Amazon is looking for a second HQ. Why not, Pittsburgh? (Allentown: suite, cars)

[charisb]

Originally Posted by Goinback2011

Read the Seattle Times about their homeless problem. The city council there is taxing Amazon $250+ PER employee per year to fund homeless "services". This would include free needles for addicts and other insanity. The city has addicts moving there from the Rust Belt like ants to a picnic. Multiply $250 * 40k employees. Bezos is a little ticked off.

Why are you conflating homelessness with opioid addiction? And do you really think needle exchanges encourage people to use heroin?
You know opioid use and overdose deaths have gone up significantly in PA but not in Washington state, right?
Allegheny County has about 10 overdose deaths every day.

[Goinback2011]

Originally Posted by charisb

Why are you conflating homelessness with opioid addiction? And do you really think needle exchanges encourage people to use heroin?
You know opioid use and overdose deaths have gone up significantly in PA but not in Washington state, right?
Allegheny County has about 10 overdose deaths every day.

Read the Seattle news. There's an informative thread on this site's Seattle forum that addresses the Head tax and homelessness there.

[charisb]

Originally Posted by Goinback2011

Read the Seattle news. There's an informative thread on this site's Seattle forum that addresses the Head tax and homelessness there.

I am talking specifically about the connection between opioid use and increases in homelessness. I am not seeing anything that makes that link. In fact, one article states:

"There is a 96 percent statistical correlation between the region’s rent increases and the increase in homelessness, a finding that echoes an analysis by Zillow Research, which found those relationships strong in Seattle, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C.

While McKinsey can’t say that higher rents directly cause more people to lose their homes, the two have “risen together in lockstep,” Stringfellow said.

McKinsey found the correlation between opioid deaths and homelessness to be far lower, at 34 percent — an indication that, counter to some assumptions, drug use alone isn’t driving the dramatic rise in homelessness here."

[guy2073]

I would think the increase in homelessness can be attributed more to the decline in mental health care than the increase in opioid use.

[Copanut]

Are they gonna televise this like LeBron's Decision?

[krogerDisco]

According to Fortune, Amazon has visited all 20 cities and might have enough to make a decision.

Amazon is Getting Closer To Picking a Site For HQ2 | Fortune

Some sources think Apple is interested in Raleigh. Arlington was notified by Amazon that its site wasn't "urban" enough, or something like that.

The PG suggested that Amazon was impressed with the Strip. Don't think it was on the list of spots offered although, the Hill might be somewhat close enough. I think capping 579 would be important to integrate an Amazon campus with Downtown.

[_Buster]

Originally Posted by krogerDisco

According to Fortune, Amazon has visited all 20 cities and might have enough to make a decision.

Amazon is Getting Closer To Picking a Site For HQ2 | Fortune

Some sources think Apple is interested in Raleigh. Arlington was notified by Amazon that its site wasn't "urban" enough, or something like that.

The PG suggested that Amazon was impressed with the Strip. Don't think it was on the list of spots offered although, the Hill might be somewhat close enough. I think capping 579 would be important to integrate an Amazon campus with Downtown.

I speculated on here last year that they should look at a split campus between the Hill and the Strip, if interested in Pittsburgh. Seems like that combination would get them what they want in a centralized area.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by _Buster

I speculated on here last year that they should look at a split campus between the Hill and the Strip, if interested in Pittsburgh. Seems like that combination would get them what they want in a centralized area.

The problem is due to topography and 579 (even post deck park) it's going to be like a 20 minute unpleasant walk between the two.

If they chose the Strip, they'd buy out Bucher's lower strip property. If they did that, they might as well buy out Schweizer Lock (which is also owned by Buncher) right across the 16th Street Bridge on the North Shore as well.

One added benefit for Amazon would be both locations would be right next to hundreds of units of apartments.

[_Buster]

Originally Posted by eschaton

The problem is due to topography and 579 (even post deck park) it's going to be like a 20 minute unpleasant walk between the two.

Yeah something should be done to improve access between those two areas, Amazon or not.

But I don't think it would be a huge deal. I've worked at several companies with multiple locations in an area, where they had basically continuous shuttle service running between the locations. Some people used the shuttles as part of their regular commute also.

[Lost_In_Translation]

Originally Posted by _Buster

Yeah something should be done to improve access between those two areas, Amazon or not.

But I don't think it would be a huge deal. I've worked at several companies with multiple locations in an area, where they had basically continuous shuttle service running between the locations. Some people used the shuttles as part of their regular commute also.

Strip district to hill incline????? We have the technology!!!!