As the Oct. 19 deadline for Amazon's request for proposals for its HQ2 project nears, Philadelphia's bid is beginning to crystallize.
Philly officials plan on focusing on the Navy Yard, Schuylkill Yards and uCity Square — possibly with the latter two combined — as their proposed sites for HQ2, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. The proposal is also likely to include suggestions and offers on sites for satellite offices, employee housing and locations for Amazon's business partners and vendors.
The bids that would feature the Navy Yard and the two University City sites are a study in contrasts — the Navy Yard has an abundance of land, a single owner and sizable tax incentives for development, while Schuylkill Yards and uCity Square are centrally located for both public transit and young talent; one's weakness is the other's strength.
Wexford Science & Technology, uCity Square's developer, would likely need to collaborate with Schuylkill Yards' team of Brandywine Realty Trust and Drexel University to put together enough square footage in a sensible pattern to suit Amazon's needs — and would probably need to change plans to build more office space at the expense of other uses, according to the Inquirer.
As for satellite offices, areas along the Delaware River waterfront, in Callowhill and along North Broad Street are all likely locations for smaller needs Amazon and its vendors may have.
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