Amazon Launches Search for a Second Headquarters City in North America... (Dallas: quality of life, taxes)

[DTXman34]

Enough about the schools. Chicago's CBD is doing quite well and their schools are just as "bad" if not worse than Dallas's. And I use "bad" in quotation marks. We all know it's not as simple as good school vs. bad school. Amazon specifically wants an urban area that's connected to transit, but there must be available space. So in DFW, that would be central Dallas, DT Fort Worth, or any suburb that has an urban mixed use rail station with available space. We're competing against other cities here such as Atlanta, Philly, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Denver, Austin, Boston, etc. It ain't happening in Frisco folks. Keep dreaming. It's not going to Legacy, the so-called "Miracle Mile" or whatever the hell you want to call it. There may be land there, but it's not the set up Amazon is looking for. Las Colinas or Richardson? Maybe.

[DTXman34]

Originally Posted by BLDSoon

Most people wouldn't recommend living in Dallas to transplants because most transplants are interested in newer housing and public schooling. Its one of the first questions they ask/they are asked.

Where are you getting this information? Not every single transplant is a family unit moving here. If that were the case, then the city of Dallas and Dallas County for that matter wouldn't be growing the way it is currently.

[BLDSoon]

Originally Posted by DTXman34

Where are you getting this information? Not every single transplant is a family unit moving here. If that were the case, then the city of Dallas and Dallas County for that matter wouldn't be growing the way it is currently.

I said 'most' not 'every single'.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by BLDSoon

Most people wouldn't recommend living in Dallas to transplants because most transplants are interested in newer housing and public schooling. Its one of the first questions they ask/they are asked.

Most transplants don't want to pay (or can't afford) $500k for a 2000sf home in Lakewood or $1.2Mish for a "starter" SFH in the Park Cities. There are many pockets of Dallas south of LBJ that have excellent public schools but they have all gotten very expensive. That's the reality in Dallas and pretty much every other major city in the US. However, there are quite a few transplants that prefer to live closer in...we get a few on city data but in reality there are many more in real life. I can name dozens of people I work with in Plano who commute from Dallas proper, almost all of whom relocated from out of state.

Also, most transplants have a perception of price-value in the DFW area and the outer suburbs, while getting more expensive every year, still provide a better value (size wise) than living in the city. What I've seen at work is that people who relocate every 3-5 years for work prefer to live in more transient areas where most residents are from somewhere else...it's easier to make friends quickly and feel like "home" when you are surrounded by other new people.

I always recommend Dallas proper IF it's a good fit for the poster's budget, commute, and desired lifestyle.

[BLDSoon]

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

Most transplants don't want to pay (or can't afford) $500k for a 2000sf home in Lakewood or $1.2Mish for a "starter" SFH in the Park Cities. There are many pockets of Dallas south of LBJ that have excellent public schools but they have all gotten very expensive. That's the reality in Dallas and pretty much every other major city in the US. However, there are quite a few transplants that prefer to live closer in...we get a few on city data but in reality there are many more in real life. I can name dozens of people I work with in Plano who commute from Dallas proper, almost all of whom relocated from out of state.

Also, most transplants have a perception of price-value in the DFW area and the outer suburbs, while getting more expensive every year, still provide a better value (size wise) than living in the city. What I've seen at work is that people who relocate every 3-5 years for work prefer to live in more transient areas where most residents are from somewhere else...it's easier to make friends quickly and feel like "home" when you are surrounded by other new people.

I always recommend Dallas proper IF it's a good fit for the poster's budget, commute, and desired lifestyle.

Personally i think if one does not have littles or does not require public schools; Dallas offers some of the best neighborhoods and access to most things such a household would care about within a reasonable distance.

Unfortunately those areas come at a premium and dash ones dream of the ideal Texas home (read...large and cheap!)

[CREW747]

wfaa.com | First look at proposed Amazon HQ2 in North Dallas

“Three Dallas Midtown stakeholders and development partners submitted plans Wednesday to the Dallas Regional Chamber to bring Amazon.com Inc.'s proposed second headquarters to the 430-acre site slate.”

https://www.dallasnews.com/business/...ion-tower-news

“Latest Amazon HQ2 pitch includes Dallas landmark Reunion Tower.”

Amazon already knows where they want to be.There are probably about 5 places they are seriously considering.The announcement of the HQ2 search created the feeding frenzy they were looking for to see which of those places would throw out the best incentives for something they were obviously doing regardless.

I my opinion,Dallas does not have a huge shot at this.Austin,DC,Toronto and possibly Boston are top contenders for different reasons.I think it will be come down to either Austin or Toronto.Places like NYC and Chicago would not make sense after reading about Amazon’s Seattle gripes...

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.gee...s-hq2-rfp/amp/

[Gravy Train]

That's funny, it takes Amazon's HQ2 solicitation to get the City of Dallas and DART to mention the Cotton Belt Line. In other context just two months ago, the rail expansion project was dead.

[justsomeguy]

Originally Posted by CREW747

wfaa.com | First look at proposed Amazon HQ2 in North Dallas

“Three Dallas Midtown stakeholders and development partners submitted plans Wednesday to the Dallas Regional Chamber to bring Amazon.com Inc.'s proposed second headquarters to the 430-acre site slate.”

https://www.dallasnews.com/business/...ion-tower-news

“Latest Amazon HQ2 pitch includes Dallas landmark Reunion Tower.”

Amazon already knows where they want to be.There are probably about 5 places they are seriously considering.The announcement of the HQ2 search created the feeding frenzy they were looking for to see which of those places would throw out the best incentives for something they were obviously doing regardless.

I my opinion,Dallas does not have a huge shot at this.Austin,DC,Toronto and possibly Boston are top contenders for different reasons.I think it will be come down to either Austin or Toronto.Places like NYC and Chicago would not make sense after reading about Amazon’s Seattle gripes...

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.gee...s-hq2-rfp/amp/

I'm not sure if Austin had the airport transportation or public transit they are looking for....i.e. I think it may be too small of a market for them....I only give it a shot bc of the Whole Foods thing.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by justsomeguy

I'm not sure if Austin had the airport transportation or public transit they are looking for....i.e. I think it may be too small of a market for them....I only give it a shot bc of the Whole Foods thing.

I agree with you; I don't believe Austin is big enough to check off all the infrastructure criteria Amazon outlined.

I think that IF they're interested in Texas, that Dallas (not Frisco, Allen, Alliance, Denton, etc) has the best shot. The Midtown proposal is particularly interesting. But probably not going to TX is my thought.

[TheOverdog]

That's funny, it takes Amazon's HQ2 solicitation to get the City of Dallas and DART to mention the Cotton Belt Line.

The Cotton Belt project is still moving forward - they are having community design meetings. And the project has never been dead - that's not what the recent DART board shakeup was - it was about priority, as the Cotton Belt was a 2035 project until 2017 when it suddenly became a 2020 project. And Beck has promised a lot at Valley View but delivered very little so far 4 years in. Supposedly much is the city's fault, but who knows?


I'm not sure a completly unfunded and undesigned spur to a commuter rail line that is not anywhere near the Cotton Belt line is going to cut it for Amazon anyways. However something like his little spur is what the 'Cotton Belt' should start with anyways. From Addison transit center to the nearest rail station a few miles away in Carrollton I think.