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One of the shovel ready sites in Pittsburgh is a couple of blocks away from a subway stop and abuts the new planned BRT system. The site is also very walkable from downtown and many of the surrounding neighborhoods. The other shovel ready site is next to a major highway, on a bike trail, and is the site of a proposed automated shuttle service between it and the Oakland neighborhood which is home to Carnegie Mellon University and Pitt. We are also adding so many bike lanes that our mayor is unaffectionately called “Bicycle Bill” by his opponents.
Pittsburgh International has been working on getting a direct Seattle flight since last year, and if Amazon was to choose Pgh that would create instant demand and could easily make it happen. We already have direct daily flights to SF, NYC, and DC.
CSX also just fired up operations this week at its new intermodal rail terminal, so that is another plus in the transportation department.
Again, my hopes are not high for this, but Amazon could truly remake an American city if it chose somewhere like Pittsburgh. For a company that likes to change the way Americans do things, they would have a giant sandbox here to develop a new type of American city. That is not something they are going to do in Boston/Chicago or any other large city.
I think Pittsburgh is a great option. I hope for BMore but I have a feeling DC/Nova will get it. My only concern with Pittsburg is the desirability factor. Will alot of its current employees (since they are giving currents teams the ability to relocate if they choose to) and future prospects want to live there? I don't personally have any specific feelings towards Pittsburgh but I don't like that it's so far from the coast.
Detroit, on further thought, might not be as crazy as I initially thought. Seriously, it would probably be able to offer great incentives, and it is centrally located with easy access to many major population centers. (Though, not sure how important that would be for a corporate center). It does offer a lot of land not only in suburban areas but near downtown. Delta offers not only direct but several nonstops to Seattle and could easily expand it.
However, and this is a BIG however, Detroit would be a major gamble for Amazon. One that, knowing this company, is not likely they would take. Some of the criteria simply don't work. While there are high quality Universities nearby, the city itself is not exactly a tech center, atleast compared to others in consideration, (Boston, Philly, NY, Atlanta, Austin, SF, the list goes on). The Amazon culture would be another area that would likely not work, as attracting young tech types to Detroit could be challenging.
But it is an interesting thought...
On the flip side, the Woodward Corridor communities of Ferndale and Royal Oak have attracted a younger crowd and including a LGBT contingent particularly in Ferndale.
Within the city, Downtown, Midtown, Corktown and the Villages may be some areas that could attract more young professionals.
Ann Arbor is a wild card, as it could be another option and one where people can stay in when they start a family due to a very good school system.
This doesn't even include walkable suburbs like Plymouth, Farmington and Birmingham, among others.
Does anyone know what is going on with the former Michigan State Fair land around Woodward and 8 Mile? I ask because that could be a great location. You have the Q Line and then Ferndale and Royal Oak are just to the north.
I think Pittsburg is a great option. I hope for BMore but I have a feeling DC/Nova will get it. My only concern with Pittsburg is the desirability factor. Will alot of its current employees (since they are giving currents teams the ability to relocate of they choose to) and future prospects want to live there? I don't personally have any specific feelings towards Pittsburg but I don't like that it's so far from the coast.
I don't see why they wouldn't want to live there. Also its spelled Pittsburgh.
I don't see why they wouldn't want to live there. Also its spelled Pittsburgh.
Its already corrected. Look up.... I'm not saying anything is bad about Pittsburgh but I just never hear about people specifically wanting to move there because it's Pittsburgh.
I think Pittsburg is a great option. I hope for BMore but I have a feeling DC/Nova will get it. My only concern with Pittsburg is the desirability factor. Will alot of its current employees (since they are giving currents teams the ability to relocate of they choose to) and future prospects want to live there? I don't personally have any specific feelings towards Pittsburg but I don't like that it's so far from the coast.
Pittsburgh is odd. Our population is still in decline; however, all of the traditional quality-of-life metrics here are strong, at best, or are improving, at worst. We have generally low violent crime, few natural disasters, excellent health care options, strong unique neighborhoods, astounding outdoor recreation options, good shopping/dining, etc. Our median age is only 33, I think, and I believe almost 40% of our adults at least 25 years of age possess at least a Bachelor's Degree. Poverty is lower-than-average here for the Rust Belt. CMU and Pitt continue to grow. The city's not very diverse, but that's improving.
We're declining in terms of population because we have a very low birth rate, and rapid urban gentrification is resulting in families with children being pushed out to our undesirable suburbs while DINKs, gays, empty-nesters, and singles move into the city to replace them (declining household size).
Amazon is waiting for cities in the race to the bottom, who ever gives them the biggest incentive plans wins. Looking at the criteria, for Canadian cities, I'd put MTL slightly ahead of T.O due to better transit, it'll cost less (hydro, housing, transit, etc..) they want bike lanes so we're ahead, and you have UdeM, McGill, and Concordia who are HUGE players in tech/AI, with UdeM and McGill being known worldwide for this. But if it was Amazon's choice, they'd probably pick Toronto. In the U.S, I believe in the east, Boston might have the highest chance, Atlanta could be a big player, maybe you can add Philly to the mix too? or Chi? anything is possible and it'll be a few interesting months before they choose.
I think Pittsburgh is a great option. I hope for BMore but I have a feeling DC/Nova will get it. My only concern with Pittsburg is the desirability factor. Will alot of its current employees (since they are giving currents teams the ability to relocate if they choose to) and future prospects want to live there? I don't personally have any specific feelings towards Pittsburgh but I don't like that it's so far from the coast.
I guess to some there is an image problem to overcome, but imagine being transferred to a city where you could buy a house for 1/3 of the cost of what you paid where you are now. That additional spending power you would have would have to play into it. I am not sure what people think we are lacking here though; we have most things you could want AND you can afford to actually experience it. However, that may take the employees making a trip here to see that we are not some hole in the wall.
Also, sometimes not being right on the coast is a good thing.
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