Amazon HQ2 Pulling Out of Queens Hits New Yorkers Hard
Amazon announced today in a statement that the company would withdraw its plans to construct their anticipated "HQ2" amid pushback from the community and politicians representing the area. The campus, the expected sister site to one still planned for Northern Virginia, was to be built in Long Island City, Queens.
The initial November announcement and today's reversal have sent the area into a frenzy. The campus was expected to spur a new era of growth for Queens and the city at large, promising the creation of 25,000 high-paying tech jobs, not to mention the luxury residential developments underway to house those new employees. In the five weeks that followed the news, nearly 20% of listed homes for sale in Long Island City raised their prices, according to data from real estate site StreetEasy.
The architecture and design community is taking to social media to share its concerns and reactions.
Other analysts monitoring the business impacts of the news weighed in about home-buying in the area.
The group that gained the most from the decision are those currently renting in Long Island City, who feared being priced out of their community.
The news offers an unforeseen upside to non-New Yorkers, too. The company may choose to build its HQ2 in another city. The Twitterverse and news outlets were happy to offer suggestions.
Even local governments are putting themselves out there.
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