Amazon New HQ (50k jobs), MA? (Boston, Newton: apartment, daycares, houses)

[massnative71]

The issue is that right now the Boston area is already suffocating from a lack of housing with horrible roads and transit infrastructure. 50k MORE jobs??? Not gonna happen. Not without major upgrades at least underway.

But I don't understand people saying that they have to be on mass transit, and then in the same paragraph suggest they will probably end up in Raleigh or someplace. What mass transit do they have there?

[Whatsnext75]

I still dont see how Amazon alone would create 50k jobs?? That's a LOT.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by Whatsnext75

I still dont see how Amazon alone would create 50k jobs?? That's a LOT.

Who cares, it's still the last thing Boston needs right now.

[yellowstatus]

Originally Posted by massnative71

The issue is that right now the Boston area is already suffocating from a lack of housing with horrible roads and transit infrastructure. 50k MORE jobs??? Not gonna happen. Not without major upgrades at least underway.

But I don't understand people saying that they have to be on mass transit, and then in the same paragraph suggest they will probably end up in Raleigh or someplace. What mass transit do they have there?

I agree that Boston needs foresight to upgrade housing and infrastructure to meet growing demand. This is a really good problem to have, all things considered. It is possible for Boston to accept many more companies without commensurate residential housing, but then you get Bay Area prices where single family homes are 1.5-2.5 million.

For those complaining about current housing costs, Boston is pretty affordable when compared against other top tier tech/research cities such as SF, NYC, DC, and LA. The affordability can get much worse than the current situation, I assure you. All the more reason to develop aggressively.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by yellowstatus

I agree that Boston needs foresight to upgrade housing and infrastructure to meet growing demand. This is a really good problem to have, all things considered. It is possible for Boston to accept many more companies without commensurate residential housing, but then you get Bay Area prices where single family homes are 1.5-2.5 million.

For those complaining about current housing costs, Boston is pretty affordable when compared against other top tier tech/research cities such as SF, NYC, DC, and LA. The affordability can get much worse than the current situation, I assure you. All the more reason to develop aggressively.

Nobody wants Boston to become like any of those cities anyway, but they at least do a better job at providing housing and infrastructure. And other than SF, I would be surprised if housing is much more expensive.

[CaseyB]

I think it's more likely it goes somewhere like Nashville.

[G1..]

I sure many a state will be giving incentives.

[bugelrex]

Originally Posted by CaseyB

I think it's more likely it goes somewhere like Nashville.

Extremely unlikely, if you are in the high tech sector you will know very difficult it is to find quality engineers. The only hope to find this many software engineers is Boston, Texas, California, most tech prefer straight out of school for cheaper salaries and then just train them up

[chicagoliz]

I would LOVE it if they opened their second headquarters here. But their point that they want a city more affordable than Seattle I think pretty much nixes us.

I think St. Louis would be a very interesting and great choice, but they won't pick it. St.Louis has some issues right now, and I'm not sure people will want to relocate there. (However, it would be a great place for a company headquarters -- roughly equidistant from both coasts, plus not so far from places like Chicago, Minneapolis, Dallas, Nashville). Housing is relatively inexpensive, you can live close to the city for a not insane price. It's a very easy place to live, plus they have all the major leagues sports teams and get all the concerts, etc. In addition they have top quality healthcare, and a great higher ed institution right there.

If they really wanted to do something that could change a lot, they could pick Detroit. Ann Arbor produces its share of techies, and they have several major educational institutions right there. Plus great healthcare. It would be super cheap. But I don't even see it listed as a contender.

My guess is they go to Chicago. (Which, of course, is always a great choice.)

[chicagoliz]

Originally Posted by yellowstatus

I agree that Boston needs foresight to upgrade housing and infrastructure to meet growing demand. This is a really good problem to have, all things considered. It is possible for Boston to accept many more companies without commensurate residential housing, but then you get Bay Area prices where single family homes are 1.5-2.5 million.

For those complaining about current housing costs, Boston is pretty affordable when compared against other top tier tech/research cities such as SF, NYC, DC, and LA. The affordability can get much worse than the current situation, I assure you. All the more reason to develop aggressively.

Boston is more expensive than DC.

I've wondered when some company decides they're going to build some kind of residential buildings to attract talent in places where real estate is very expensive. I haven't heard of companies doing it, but apparently it is done in China for the assembly type jobs. You could have higher end units for people who are in higher level jobs. Something like this could certainly attract younger people.