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PostOct 05, 2018#26


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PostOct 06, 2018#27

Even if it's not especially innovative it's probably necessary for them to find a way to make it work to stay competitive. And since they're not as large as an Amazon or a PayPal who essentially are banks or have them in house they probably had to do some real footwork to make it happen. Sounds like a smart move.

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PostOct 06, 2018#28

San Luis Native wrote:
Oct 10, 2015

I've been in the industry for years (software development / engineering). Typical pay for a software developer with 3-5+ years of experience and an undergrad in computer science from pretty much any typical university should be getting paid anywhere from $90K-$120K a year in a market like St. Louis. Specialized skills, past experience, leader or management responsibilities, etc can bring in a good bit more. Anecdotally, I understand computer science grads out of UM Rolla with zero experience are typically getting offers from $65K-$80K/year in KC for entry level positions.
Dang is that how much tech workers make around here these days?! Looks like I'm getting underpaid then. Better ask for a raise haha.
San Luis Native wrote:
Jun 27, 2018
And not a single software or network engineer?
Most of Square’s employees in St. Louis are in compliance and customer support, though some IT and recruiting jobs are in Cortex, too.

Square, on its website, lists six open local positions, mostly in sales and support roles
I suspect "IT" is help desk to support the compliance and customer support jobs that make up the majority of the positions and not hardcore tech.
There's a tech company in my building next to the one I work for. They seem to have a lot of workers (like 12 to 20 or something like that) but they seem to be mainly customer and IT support positions for the main HQ in San Francisco. St. Louis is just their main satellite office. I'm guessing it's because the talent pool is decent and the rent is cheap.

Probably the same deal with Square. Personally I'm not impressed by the St. Louis investment.

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PostOct 06, 2018#29

From the PD today. Square has begun looking for software engineers in St. Louis. Starting off small, but it sounds like they plan to add more.

https://www.stltoday.com/business/local ... op-story-2

It seems several here have a bone to pick with Square for some reason. But at the end of the day they've moved 500 good paying jobs to St. Louis so far with room for an additional 300 for a total of 800. This is a good thing.

To take a quote from page one of this thread:
imthewiz wrote:
Oct 09, 2015
I see what you're saying but it appears stl can do no right. They're either not doing enough to lure jobs here, and when they do lure jobs here, they're being wasteful

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PostOct 06, 2018#30

The Mayor wrote:
Oct 06, 2018
From the PD today. Square has begun looking for software engineers in St. Louis. Starting off small, but it sounds like they plan to add more.

https://www.stltoday.com/business/local ... op-story-2

It seems several here have a bone to pick with Square for some reason. But at the end of the day they've moved 500 good paying jobs to St. Louis so far with room for an additional 300 for a total of 800. This is a good thing.

To take a quote from page one of this thread:
imthewiz wrote:
Oct 09, 2015
I see what you're saying but it appears stl can do no right. They're either not doing enough to lure jobs here, and when they do lure jobs here, they're being wasteful
This is great news. I agree, Square bringing in new jobs for St. Louis is a definite positive. Overall I'm cautiously optimistic about it and related Cortex hype, even though Cortex developments are no doubt an economic boon for the city.

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PostOct 09, 2018#31

From the article: "Square will start small, hiring an engineering manager and two software engineers"

These are the first two tech jobs I've heard of Square placing in Cortex. Two out of 500. The rest - as far as I understand - being non tech non scientific jobs that probably shouldn't be in an innovation district.

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PostOct 09, 2018#32

San Luis Native wrote:
Oct 09, 2018
From the article: "Square will start small, hiring an engineering manager and two software engineers"

These are the first two tech jobs I've heard of Square placing in Cortex. Two out of 500. The rest - as far as I understand - being non tech non scientific jobs that probably shouldn't be in an innovation district.
Big deal. When it's all said and done Square will have moved 800 jobs to St. Louis and I bet those 300 they have yet to hire will include some more tech related jobs. That same article said they had plans to add additional tech jobs once they get the engineering manager and the first two positions up and going. Have to start somewhere.

Good on Square for giving St. Louis, and the city specifically, a chance. Tech or not, STL needs the jobs.

