Amazon is looking for a second HQ. Why not, Pittsburgh? (York: place, average)

[PGH423]

Originally Posted by gg

Great point. Look at our housing stock. We have so many homes that would cost a million or more to build today just sitting there waiting for someone to fix them back up. Luckily they are fixing many of them up in the core areas. I just drove down Negley in Highland Park and was impressed that some of those HUGE homes are being fixed up. The steel industry built our city and we still have those bones. Look at Perry Hilltop and Observatory Hill. Those homes are incredible and some are being saved, but not nearly enough. We really could use Amazon just to rebuild those once incredible neighborhoods. Just think about little places like Sharpsburg, Etna, Homestead (well not little) and other areas that are just waiting to get back to their glory days. It could happen if we get Amazon. It isn't a very likely chance, but I can't help but to think about all are areas that are so run down, that could be saved. East Liberty lost a lot of great places, but it is reinventing itself even with the crazy violent crime there. Still can't get that poor fellow that lost his life the other day delivering a damn pizza in the middle of broad daylight. Makes me sick.

Anyway, we could use the shot in the arm, but even without Amazon, I think we will do pretty well. We just need to be more progressive and don't let the idiot protestors that block jobs like that Whole Foods expansion destroy our city and hold it back. We need progressive thinking, not protestors hanging on to the good old days of dilapidation and tons of litter.

Yes, it's better to have a large industry, benefit from it, and plan to maintain it and/or diversify and become less reliant on it, than to just never have industries come. As was pointed out, UPMC would still be our largest employer. Amazon would just help us be more diversified.

[PGH423]

Originally Posted by prnlvsxy

Is that being considered? Cranberry would be a fantastic landing spot for Amazon. There's so much to do up there. I loved working up there. At lunch I had so many options for food, for going to the park, playing frisbee golf, etc. and it's even better than it was then!

There's a segment of people in the region attracted to living in Cranberry. Would "Come to Cranberry, PA" really attract people from outside the region though? Will people love the area if they come visit or do a job interview? Ideally, we'd be bringing in lots of talent from the outside rather than just shuffling people who already live in the region. I'm sure some outsiders would come but I'm not sure it's the ideal selling spot.

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by Copanut

Is Cranberry still in the running?

Hey Yinz Guys, I was just jaggin' n'at when I brought that up. Thought it would be fun since most urban types seem to despise Soulless Cranberry with a passion. But, not all Amazon types love living in the city, maybe they would like a campus like setting in the 'burbs. Maybe out by the airport, seems to be a lot of empty space. Cranberry is just getting too crowded, nobody moves there anymore.

[PGH423]

Originally Posted by Copanut

Hey Yinz Guys, I was just jaggin' n'at when I brought that up. Thought it would be fun since most urban types seem to despise Soulless Cranberry with a passion. But, not all Amazon types love living in the city, maybe they would like a campus like setting in the 'burbs. Maybe out by the airport, seems to be a lot of empty space. Cranberry is just getting too crowded, nobody moves there anymore.

Oh I see. I think if Amazon was going to have multiple locations in the region, at least one should be surburban.

[tyovan4]

Originally Posted by gg

Just think about little places like Sharpsburg, Etna, Homestead (well not little) and other areas that are just waiting to get back to their glory days. It could happen if we get Amazon.

The glory days of Etna? Tenements and a steel mill?

Gentrification has been happening slowly, but steadily, in Etna.. More businesses have been developing and choosing to locate in Etna. There is still a lot of room for growth and renaissance in the business district.

I live there and I prefer slow, steady growth. Not the "world turned upside down" type of impact that Amazon would bring.

Not everyone wants to live in a place like Lawrenceville.

[PGH423]

Originally Posted by tyovan4

The glory days of Etna? Tenements and a steel mill?

Gentrification has been happening slowly, but steadily, in Etna.. More businesses have been developing and choosing to locate in Etna. There is still a lot of room for growth and renaissance in the business district.

I live there and I prefer slow, steady growth. Not the "world turned upside down" type of impact that Amazon would bring.

Not everyone wants to live in a place like Lawrenceville.

But there's no guarantee you'll continue to get slow growth. I also don't think 50K employees over a decade or two would turn the world upside down.

[Goinback2011]

Originally Posted by PGH423

But there's no guarantee you'll continue to get slow growth. I also don't think 50K employees over a decade or two would turn the world upside down.

In a decade or two, there will be far fewer jobs due to automation. It will not just impact low skill jobs. IT will be severely impacted, as will lower rung management. Education will join the 21st century by then too.

[prnlvsxy]

Originally Posted by PGH423

There's a segment of people in the region attracted to living in Cranberry. Would "Come to Cranberry, PA" really attract people from outside the region though? Will people love the area if they come visit or do a job interview? Ideally, we'd be bringing in lots of talent from the outside rather than just shuffling people who already live in the region. I'm sure some outsiders would come but I'm not sure it's the ideal selling spot.

In terms of marketing the region, I'm sure that Pittsburgh and all that you can do would be included (symphony, concerts, sports teams, heck even Ohiopyle, etc.)

Cranberry just would provide a great area for the actual offices (free parking, etc.)

[gg]

Originally Posted by tyovan4

The glory days of Etna? Tenements and a steel mill?

Gentrification has been happening slowly, but steadily, in Etna.. More businesses have been developing and choosing to locate in Etna. There is still a lot of room for growth and renaissance in the business district.

I live there and I prefer slow, steady growth. Not the "world turned upside down" type of impact that Amazon would bring.

Not everyone wants to live in a place like Lawrenceville.

.

Erna was a nice little town with a business district in its glory days. Not everyone wants to live high on the hog.

[Knepper3]

Yeah and that is the nice thing about this area, on average people are not as materialistic. I know there are still some that show off but I know Dr and Lawyers who have an average house and car. Many people buy a house and never move and keep their car until they NEED a new one. I grew up in NJ which is not like that and assumed that is how people were, everyone trying to one up each other. I managed some disaster work after Sandy hit and one person who came in to work was from Montana, his first comment to me after being there a week was how does everyone seem to have a new car.