Could Atlanta be in the running for second Amazon headquarters? (Alpharetta: living in, vs.)

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by JPD

You're actually talking about space limitations. But all space limitations are not created equal. Space can be limited by toxic sludge pits, factories, and garbage dumps, and not just oceans, rivers, and mountains. The primary difference where residential real estate value is concerned is the beauty of the thing that is limiting the space, and the opportunity for lifestyle enhancements that those things provide.

I'm obviously talking about space limitations due to geography. Factors involving land uses can always be altered but you can't move mountains and bodies of water.

And why are we still talking about this? Seattle has always been where it is, but it hasn't always been such an expensive place. The growth and expansion of the local economy is what has driven up housing costs and Amazon has played a huge role in that.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

I'm obviously talking about space limitations due to geography. Factors involving land uses can always be altered but you can't move mountains and bodies of water.

Yes, and surely you'd agree that people like being around mountains and water, and other factors being similar or equal, they'd rather be near them than far from them. Which means the price goes up.

[cqholt]

An official from Toronto has called Amazon's search for the second headquarters "the Olympics of the corporate world."

Hey we hosted those too!
Cities Try Convincing Amazon They're Ready For Its New Headquarters | WRKF

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by JPD

Yes, and surely you'd agree that people like being around mountains and water, and other factors being similar or equal, they'd rather be near them than far from them. Which means the price goes up.

But that's just it: other factors usually AREN'T similar or equal. People are attracted to jobs first and foremost; otherwise, why is a place like Dallas absolutely booming while picturesque mountain towns in West Virginia are absolutely dying?

But back to Seattle and the growth of the local economy, and specifically Amazon:

For much of its history, Seattle was a working-class town, first home to lumbermen and shipbuilders and then to Boeing machinists. The Boeing bust of the early 1970s cut the workforce in half, and the local economy took a nosedive. Homes that today cost millions of dollars sat empty as residents left for cities with better job prospects. A billboard near the airport read, Will the last person leaving Seattle — Turn out the lights.

“My husband’s first house was $4,000,” says realtor Penny Bolton. “That was during the Boeing bust. In this neighborhood, the houses were all empty. And I mean, empty. You could just push the front door in.”

But Seattle’s economy has rebounded since then, and it’s a different kind of factory town now: a new tech city.

A lot of big tech companies have offices in Seattle, including Google, Microsoft, and Facebook, with Alibaba expected to open here soon. But the largest tech player in Seattle is Amazon. And while Amazon isn’t the metro area’s biggest employer (that honor still goes to Boeing, which has 70,000 employees to Amazon’s 15,000 and counting), it is the most reviled, at least among those who don’t work there.

The massive online retailer is widely blamed for the skyrocketing cost of living in Seattle, and it’s easy to see why: Amazon’s Seattle employees are not those who pack books or shoes or knickknacks in giant distribution centers for minimum wage — they are highly paid developers and programmers who can afford $1,600-a-month studio apartments directly out of college.

http://grist.org/cities/in-seattle-t...too-damn-high/

But by all means, continue thinking that Amazon will be filling up HQ2 with thousands of $40K jobs and that it played a negligible role in making Seattle--which has always been where it is--a much more expensive place.

[Jandrew5]

Originally Posted by JPD

You're misconstruing what I said. Show me where I said natural beauty is the ONLY reason for high housing costs. Of course jobs matter. But there's a reason why places like San Francisco and Vancouver are more expensive than Houston or Atlanta, and it isn't the types of jobs you can find there.

Jacksonville is on the coast and is relatively inexpensive. Austin is in prairie country and is relatively expensive. Georgraphy plays a role, but supply and demand is the biggest roleplayer. I'd put jobs over geography. If everyone in town is making $100k vs $40k, housing prices will reflect that.

Houston is cheap because they have no zoning so theres a surplus of housing/housing is easy to build. Houston and Atlanta also arent receiving the greedy foreign attention (thank goodness) that Vancouver and SF are.

If Fresno was the same exact city, but was on the coast, it probably wouldnt be that much more expensive than it is now. Its still Fresno.

[cqholt]

Cobb and Gwinnett Counties are worried their lack of rail transit make them unable to enjoy the fruits of Amazon HQ2. So now they are running to snitch to Deal about how unfair it is.

Bottoms said Deal was on board with the idea of such a unifying transit committee and charged Tippins to meet with the heads of the Senate and House transportation committees, and their leadership and report back to see what could be accomplished.

AROUND TOWN: Selling Cobb County to Amazon | Opinion | mdjonline.com

[tikigod311]

If anything, this helps transit's case in the future. They're seeing they are disqualified and they want the growth.

It's something like this that can lead to a package to have HQ2 right on top of the state's future transit hub. With existing transit next door. Direct connection to the world's busiest airport. If they put some effort into it, the state and city can offer a really attractive option.

[primaltech]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Hey we hosted those too!
Cities Try Convincing Amazon They're Ready For Its New Headquarters | WRKF

If CCT and GCT still exist after the "unifying transit committee" is concluded, I'm moving out of this dumb state. MARTA needs to be in its 5 intended counties. Hopefully that's what will happen, in exchange for governance changes to MARTA that make it more palatable to the north suburbs or whatever.

[fieldm]

Originally Posted by cqholt

cobb and gwinnett counties are worried their lack of rail transit make them unable to enjoy the fruits of amazon hq2. So now they are running to snitch to deal about how unfair it is.

around town: Selling cobb county to amazon | opinion | mdjonline.com

foh

I thought they said they don't need a heavy rail?

LOL at Cobb and Gwinnett being left out on Amazon. This is what you get for acting like backwood idiots! Gov Deal shouldn't have even talked with them. Why haven't they been trying to fix this problem because its not like Atlanta just started having traffic on yesterday

“Part of the rationale behind it was to make a statement to the governor that we don’t have a solution, but the Cobb Chamber of Commerce and the Cobb Board of Commissioners are interested in looking for solutions,” Tippins said. “I think he was under the impression that Cobb had no interest in talking about any other options. I told him Cobb’s always interested in talking, but we want to know what the deliverables are.

Biggest BS statement I have heard today. Gov Deal don't waste your time talking with them because they are not serious about this. Spend your time doing other things that benefit GA instead

[Stormhammer]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Cobb and Gwinnett Counties are worried their lack of rail transit make them unable to enjoy the fruits of Amazon HQ2. So now they are running to snitch to Deal about how unfair it is.

AROUND TOWN: Selling Cobb County to Amazon | Opinion | mdjonline.com

Ha. I wouldn't be surprised if Alpharetta is bidding in it and if greenlit, the Connect 400 plan goes forward in some form or fashion