston: No

Pittsburgh: Yes (Hazelwood Green)/No (Strip District or the Hill)

Raleigh: Not sure, I don't know where they're proposing to place Amazon

Miami: Possibly, but the OZ near downtown doesn't look like somewhere Amazon would want to go. Not sure where they proposed for Amazon.

Austin: Only OZ near downtown is around the Levander Loop - doesn't look like somewhere Amazon would want to be

Atlanta: Possibly. There looks to be a couple of OZ areas in Atlanta that could work.

Denver: Doesn't look like the OZs there are places Amazon would go.

Columbus: Not sure where they are proposing, but the area around Genoa Park is an OZ and looks like it would fit the bill. I'll give it a "Yes"

Los Angeles: Hard to say. Many options for locating, but I think it's unlikely they'll be on the West Coast anyway.

Indianapolis: Yes

Nashville: The area across the river from downtown is an OZ and looks like somewhere Amazon might want to go. Yes.

So it does appear to be true that Philly has the best OZ location for a CBD-like neighborhood, if that's important to Amazon. I don't think it will be, though. But the OZ does help Schuylkill Yards, regardless if Amazon comes or not. Having now looked at the map of OZs does actually appear that Philly made off pretty well with the OZ designations. There seem to be many more around the core of Philly than other cities. Perks of being the poorest big city I guess!

[iheartphilly]

Originally Posted by Urbanthusiat

Are likely sites in QOZs?

Philly: Yes

NoVA: No

DC: No

Montgomery County MD: Looks like there's a few OZs that could work. Not familiar with what locations they're proposing.

NYC: Manhattan - No; Brooklyn - Yes; Long Island City - possibly, but doesn't look like the OZ areas are where Amazon would want to be in LIC.

Chicago: No

Newark: Yes

Boston: No

Pittsburgh: Yes (Hazelwood Green)/No (Strip District or the Hill)

Raleigh: Not sure, I don't know where they're proposing to place Amazon

Miami: Possibly, but the OZ near downtown doesn't look like somewhere Amazon would want to go. Not sure where they proposed for Amazon.

Austin: Only OZ near downtown is around the Levander Loop - doesn't look like somewhere Amazon would want to be

Atlanta: Possibly. There looks to be a couple of OZ areas in Atlanta that could work.

Denver: Doesn't look like the OZs there are places Amazon would go.

So it does appear to be true that Philly has the best OZ location for a CBD-like neighborhood, if that's important to Amazon. I don't think it will be, though. But the OZ does help Schuylkill Yards, regardless if Amazon comes or not. Having now looked at the map of OZs does actually appear that Philly made off pretty well with the OZ designations. There seem to be many more around the core of Philly than other cities. Perks of being the poorest big city I guess!

Thanks for the breakdown. There was a list on the Treasury's website too that had other locations, but it was non-specific. For example, Philadelphia was listed numerous times, but where in Philadelphia besides SY. Same for other cities. If Amazon were to truly and not wantonly mislead in their criteria for selecting the HQ2 location, Philly would rank in top 3. I'm assuming each criterion is weighted and depending on how they did the weighing, scores could be manipulated to fit their site selection conclusion. I highly doubt that they will share their full analysis once the site is selected by years end. Or at least to those inform, their analysis will be taken with a grain of salt.

[mcgrath618]

Saw some light construction equipment on the 3001 JFK lot today. Probably nothing big, just worth mentioning.
Spark has definitely begun to move into the Bulletin building. I see workers with their shirts on every day.

[Jayfar]

Originally Posted by iheartphilly

Thanks for the breakdown. There was a list on the Treasury's website too that had other locations, but it was non-specific. For example, Philadelphia was listed numerous times, but where in Philadelphia besides SY. Same for other cities. If Amazon were to truly and not wantonly mislead in their criteria for selecting the HQ2 location, Philly would rank in top 3. I'm assuming each criterion is weighted and depending on how they did the weighing, scores could be manipulated to fit their site selection conclusion. I highly doubt that they will share their full analysis once the site is selected by years end. Or at least to those inform, their analysis will be taken with a grain of salt.

The Inquirer provided a zoomable map embedded in an article last month. It was a little small to work with as displayed in the article, so here's the link to open their Philadelphia Qualified Opportunity Zone map full size in its own window:

Qualified Opportunity Zones map
Census tracts in Philadelphia designated as “Qualified Opportunity Zones,” which offer capital-gains-tax breaks in exchange for investments in their borders. Some Philadelphia developers hope to use the program to support projects in those zones.

Here's the article too: Skyscraper, not strip mall, now planned on North Broad Street, courtesy of Trump tax break | Philly.com

Off topic for this Schuylkill Yards thread, but one QOZ I find particularly interesting in my neck of the woods covers a large part of Point Breeze. What stands out, assuming the map boundaries are correct, is that it includes the SOUTH side of Washington Avenue west of Broad St, but EXCLUDES THE NORTH SIDE of Washington. Note that OCF Realty's two proposed mega projects at 2101 & 2201 Washington, each a block long, are on the NORTH side of Washington, as is a soon-to-be announced development at 2401 Washington by Noah Ostroff (a new developer for a site were a previous owner's proposal had been delayed by legal action taken by the North Of Washington Avenue Coalition), so these projects won't be able to take advantage of the QOZ.

[Urbanthusiat]

Originally Posted by Jayfar

One I find particularly interesting in my neck of the woods is QOZ that covers a large part of Point Breeze. What stands out, assuming the map boundaries are correct, is that it includes the SOUTH side of Washington Avenue west of Broad St, but EXCLUDES THE NORTH SIDE of Washington. Note that OCF Realty's two proposed mega projects, each a block long, are on the NORTH side of Washington, as is a soon-to-be announced development at 2401 Washington by Noah Ostroff (a new developer for a site were a previous owner's proposal had been delayed by legal action taken by the North Of Washington Avenue Coalition).

That’s more a function of the fact the QOZs are determined at the zip code level and that happens to be a zip code boundary, rather than the city fooling around and purposely slighting Ori. The area North of Washington is much wealthier than Point Breeze, so Point Breeze qualified and Graduate Hospital did not.

Here’s a map of QOZ’s nationwide: https://www.cims.cdfifund.gov/prepar...onfig_nmtc.xml

[Jayfar]

Originally Posted by Urbanthusiat

That’s more a function of the fact the QOZs are determined at the zip code level and that happens to be a zip code boundary, rather than the city fooling around and purposely slighting Ori. The area North of Washington is much wealthier than Point Breeze, so Point Breeze qualified and Graduate Hospital did not.

Here’s a map of QOZ’s nationwide: https://www.cims.cdfifund.gov/prepar...onfig_nmtc.xml

Or really census tracts, not zip codes; from the article "...census tracts designated as zones..." But, yes, I understand the reason the boundaries split down the middle of the avenue — I find it interesting simply as a matter of watching for the potential effects on development on one side of the street versus the other.

[Tlphila]

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/03/amaz...dquarters.html

I have to say I've lost a ton of respect for Amazon for this ruse of a selection process. Meanwhile lets put the 2nd hq in the most expensive area in the nation, great for their future employees

[Mr Saturn64]

Originally Posted by Tlphila

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/03/amaz...dquarters.html

I have to say I've lost a ton of respect for Amazon for this ruse of a selection process. Meanwhile lets put the 2nd hq in the most expensive area in the nation, great for their future employees

As I said before, I'm done giving a crap. And even still, I don't.

[Jayfar]

Originally Posted by Tlphila

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/03/amaz...dquarters.html

I have to say I've lost a ton of respect for Amazon for this ruse of a selection process. Meanwhile lets put the 2nd hq in the most expensive area in the nation, great for their future employees

For those who are saddened that HQ2 is possibly not coming to Philly, a rereading of the chapter "Gradual money and cataclysmic money" in Jane Jacobs' "The Death and Life of Great American Cities" might assuage your grief.

[DudeGuy]

Originally Posted by Jayfar

For those who are saddened that HQ2 is possibly not coming to Philly, a rereading of the chapter "Gradual money and cataclysmic money" in Jane Jacobs' "The Death and Life of Great American Cities" might assuage your grief.

Valid, but an infusion of capital/labor is only "cataclysmic" if it's not managed properly.

[iheartphilly]

Originally Posted by Jayfar

For those who are saddened that HQ2 is possibly not coming to Philly, a rereading of the chapter "Gradual money and cataclysmic money" in Jane Jacobs' "The Death and Life of Great American Cities" might assuage your grief.

How would the 3 types of money that were deemed cataclysmic relevant to Amazon coming here?

I would of thought the money would of helped the city on all tax levels and the peoples wages would of supported the local economy.

[mcgrath618]

Originally Posted by iheartphilly

How would the 3 types of money that were deemed cataclysmic relevant to Amazon coming here?

I would of thought the money would of helped the city on all tax levels and the peoples wages would of supported the local economy.

When you have the city giving billions of dollars in tax breaks to a single entity, you tend to get a bit of an imbalance.
At least, that's how I'll console myself.