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PostOct 09, 2018#33

Possibly the highest profile employer in the innvoation district ihas filled it with non-tech, non-science, non-engineering jobs and leaders sell it as something it isn't.

"Big deal"? ... I'm thinking you.may indeed be Lyda. :)

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PostOct 09, 2018#34

San Luis Native wrote:
Oct 09, 2018
Possibly the highest profile employer in the innvoation district ihas filled it with non-tech, non-science, non-engineering jobs and leaders sell it as something it isn't.

"Big deal"? ... I'm thinking you.may indeed be Lyda. :)
I lived in St. Louis for close to 20 years and left with the same pessimistic attitude that seems to permeate that region through to it's core. I've lived in KC now for over a decade (moving back to St. Louis in the next 6 months though, can't wait) and I can tell you that people here would be celebrating a high-profile company moving 800 good jobs to the region. People in KC seem to be far more optimistic about their city and I suppose it's rubbed off on me a bit. Watching from afar (and with very frequent visits), I've been extremely impressed with what is going on back at home and can't wait to join. I just get tired of the constant negativity.

For the record, I want the same thing as you. I'd much rather see Square and others have all tech jobs in the Cortex district, and hopefully they'll continue to add more once these first few get going. I'm just not ready to run Square out of town yet.

As for my username, I'll just have to leave that to your imagination :)

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PostOct 09, 2018#35

Personally, I'd love it if all those West Coast tech giants flooded Cortex with thousands of "non tech, non science, non engineering jobs".

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PostOct 10, 2018#36

framer wrote:
Oct 09, 2018
Personally, I'd love it if all those West Coast tech giants flooded Cortex with thousands of "non tech, non science, non engineering jobs".
Are you by chance related to Yogi Berra?

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PostOct 18, 2018#37

From today's Post-Dispatch:

https://www.stltoday.com/business/local ... op-story-1

Couple highlights:
"Square CEO Jack Dorsey, in town last week to unveil a new credit and debit card reading device called Square Terminal, reiterated his commitment to growing his business in St. Louis, alluding to a likely downtown office for the San Francisco-based company and stating his desire to see the company hire a significant number of development professionals."

"Dorsey said he’d like the number of software developers to account for at least 40 percent of Square’s St. Louis workforce, which today totals nearly 500. Square officials have said they have the capacity for approximately 800 moving forward."

Good to hear, hope they can be a part of the RX development.

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PostOct 18, 2018#38

The Mayor wrote:
Oct 18, 2018
From today's Post-Dispatch:

https://www.stltoday.com/business/local ... op-story-1

Couple highlights:
"Square CEO Jack Dorsey, in town last week to unveil a new credit and debit card reading device called Square Terminal, reiterated his commitment to growing his business in St. Louis, alluding to a likely downtown office for the San Francisco-based company and stating his desire to see the company hire a significant number of development professionals."

"Dorsey said he’d like the number of software developers to account for at least 40 percent of Square’s St. Louis workforce, which today totals nearly 500. Square officials have said they have the capacity for approximately 800 moving forward."

Good to hear, hope they can be a part of the RX development.
^ I posted it in the RX thread, but it's worth a repost:

https://www.riverfronttimes.com/newsblo ... bs-locally
Square is currently housed in Cortex, a Central West End tech hub that houses LaunchCode among other startups and companies. However, Square and Dorsey indicated they have their eyes set on downtown in the near future.

Dorsey says he asked Mayor Lyda Krewson in a private meeting, "If you were to point to an area that needs our help or where we could help the most, where in St. Louis city would it be?" Krewson's answer was downtown.
-RBB

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PostOct 19, 2018#39

^ On a side note, it will be interesting to see how Dorsey/Square reacts if a San Fran tax ballot initiative to get more dollars for homelessness passes. Similar in how Seattle City council tried to hit up Amazon for more dollars only to get some serious pushback. I think this is on a ballot so it would happen if passed unlike Seattle where the city council reversed itself. Jack Dorsey has been squarely, pun intended, against the tax initiative while Saleforce has stated that they are fine with it. Who knows, maybe he is thinking of a much bigger presence for St. Louis and will only get bigger if San Fran slaps on some more taxes.

