Conference 7.286::digital

    Check out the Feb 22 issue of digital today. There is an article
    on facility consolidations. 1 out of 2 offices in New England
    will be gone by 1995.
    
    I also hear that the Mill and its 1.2 msf will be closed and if
    possible sold by that time. Just about everything is on the block.
    
    My predicition, tongue in cheek, that DEC's Corporate Headquarters
    will be an office in Dallas Tx. with Bob's name on the door may not
    be too far off. Also that the Mill will revert back to making clothes
    or some facsimile could be on track as well. 8-)
    
    Jim C.
    
    
    
     

      I have also heard the rumor of the Mill being closed.From what I
    heard,there are some new building codes (electrical?) that go into
    effect in 1995.The Mill will not meet these building codes without a
    major investment to update the problems.Is there any truth to this?
    
                                     Rich

    
    I've heard a rumor about BP wanting to move HQ to Dallas as well.
    
    

>    I've heard a rumor about BP wanting to move HQ to Dallas as well.
 
	Any chance we can move engineering to a warm weather area as well?
	I've about had it with snow. :-)

			Alfred

    Amen about the SNOW!  Actually, you may get your wish.  The rumor that
    I heard is that any one of 3 major campuses in New England might be
    sold if a buyer turns up.
    
    I don't believe a word of it, but won't be surprised by anything these
    days.
    
    Mark

The rumor in Colorado is that BP is moving corporate headquarter here...

    It snows in Dallas too

   >
    It snows in Dallas too

 (Windows NT keyboard mapping needs a little work...)

Yeah, but the word "feet" never enters the conversation.

Mickey.

    re: .7
     > It snows in Dallas too
    
    It sure does! About once every two years!  Don't sleep in late, it'll
    be gone before noon.
    
    It was in the mid-70's here last weekend, but winter is going to take a
    final stab at us this weekend, the highs will only be in the 40's and
    50's.
    
    Bob - in Dallas

   >> Yeah, but the word "feet" never enters the conversation.
    
    	Maybe not but Dallas is not Phoenix either. 
    
    	Maybe I should have said "It gets cold in Dallas too. Sure it did
    get up to the 70's but it did that here in Albuquerque too only to
    slide back into freezin blustery cold windy uncomfortable weather
    again. I suppose that it is better than  'feets' of snow  :^) 
    
    Yup, false spring is rearing its ugly head. Its still winter for
    gawds sake. 
    
    	I'll never forget the infamous Cotton Bowl game which was played on
    a sunny day in Dallas....the temperature was well below zero....
                

    The TTB building in Nashua, NH is closing & I'm moving down to the
    Mill.  With all the talk of MA/NH facilities closing, looks like I
    need to keep my boxes packed & ready for anything 8^).
    Mark
    

    I went to a Cotton Bowl game in 85, BC/HOUSTON, the temp at game
    time was hovering around 32. Minutes after the game it started 
    freezing raining which turned to snow. By the a.m. 4-6 inches
    were on the ground. Dallas was basically stalled that day.
    
    I mentioned hypothetically that Bob will be moving HQ there not
    because it is warmer but because he's from Texas. Maybe he'd
    want to move closer to the Gulf?
    
    Jim C.
    
    

    	Why does the theme from the TV show "Dallas" keep running through
    my head? I have this picture in my head of a red sports car with giant
    bull horns on the front hood in the #1 parking space outside a tall,
    glass building with a Digital sign out front. Meanwhile, a wrecking
    ball is crushing the Mill...

    Just a BTW.... The mill is an historic site... It couldn't be torn down
    even if completely vacant..!
    
    Maynard would be in deep haggis if Digital bailed out to TAXAS (I mean
    Texas, of course.. just fun-in).. 8^)!!!
    
    

    Don't think a move to Texas couldn't happen.....
    
    Southwestern Bell had been headquartered in St. Louis for decades and
    decades.  They had two *huge* buildings downtown and were probably the
    largest employer in the city.  Corporate offices  are now in 
    San Antonio.

	Other than "because Bob Palmer is from Texas" why would Digital move
	HQ there? What justification would be used to sell the idea to the
	board of directers?

	It's not like we have a large debt on buildings or that we could sell
	the Mill at a big profit. What would pay for the move?

			Alfred

    Why are people being so critical of BP right now?  Is the honeymoon
    over?
    
    "jackin' the house", Bob

RE: .17

	Here is .17 reformatted for 80 columns..

<<< Note 2388.17 by JACOBI::JACOBI "Paul A. Jacobi - OpenVMS AXP
Development" >>> -< See 'ya in San Anton' !   (Maybe?) >-

RE: .15

>>>    Don't think a move to Texas couldn't happen.....
    
