Amazon looking for new headquarters...listen up because Chicago is a top contender. (vs., authority)

[DavePa]

Originally Posted by kidphilly

maybe this
Schuylkill Yards - Where Ideas Converge

I'm not knocking Schuylkill Yards STILL readying for construction. It is a plan over decades too over RAIL-YARDS. But really to tout it in a city's forum.... that basically PIONEERED building Great Parks and Residential/Office developments over old Rail-Yards? Is this city's common usage of adding more space in its core. I understand this is for current Amazon seeking sights.... but Chicago clearly HAS THEM TOO as the thread notes.

Chicago has its Lakeshore East (New East Side) as a ALMOST COMPLETED example of this concept of Air-Rights construction over Rail-Yards (NYC has its up and coming Hudson Yards in development too. Also areas South Loop and of course its successful Millennium Park/Maggie Daley Parks over some. Your recent visit to Chicago. Surely had you see this area and perimeter from the River to overlooking Chicago's GREAT Lakefront Parks on its north end and another on its south end.

Preliminary looks of developments over decades later in potential. Chicago's New East Side is nearing completion over decades that altered its look over changing eras of architectural trends to come yet.

It was touted in Chicago vs Philly threads? That Philly is more cohesively connected to its neighborhoods then Chicago. That has changed greatly and its former manufacturing areas and warehousing near its core. Are now assets to redevelopment completing cohesiveness.

Chicagoans know this planned region well added to its skyline... formally rail-beds, old river-docks and parking lots.
Chicago's version near completion Lakeshore East (New East Side) Before and Today....

.......before .... looking Northeast . looking Southeast . looking northwest

[kidphilly]

Originally Posted by DavePa

I'm not knocking Schuylkill Yards STILL readying for construction. It is a plan over decades too over RAIL-YARDS. But really to tout it in a city's forum.... that basically PIONEERED building Great Parks and Residential/Office developments over old Rail-Yards? Is this city's common usage of adding more space in its core. I understand this is for current Amazon seeking sights.... but Chicago clearly HAS THEM TOO as the thread notes.

Chicago has its Lakeshore East (New East Side) as a ALMOST COMPLETED example of this concept of Air-Rights construction over Rail-Yards (NYC has its up and coming Hudson Yards in development too. Also areas South Loop and of course its successful Millennium Park/Maggie Daley Parks over some. Your recent visit to Chicago. Surely had you see this area and perimeter from the River to overlooking Chicago's GREAT Lakefront Parks on its north end and another on its south end.

Preliminary looks of developments over decades later in potential. Chicago's New East Side is nearing completion over decades that altered its look over changing eras of architectural trends to come yet.

It was touted in Chicago vs Philly threads? That Philly is more cohesively connected to its neighborhoods then Chicago. That has changed greatly and its former manufacturing areas and warehousing near its core. Are now assets to redevelopment completing cohesiveness.

Chicagoans know this planned region well added to its skyline... formally rail-beds, old river-docks and parking lots.
Chicago's version near completion Lakeshore East (New East Side) Before and Today....

.......before .... looking Northeast . looking Southeast . looking northwest

know Chicago well and love the city and purely responded to a post saying the one area may be the best in the country and suggested SY and the rail capping as another location very compelling (on the plan, with tenant demand the timelines could shrink considerably just as any timeline can grow considerably without tenants.


I went on the Chicago board as feel like its a great city to win it (after my fair city I might root for Chciago next) but purely posted a possible alternative that may be as strong or stronger or whatever


I don't think any city has any lock on this regardless but do feel SYs meets the criteria extremely well is all and wanted to see more on the Chicago dialogue, so yes did show a Chicago alternative that I thought met the criteria very well

[Bluefox]

Originally Posted by kidphilly

know Chicago well and love the city and purely responded to a post saying the one area may be the best in the country and suggested SY and the rail capping as another location very compelling (on the plan, with tenant demand the timelines could shrink considerably just as any timeline can grow considerably without tenants.


I went on the Chicago board as feel like its a great city to win it (after my fair city I might root for Chciago next) but purely posted a possible alternative that may be as strong or stronger or whatever


I don't think any city has any lock on this regardless but do feel SYs meets the criteria extremely well is all and wanted to see more on the Chicago dialogue, so yes did show a Chicago alternative that I thought met the criteria very well

I would love to see it go to Philly OR Chicago.

[chet everett]

This is great: https://medium.com/@ttfcui/the-amazo...s-d45e52845f0a

No other analysis so perfectly captures the egomaniacal way Bezo rules Amazon and very likely will steer its chioices for HQ2.

[Bluefox]

Originally Posted by chet everett

This is great: https://medium.com/@ttfcui/the-amazo...s-d45e52845f0a

No other analysis so perfectly captures the egomaniacal way Bezo rules Amazon and very likely will steer its chioices for HQ2.

Hey Chet, great article. Unlike most of the rather conclusory articles we are seeing, he doesn't commit to a city. Just a heavy dose of analysis. Food for thought. He made a great point about no city fully matching Amazon's wishlist that I've been echoing frequently. The city outlined in the RFP is a city that simply doesn't exist. Even the strongest of the cities will get a B+ at best.

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by Bluefox

Hey Chet, great article. Unlike most of the rather conclusory articles we are seeing, he doesn't commit to a city. Just a heavy dose of analysis. Food for thought. He made a great point about no city fully matching Amazon's wishlist that I've been echoing frequently. The city outlined in the RFP is a city that simply doesn't exist. Even the strongest of the cities will get a B+ at best.

I am lucky to have been active in the early days of personal computing as a hobbyist and the birth of "ecommerce" as a career. As such I have lots of "friends of friends" who've worked for companies that are household names like Apple, Yahoo, Google, Facebook, and Amazon. Amazon is pretty unique is how many people who've done quite well absolutely HATED every minute of their time with the company. Inside Amazon's Bizarre Corporate Culture Yes, we've all heard notorious stories of people like Apple's founder firing somebody for not being able to summarize the job they do in an elevator ride, but Jobs is also famous for taking time to do things like mold into the inner plastic housings the names of everyone who contributed to the Mac;he valued teams that work together. Artists sign their work at Apple In contrast Bezos uses constant conflict to keep various parts of the firm engaged in relentless expansion. Different strategies and different results...

For the sake of Chicago or any other city that "wins" this competition I do hope that Amazon won't use the financial incentives to handicap the other sorts of growth that might happen. I also am sincere when I say that a person with Bezos temperament might be exactly the right person to emphasize the common ground between folks like Rahm and Rauner. I gotta even say that, like I hinted at, the potential for VISUALS of having the Old Post Office "wrapped" with Amazon logo, the why the SunTimes garishly suggested, would fit right into the Bezos vanity, so there are some unique upsides...

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by chet everett

I gotta even say that, like I hinted at, the potential for VISUALS of having the Old Post Office "wrapped" with Amazon logo, the why the SunTimes garishly suggested, would fit right into the Bezos vanity, so there are some unique upsides...

That ugly lettering certainly isn't one of those upsides! I'd go into a seizure and crash if heading towards it. Someone change the sign ordinance now please.

[via chicago]

guys, the dying Sun Times photoshop department is not an architectural partner with Amazon. Relax.

furthermore, none of their buildings in Seattle (or their current satellite offices across the country, including here in Chicago for that matter) look anything like that.

[Manterro]

Amazon's owner is a union hater and Chicago is pro-union. Will that complicate matters?

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by Manterro

Amazon's owner is a union hater and Chicago is pro-union. Will that complicate matters?

No, I'm pretty sure the HQ will have very few employee unions.