GSK Center City? (Collegeville: chapel, loans, college)

[PhillyIndy]

Can anyone clarify the long term plans for GSK in Center City?

I know they will be in the buildings at N 16th for a few years, but what then? Have heard the "Always have a center City Presence" but that could be executives and support staff not the present situation.

Fair to assume the will move most of the people out to Collegeville or their Conshy office or RTP?

[solibs]

The bulk of the regional economy is in small business. If we took half the money we give to these big corporations in cash and tax breaks and gave it instead to small businesses in the form of tax breaks or low interest loans our local economy would be a lot better for it.

Anyway, GSK's decision is not very forward thinking in my opinion. Enjoy this $2 gas vacation while it lasts. When the economy comes back $5 a gallon gas will be back with it. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/07/bu...ss&oref=slogin

While Charlotte has long been out front with transit development, Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill and especially the RTP have an abysmal system and don't even have the sort of built environment that lends itself well to running an efficient bus network. Never mind the regional rail system that they've been arguing about for the last decade.

The benefit of doing business down there is the relatively low tax environment and low cost of living. That's not going to be the case 10 years from now. The quality of life there is going to decline dramatically when the jobs start leaving because of the cost of shipping and the cost of getting to work or to the store.

With everything that's going on these days it amazes me that people don't stop to think that tomorrow is going to be a lot different from yesterday.

[bryson662001]

I doubt if there is an answer to your question yet. Even if the most senior executives have a plan in the back of their heads, circumstances change, particularly over a period of years, and then plans change too.