Michael Baker Moving HQ to Downtown (Beaver: construction, salary, money)

[bradjl2009]

Originally Posted by youngabe

BNYM is spread across three different building in Downtown. I do know that a lot of 500 Grant is BNYM, they occupy a lot of 525 William Penn Place, and exclusively the BNYM Client Service Center on Ross. I know that at least on 54, BNYM did have some people for a while. I think at one point a law firm had some of that floor as well. Either way, I know that BNYM does play musical chairs a lot within their own space--they're always moving groups around within their buildings.

I started for BNY Mellon back in March and the people in my department who have been there awhile were talking about all of the different areas they used to be in.

[Buckeye Burgher]

Originally Posted by GeneW

Yes, I'm sure that's the only reason that anyone has an office downtown.

No, I said that's the only reason somebody would move downtown from the suburbs.

Talk to anybody who has to recruit to fill jobs located downtown.
Downtown has become a really tough sell.

[Buckeye Burgher]

Originally Posted by bmantz65

Well, here it is. One reason I bet they are moving HQ to Downtown:

"The Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Sports & Exhibition Authority board has taken another step in preparing the former Civic Arena site for redevelopment.

Board members authorized a $555,685 contract with Michael Baker Jr. today to do final design work for four roads — Centre Avenue, Washington Place, Bedford Avenue, and Crawford Street — that border the 28-acre site in the lower Hill District."


Read more: Pittsburgh-Allegheny County SEA moves ahead on redevelopment of Civic Arena site - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Yesssss! And the Buckeye Burgher scores again!

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Buckeye Burgher

No, I said that's the only reason somebody would move downtown from the suburbs.

Talk to anybody who has to recruit to fill jobs located downtown.
Downtown has become a really tough sell.

Maybe it's become a tough sell for car-centric older people and yinzers (sorry, aging steel workers), but most of my younger peers and I PREFER to work IN the city. Why would you want to live in Shadyside and commute to work in Robinson Township or Cranberry Township everyday? Conversely, if you're a 20-something, then why would you want to live in Southpointe or Murrysville to be closer to work?

[doo dah]

Originally Posted by doo dah

"...(He*) noted the Grant Street address will allow the company to better communicate with the city's and county's political leadership, a key factor for a company that works on as much infrastructure work as Michael Baker International..."

Hmm.

(*Dan Adamski, a managing director in the Pittsburgh office of Jones Lang LaSalle, represented Michael Baker International in its search...)

Originally Posted by Buckeye Burgher

Yesssss! And the Buckeye Burgher scores again!

Erm...please see post #6 in this thread.

[youngabe]

Originally Posted by Buckeye Burgher

No, I said that's the only reason somebody would move downtown from the suburbs.

Talk to anybody who has to recruit to fill jobs located downtown.
Downtown has become a really tough sell.

I disagree that Downtown has become a tough sell. Current trends say otherwise.

My best friend works in Moon and wishes his company was Downtown. There's simply more action and more to do during the workday, while Downtown. You don't feel like a complete scene out of "Office Space" while working Downtown just because you can get out and see a lunchtime event, take a walk, etc. Those suburban office parks are the most lifeless and boring places on the planet in my opinion. I prefer to work Downtown and I know my best friend would love to as well. My experiences in talking to friends in my age range (20s and 30s) simply allows me to disagree with your statement.

[Buckeye Burgher]

Full disclosure....I worked downtown for a couple of years and absolutely enjoyed it.
I am a walker, and being able to go out for a walk downtown or around Point State Park
was a very enjoyable part of my lunchtime routine. And yes, lots of choices in bars,
restaurants, etc. after work.

And I know that we have our loyal cadre of bicycle commuters on this board.
I'm just saying if you polled 100 employees in any company, at least 80 would tell
you that "a free parking space close to my office" is an important component in their
decision on where to accept a job.

I liked being downtown because it did not take too long for me to get home on public transit.
Co-workers who lived in Cranberry or Wexford strongly disagreed.

And yes, I know a lot of people in the staffing business who say most candidates will
say "no thanks" and hang up the phone if called about a job downtown.

So far as Michael Baker moving down there to get a leg up on the Civic Arena redevelopment work,
as a long-time Pittsburgher I learned long ago that you can easily arrive at the explanation for most
things that go on in this town by observing the situation and then asking yourself "What would Tony
Soprano do?"

[Moby Hick]

Originally Posted by Buckeye Burgher

I'm just saying if you polled 100 employees in any company, at least 80 would tell you that "a free parking space close to my office" is an important component in their
decision on where to accept a job.

I think people are pretty good at weighting the costs and benefits. At least, the largest employers in the city are UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh. As far as I'm aware, most of their employees do not get free parking or close parking.

[UKyank]

My firm has downtown & suburban offices. I most definitely prefer the downtown location & would probably consider changing employers if I had to work at one of the other offices. I however am in the minority & people jump at the chance to move to the other offices from downtown as soon as a position opens up.

[Lobick]

Color me skeptical that the HQ relocation of a corporation with $1.3 Billion (with a B) in revenues last year was driven by a $500k contract at the Civic Arena site. Much more likely is that the new CEO, who isn't from here, was curious as to why he was stuck out in Moon Township everyday.