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Apple Building New $1 Billion Campus in Austin


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https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2018/12/apple-to-build-new-campus-in-austin-and-add-jobs-across-the-us/

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Cupertino, California and Austin, Texas — Apple today announced a major expansion of its operations in Austin, including an investment of $1 billion to build a new campus in North Austin. The company also announced plans to establish new sites in Seattle, San Diego and Culver City and expand in cities across the United States including Pittsburgh, New York and Boulder, Colorado over the next three years, with the potential for additional expansion elsewhere in the US over time.

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The announcement caps a year of continued job creation. Apple added 6,000 jobs to its American workforce in 2018 and now employs 90,000 people in all 50 states. As announced in January, the company is on track to create 20,000 jobs in the US by 2023. In 16 states, Apple today employs over 1,000 people.

“Apple is proud to bring new investment, jobs and opportunity to cities across the United States and to significantly deepen our quarter-century partnership with the city and people of Austin,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Talent, creativity and tomorrow’s breakthrough ideas aren’t limited by region or zip code, and, with this new expansion, we’re redoubling our commitment to cultivating the high-tech sector and workforce nationwide.  Austin was a natural choice for me - I’m a fan of college football, and I came across a fan site, Surly Longhorns or something, and they were bitching about traffic problems and increasing housing costs, and I just thought it would be funny to make it even worse for them, with the added benefit that it would take their minds off of Longhorn football.”

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Apple’s newest Austin campus will be located less than a mile from its existing facilities. The 133-acre campus will initially accommodate 5,000 additional employees, with the capacity to grow to 15,000, and is expected to make Apple the largest private employer in Austin.

“Apple is among the world’s most innovative companies and an avid creator of jobs in Texas and across the country,” said Texas Governor Greg Abbott. “Their decision to expand operations in our state is a testament to the high-quality workforce and unmatched economic environment that Texas offers. I thank Apple for this tremendous investment in Texas, and I look forward to building upon our strong partnership to create an even brighter future for the Lone Star State.”

Jobs created at the new campus will include a broad range of functions including engineering, R&D, operations, finance, sales and customer support. At 6,200 people, Austin already represents the largest population of Apple employees outside Cupertino.

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“Apple has been a vital part of the Austin community for a quarter century, and we are thrilled that they are deepening their investment in our people and the city we love,” said Austin Mayor Steve Adler. “Apple and Austin share a creative spark and a commitment to getting big things done. We share their commitment to diversity and inclusion. We’re excited they are bringing more middle-skilled jobs to the area. And we’re particularly gratified by their commitment to providing a great place to work for a large and growing number of America's veterans.”

“Apple is truly a part of our Texas family,” said Williamson County Director of Administration Rebecca Clemons. “Apple’s vision on innovation, quality and simplicity align with the values here in Williamson County. We are both committed to continued job creation and outstanding quality of life. This new expansion is a perfect example of the astounding growth and opportunity that are possible when a company and a community work together.”

The new campus will include 50 acres of preserved open space and, like all Apple facilities worldwide, its workspaces will be powered by 100 percent renewable energy.

 

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I don't think it will all fit there.  How does Parmer take that width?  They are already spread out with three large facilities between the one by Granduca, Parmer, and downtown.  i suspect it'll expand on those but probably pick up a couple of other footprints as well.  

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22 minutes ago, bschoolprof said:

Will this be on Parmer as well? No specifics given. 

Would pretty much have to be, given the parameters mentioned:  Williamson County, within a mile of the current campus, and a plot of open space that will be set aside.  The county line runs along the north side of McNeil HS, right?  So I'd guess the east side of Parmer north of McNeil and the HS.

Edit:  Looks like Parmer @ Dallas Drive

http://www.kut.org/post/apple-says-its-building-new-1-billion-campus-north-austin

site_plan__150_scale_labeled_v3.jpeg

Edited by clapclapclap
That will get the gondolas almost to Cedar Park.
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I worked at the existing Apple campus on Parmer until June 2017, they had either just finished that or were still putting the finishing touches on the expansion there. I doubt it was full. Austin was already the biggest Apple campus outside of Cupertino. Austin may end up as an "HQ2," just not for the company that got all the buzz.

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1 hour ago, Stunns38 said:

 


Traffic’s been fucked on that section of Parmer for over 20 years now. They may need to make it a 10-lane arterial highway, Jersey-style with concrete barriers and turns only every mile.

 

LOL yeah that’ll happen.  There’s a better chance that they'll shut it down and turn it into a park with a bike path.

Also very happy about this.  My house valueable and salary comps are about to go up.  Also happy it’s in Williamson too.

