Regional Plan Association Gives Amazon HQ2 a Thumbs Up

A Regional Plan Association white paper makes that case that New York City and Amazon have mutually beneficial goals with the decision to located the tech company's second headquarters in Long Island City.

1 minute read

November 28, 2018, 5:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Queens, New York City

Ivan C / Shutterstock

The Regional Plan Association (RPA) released a report Monday that lends conditional support to the deal that will bring Amazon's second headquarters (HQ2) to the Long Island City neighborhood in New York.

Matthew Flamm characterizes the new RPA white paper as supportive of the idea that HQ2 could make progress in three areas of need in Long Island City: "affordable housing, expanding mass transit and protecting Long Island City from sea-level rise."

"Tom Wright, the RPA's chief executive, compares the Amazon deal to Disney's mid-1990s agreement to purchase the New Amsterdam Theater on 42nd Street and invest in Times Square," according to Flamm. "Eventually, he said, Disney and the city had the same goals."

The article includes more details on the report's findings and recommendations on each of the three targeted policy areas.

Monday, November 26, 2018 in Crain's New York Business

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight