Amazon looking for new headquarters...listen up because Chicago is a top contender. (Lincoln: hotel, house)

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by coldwine

Look behind you. You missed the point.

Perhaps. I even agree with your point that corporate welfare is wrong, I just don't agree with spreading misinformation while making that point.

[dtcbnd03]

Originally Posted by ForYourLungsOnly

I really struggle thinking of a better spot in the nation than the old post office that fits Amazon's criteria.

If Amazon chooses Chicago they definitely will not choose the old post office. They're competing against Apple, Google, Microsoft, etc. for top talent all which have HQs that look like space ships. They're not gonna choose a 100 yr old building that looks bland on the outside and is basically a smaller Merchandise Mart straddeling 290.

They will choose a marquee location like the new Wolf Point South tower or more likely will develop the old Finkl Steel site. Close to blue/brown lines, 606 trail can connect and splits the rivers. I think Amazon will basically turn Goose Island into their own island in Chicago. Here's the developer trying to woo them in article below (looks cool):

https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/2017...n-sterling-bay

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by dtcbnd03

If Amazon chooses Chicago they definitely will not choose the old post office. They're competing against Apple, Google, Microsoft, etc. for top talent all which have HQs that look like space ships. They're not gonna choose a 100 yr old building that looks bland on the outside and is basically a smaller Merchandise Mart straddeling 290.

They will choose a marquee location like the new Wolf Point South tower or more likely will develop the old Finkl Steel site. Close to blue/brown lines, 606 trail can connect and splits the rivers. I think Amazon will basically turn Goose Island into their own island in Chicago. Here's the developer trying to woo them in article below (looks cool):

https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/2017...n-sterling-bay

I disagree, the Old Post Office if renovated will be gorgeous. And it has way better connectivity to the larger metro area. A few years ago plans there were drawn up to look like this. Most of it can be office instead of hotels, some residential would probably be great:


http://www.chicagobusiness.com/apps/...20110722120423

[damba]

Originally Posted by Rakin

Metro DFW is a much better fit. Huge central airport, lower cost of housing and doing business, lower taxes, more stable economy, plenty of cheaper land and much less cold weather. Amazon already has 3 large distribution centers and 3 floors at the Galleria.

Chicago's crime (and politics) may be isolated but nationwide it's bad publicity (true or not) on all the murders that occur weekly. Illinois debt has to be a concern for any company. These things do catch up with a state or city which would be why they'd also never move to St Louis. Many of the reasons companies like State Farm and Caterpillar are moving out of IL to this area.

I'll leave now.

I believe you mis-typed something. Caterpillar is not leaving IL. They just moved their world HQ to suburban Deerfield, with easy access to O'Hare. I'm not aware of State Farm leaving Bloomington either- they are just downsizing/re-tooling after the bad class action lawsuit losses in 2016.

[Chicago76]

Originally Posted by dtcbnd03

If Amazon chooses Chicago they definitely will not choose the old post office. They're competing against Apple, Google, Microsoft, etc. for top talent all which have HQs that look like space ships. They're not gonna choose a 100 yr old building that looks bland on the outside and is basically a smaller Merchandise Mart straddeling 290.

They will choose a marquee location like the new Wolf Point South tower or more likely will develop the old Finkl Steel site. Close to blue/brown lines, 606 trail can connect and splits the rivers. I think Amazon will basically turn Goose Island into their own island in Chicago. Here's the developer trying to woo them in article below (looks cool):

https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/2017...n-sterling-bay

With some architectural imagination, it's pretty easy to see how the post office could be redone in a modern fashion (see Vlajos' post). I agree with you that there's something really sexy about the potential along the riverfront, but all of that potential misses a key element of the RFP: transit. The Post Office site has the blue, brown, purple, orange and pink lines within 1-3 blocks of a "supersite" straddling the river. It's also closer to Union Station and the Circle interchange and LaSalle metra. It's not as close to Ogilvie as Wolf, but it's much closer than Goose.

[japster28]

If Amazon brings HQ2 to Chicago, I think the Finkl Steel site is definitely a strong contender for a large corporate campus.

With that being said the old post office is in a more centralized location. But Amazon would probably want to knock it down for brand new construction. The Finkl Steel site has already done that for them.

Goose Island has always been an area I wanted to be absorbed into our expanded CBD. Amazon moving there would do that. I personally don't see it happening though, the infrastructure just isn't there to support tens of thousands of employees like that IMO.

Not sure if I see Amazon moving anywhere south. US Steel site seems far flung, maybe in 20 years. Any other sites I'm missing though? Feel free to enlighten me.

[damba]

Originally Posted by japster28

maybe in 20 years.

Nah, not even. Way too remote of a location per se, considering Amazon's buying power and clout.

[BIG CATS]

Originally Posted by gladhands

Atlantis actually have a pretty strong contender.

Atlantis? lol

[Chicago76]

Originally Posted by japster28

If Amazon brings HQ2 to Chicago, I think the Finkl Steel site is definitely a strong contender for a large corporate campus.

With that being said the old post office is in a more centralized location. But Amazon would probably want to knock it down for brand new construction. The Finkl Steel site has already done that for them.

Goose Island has always been an area I wanted to be absorbed into our expanded CBD. Amazon moving there would do that. I personally don't see it happening though, the infrastructure just isn't there to support tens of thousands of employees like that IMO.

Not sure if I see Amazon moving anywhere south. US Steel site seems far flung, maybe in 20 years. Any other sites I'm missing though? Feel free to enlighten me.

There's no way they'd knock that thing down. It would cost a fortune in both $$$ and time. More likely than not: glass facades/highrise extension using the physical building as more of a platform (like the renders a couple posts above). A lot of the original structures could be converted to mixed use around the perimeter and an urban park would be placed on top. Alternately, I could see them building office on adjacent parcels and the city ponying up cash to get some light wells drilled out of the post office with interior courtyards installed. The post office would become a massive housing/retail/hotel feature as part of an "Amazon City".

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by damba

Nah, not even. Way too remote of a location per se, considering Amazon's buying power and clout.

The US Steel site is a terrible choice. I think Rahm is smart enough not to promote that in the response to the RFP.