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It does sound relatively staggered. About 5,000 in 2019, and then somewhere between another 5-10k over the 2-3 years after that.  I don't know their lease terms, but I'd worry if I was a developer/property manager on some of their other assets around town that eventually they'll all be folded into the new expanded campus between now and say 2025.  Most Austinites don't realize how big their footprint is here in terms of how many offices around town they have.  

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LOL yeah that’ll happen.  There’s a better chance that they'll shut it down and turn it into a park with a bike path.
Also very happy about this.  My house valueable and salary comps are about to go up.  Also happy it’s in Williamson too.


Of course it’ll never happen, it was a halfway joke.
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The new Apple campus is part of Robinson Ranch, which is the big undeveloped triangle of land between 45, Mopac North, and Parmer Lane.  I did some searching yesterday and discovered that the area is already covered by a PUD agreement that allows high density, transit oriented development.  The city signed the agreement with the Robinson family in 2004.

The Ranch is about 6050 acres, which is about 8-9 times the size of the Mueller development.  Some of it is in a flood plain, but there is probably room for at least 7.5 Muellers.  The city claims that Mueller will eventually have about 13,000 residents and 13,000 jobs. At the same level of development, Robinson could have about 100,000 jobs and 100,000 residents.  That's similar to the number of jobs as Austin has downtown.

Capital Metro's Red Line runs right through the property and you can ride it from the Howard Station to Highland Mall in 20 minutes, and all the way downtown in 38 minutes.  In the other direction, you can get from Howard to Lakeline in 14 minutes and it's about 30 minutes to the end of the line in Leander.

IMHO, the city needs to work with the Robinson family, the ranch owners, to come up with a long term plan for that area and start development, before it becomes a string of unconnected corporate campuses and a parade of slow-moving SUVs up and down Parmer.

Edited by Texas Jeff
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I am still deeply confused. What is the technical city that this new campus will be located?  As in, on their printed mail pieces...does it come from Austin, Pflugerville, Round Rock, ETJ-Austin, unincorporated Pflugerville?  I realize we're speaking large tracts of ranchland and county lingo.  But when filling out an online set of populated fields, what city am I clicking on when I drag down this new Apple campus?  

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17 minutes ago, Lobo said:

I am still deeply confused. What is the technical city that this new campus will be located?  As in, on their printed mail pieces...does it come from Austin, Pflugerville, Round Rock, ETJ-Austin, unincorporated Pflugerville?  I realize we're speaking large tracts of ranchland and county lingo.  But when filling out an online set of populated fields, what city am I clicking on when I drag down this new Apple campus?  

 

3 minutes ago, Yarbr said:

City of Austin, RR ISD.

This, plus it's in wilco, not travis county.  

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1 hour ago, gsoda3 said:

the apple campus will be in williamson county (isn't it essentially just the old freescale site?) but a lot of robinson ranch is in travis county. 

it's right down the street from the old freescale place. 

I work at the old freescale place at 7700 parmer, and our mailing address is Austin.

I was talking to a guy at work about it, apparently the entire ranch is worth $14 billion. They keep some cows wondering around to get the ag exemption. 

Edited by blacklab
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We use Parmer between Avery Ranch and 1431 3 or 4 times per week. Otherwise never drive on any other part of it.

Luckily my grandson just moved out of those older apartments just south of the Parmer entrance to State Farm. He bought a condo on the north side of 620 between O'Connor and Great Oaks Drive. He can get down to his workplace at Amazon via the 45 service roads to McNeil and doesn't have to use Parmer or the toll road.

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26 minutes ago, blacklab said:

it's right down the street from the old freescale place. 

I work at the old freescale place at 7700 parmer, and our mailing address is Austin.

I was talking to a guy at work about it, apparently the entire ranch is worth $14 billion. They keep some cows wondering around to get the ag exemption. 

They also own & run the white lime plant & quarry. One of the Robinson boys (not the former RR mayor) was a few years behind me at St. Edward's High School in the early 1960s. The family still maintains two or three homes scattered around on the property. One of them is located on the hill west of the huge water tank, the other by the SW corner of the 45 & MoPac intersection..

You know any of the eBay staff that work at the old Freescale location? A friend of mine is in their training division.

Half of my Brushy Creek MUD 'hood is in 78717 - Austin address.

Edited by Armybrat
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7 minutes ago, blacklab said:

it's right down the street from the old freescale place. 

I work at the old freescale place at 7700 parmer, and our mailing address is Austin.

I was talking to a guy at work about it, apparently the entire ranch is worth $14 billion. They keep some cows wondering around to get the ag exemption. 

What do they wonder about? Life? The Universe?

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