Amazon has informed New York that it is pulling out of its plans to build a corporate campus in Long Island City in the borough of Queens, N.Y., a project that promised billions of dollars in investment and at least 25,000 high-paying jobs.
The tech giant faced considerable opposition to its plans, specifically about the nearly $3 billion in government incentives it would have received, but also about political and land-use concessions the city and state had agreed to make in order to lure Amazon, whose search for its “HQ2” location that attracted bids form 238 cities.
Under the plan it is now abandoning, Amazon, over a 15-year period, could have occupied as much as eight million sf of office space that could have accommodated up to 40,000 workers, according to the New York Times.
Amazon’s decision is seen as a major defeat for New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio, who championed the effort to forge a deal with Amazon.
In its prepared statement announcing its decision Amazon thanked Cuomo and DeBlasio for their efforts, but also stated that “a number of state and local politicians have made it clear that they oppose our presence and will not work with us to build the type of relationships that are required to go forward with the project we and many others envisioned in Long Island City.”
It wasn’t just elected officials, though, who opposed Amazon’s plan. Typical of many of the responses posted on the Times’ website, following the news of Amazon’s decision, was this from one reader, identified as AL O:
So, you bypass the democratic process and cut a backroom deal that has you taking billions in public money for nothing more than the promise of jobs you may create, and then you're “surprised” when the local people whose rights you bypassed object to the terms of that deal? So, rather than standing your ground and explaining yourself, or perhaps renegotiating the deal a bit to make your neighbors around your proposed facility somewhat happier, you just panic and take your ball and go home crying? It doesn't sound like Amazon was ready for New York.
However, Kathryn Wylde, CEO of the Partnership for New York City, thought that the negative reaction that Amazon received upon its choice of Long Island City, and the company’s subsequent withdrawal from that decision, sends “a pretty bad message to job creators of the city and the world.”
Amazon says it has no immediate plans to reopen its HQ2 search. It will continue with its plans to build a corporate campus in Northern Virginia and other buildings in Nashville.
Related Stories
Building Team | Apr 22, 2022
EarthCam Adds Senior Leadership Roles to Facilitate Rapid Growth
EarthCam today announced several new leadership positions as it scales up to accommodate increasing demand for its webcam technology and services.
Architects | Apr 22, 2022
Top 10 green building projects for 2022
The American Institute of Architects' Committee on the Environment (COTE) has announced its COTE Top Ten Awards for significant achievements in advancing climate action.
Mixed-Use | Apr 22, 2022
San Francisco replaces a waterfront parking lot with a new neighborhood
A parking lot on San Francisco’s waterfront is transforming into Mission Rock—a new neighborhood featuring rental units, offices, parks, open spaces, retail, and parking.
Legislation | Apr 21, 2022
NIMBYism in the Sunbelt stymies new apartment development
Population growth in Sunbelt metro areas is driving demand for new apartment development, but resistance is growing against these projects.
Architects | Apr 21, 2022
A conversation with architect Robert A.M. Stern
The architect Robert A.M. Stern discusses his newly published memoir that touches on his childhood in New York and 50-plus-year career.
Building Team | Apr 20, 2022
White House works with state, local governments to bolster building performance standards
The former head of the U.S. Green Building Council says the Biden Administration’s formation of the National Building Performance Standards Coalition is a “tremendous” step in the right direction to raise building performance standards in the U.S.
Market Data | Apr 20, 2022
Pace of demand for design services rapidly accelerates
Demand for design services in March expanded sharply from February according to a new report today from The American Institute of Architects (AIA).
Multifamily Housing | Apr 20, 2022
A Frankfurt tower gives residents greenery-framed views
In Frankfurt, Germany, the 27-floor EDEN tower boasts an exterior “living wall system”: 186,000 plants that cover about 20 percent of the building’s facade.
AEC Tech | Apr 19, 2022
VDC maturity and the key to driving better, more predictable outcomes
While more stakeholders across the AEC value chain embrace the concept of virtual design and construction, what is driving the vastly different results that organizations achieve? The answer lies within an assessment of VDC maturity.
Healthcare Facilities | Apr 19, 2022
6 trends to watch in healthcare design
As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, IMEG’s healthcare leaders from across the country are seeing several emerging trends that are poised to have wide-ranging impacts on facility design and construction. Following are six of the trends and strategies they expect to become more commonplace in 2022 and the years to come.