Just hope the Gov and Mayor are trying to think big in any talks with Jack Dorsey/Square. The region should be working hard for not only the square expansion but for Twitter to move or expand some of their workforce in St. Louis as well. To me it would be killer if Square keeps expanding in Cortex and a major Twitter announcement for downtown whether it be Att building or the RX. Thinking Big.

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PostOct 19, 2018#40

Dorsey said he’d like the number of software developers to account for at least 40 percent of Square’s St. Louis workforce
That would be phenomenal. I hope it pans out.

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PostNov 05, 2018#41

There was a new business journal article stating that 900 N. Tucker (Post Dispatch) building is being looked at for the office. McKelvey has a connection to that building.

Also, should this thread title change names or a new one made?

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PostNov 06, 2018#42

ImprovSTL wrote:
Nov 05, 2018
There was a new business journal article stating that 900 N. Tucker (Post Dispatch) building is being looked at for the office. McKelvey has a connection to that building.

Also, should this thread title change names or a new one made?
Would say more then a connection, believe McKelvy now owns or majority owner of the post dispatch building and associated parking lots. Not sure if himself owns it outright or a group of investors he is leading. Would need someone with better knowledge to fill in the detail

Mixed thoughts, maybe the making of another development with an anchor tenant some much needed jobs & infill for downtown (think bottleworks but with a legit chance of happening)? but at the price of CORTEX and or BPV/Cupples losing out on their current momentum? In other words, mixed thought on a whole new development plan but at the price of not being able to fill out the footprint of current developments that got some traction in the last year or two?

Square will can certainly entertain a fair share of good proposals. Speculative thoughts on just a few to begin with. Count at least six groups that are probably courting as we speak.
CORTEX - Wexford
CORTEX East/Foundry - Lawrence Group
CORTEX footprint - Koman
Cupples - Koman
BPV phase III - Codish/DeWitt
Railway Exchange - FL group
and for good measure - throw in an empty ATT One Center - national broker

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PostNov 06, 2018#43

I would venture to guess that they want control over their own building and future. It's probably more reasonable to assume that any of those developments will cost them a ton to have space in. If they can find the capital, I don't see why they wouldn't reach for something of their own.

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PostNov 07, 2018#44

bwcrow1s wrote:
Nov 06, 2018
I would venture to guess that they want control over their own building and future. It's probably more reasonable to assume that any of those developments will cost them a ton to have space in. If they can find the capital, I don't see why they wouldn't reach for something of their own.
Good point, I can see Koman & Lawrence Group game to build out and sell the building to Square out right between their respective CORTEX footprints and or Koman putting its Cupples X building in play. McKelvey, believe with his own shares/equity in Square and buying out the Post Dispatch building might very well have done that already. The other fact, Square nor twitter for that fact lease all their space in San Fran I believe.

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PostJan 07, 2019#45

Posted this article over in the 900 N Tucker thread, but there could be a Square component, so I've added it here too.

Post-Dispatch reports today that they will vacate 900 N Tucker and move to 901 N 10th Street, a building also owned by McKelvey's StarLake Holdings.

This little bit at the end has me wondering if Square plans a full move downtown sometime:

"Square, which already has offices in the Cortex tech district, is one of the companies that StarLake is courting to lease space at 900 North Tucker."

https://www.stltoday.com/business/local ... op-story-1

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PostJan 09, 2019#46

Working for Square, I can tell you that we've been told that we will be moving, and most of the gossip suggests it'll be in the Post-Dispatch building.

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PostJan 09, 2019#47

While I love the investment downtown, North Tucker isn't nearly as MetroLink accessible. Wish it could be ATT or RX.

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PostJan 10, 2019#48

Wholeheartedly agree.^

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PostJan 10, 2019#49

^^ Provided EWG can get N/S MetroLink built this area will be much more accessible in the future. Square isn't likely going to move enough people here to fill a building the size of AT&T anyway, RX maybe, but I'm sure McKelvey will go with what he already owns. Personally I'd like to see a bigger, more well known company with their sign on top of the AT&T building.

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PostJan 10, 2019#50

If they have already announced a pending move then we can probably put the RX-Square rumors to bed. I highly doubt that they would be hinting to their employees for an office space that's a minimum of two construction years away from being ready. Disappointing.

That being said the Post Dispatch building makes a lot of sense for Square. Downtown could use the boost. :)

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