Amem!

I am especially aware of this reality since my brother and his family are
now in  progress of moving from St. Louis to San Antonio.  He has lived in
St. Louis for  ~15 years, married, and has three kids.  This has been a
big shock for his wife,  who has never lived outside of St. Louis.  But,
because of the corporate mandate, they didn't really have any choice, no
matter how difficult it was to make a decision.

I moved to New England six years ago to work with Digital.  I have
recently  married a local girl and bought a house.  In fact, my brother
and his family were unable to attend my wedding because his decision on
whether to move to Texas was  due about the same time.

With a possible parallel in plant closings between Southwestern Bell and
Digital,  I secretly empathized with his situation. ("There, but for the
grace of God,  go I.")

I was looking forward to visiting him in San Antonio in the fall.  Now, it
seems, I must consider the possibility of becomming his neighbor!

Though change is difficult, the will to survive is even stronger.


-Paul




  

    Why move?
    
    
    Considering the burden that Massachusetts places (from tax, workers
    comp, healthcare, and other regulatory issues) on companies that are
    headquartered here, it could save the company SUBSTANTIAL amounts of
    money.   Texas would probalby give us some kind of tax break to move
    there, and no real profits would be "made" in Mass.  (only at the one
    or two sales offices) versus the entire comapny right now.
    
    There's a financial incentive, the question is is it worth the trouble
    to move.  (Engineering could stay here, given that they really don't
    make any money)
    
    
    RE: The Mill
    
    
    I can't see it.  Today the Mill has the lowest square foot cost of any
    Digital facility, even when you consider that it probably costs more to
    heat and air condition than other facilities.  It is paid for, in 1974
    dollars no less, so the only cost is maintenance.  However, I don't 
    think it would be a surprise if someone wanted to buy the mill, that 
    DEC would sell it in a minute.  However, I don't see anyone wanting it
    right now.
    
    
    -bill
    (in the mill)
    

    
    Why move?
    
    	No State Tax.
    	Central location, easily accessed from BOTH coasts, and reduced
    	time zone skew (for the U.S.).
    
    	I'd move to Texas,
    
    		Fred Deady 
    		(Currently in Maryland)

           <<< HUMANE::DISK$DIGITAL:[NOTES$LIBRARY]DIGITAL.NOTE;1 >>>
                          -< The DEC way of working >-
================================================================================
Note 2388.17         Closing Lancaster & Headmaster's House             17 of 21
JACOBI::JACOBI "Paul A. Jacobi - OpenVMS AXP Develo" 34 lines  26-FEB-1993 18:38
                    -< See 'ya in San Anton' !   (Maybe?) >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RE: .15

>>>    Don't think a move to Texas couldn't happen.....
    
Amem!

    I am especially aware of this reality since my brother and his family
    are now in  progress of moving from St. Louis to San Antonio.  He has
    lived in St. Louis for  ~15 years, married, and has three kids.  This
    has been a big shock for his wife,  who has never lived outside of St.
    Louis.  But, because of the corporate mandate, they didn't really have
    any choice, no matter how difficult it was to make a decision.

    I moved to New England six years ago to work with Digital.  I have
    recently  married a local girl and bought a house.  In fact, my brother
    and his family were unable to attend my wedding because his decision on
    whether to move to Texas was  due about the same time.

    With a possible parallel in plant closings between Southwestern Bell
    and Digital,  I secretly empathized with his situation. ("There, but
    for the grace of God,  go I.")

    I was looking forward to visiting him in San Antonio in the fall.  Now,
    it seems, I must consider the possibility of becomming his neighbor!

    Though change is difficult, the will to survive is even stronger.


							-Paul
                                                                     



  
    

    
    	Yes. Please move to Texas... not New Mexico... Texas!!!	
    	:-)
    	/john (in NM)

    
    Re: reasons to move to Texas
    
    1) Too many "ghosts" of Ken Olsen wandering the halls of the Mill.
       Makes for difficult change to "New Digital"
    
    2) What a wonderful way to eliminate "Overhead"  Those not interested
       in moving would leave the company.  Easy way to reduce headcount in
       Corporate
    
    These were what I heard through the grapevine.
    
    -Ed
    

    Maybe we're going to hire Jimmy Johnson and Jerry Jones to help 
    turn us around.  After all, they sure did a number on the Dallas
    Cowboys !!!
    
    -- g

      
      Reasons to get out of the Mill:
    ...MEGAbucks being spent just to maintain the place...I've heard it
    costs over a million per year, and the insurance on that old wooden
    structure is astronomical. Heard tell that Maynard fire dept has a
    "contingency plan" if it ever caught.....stay back 100 yards and wait..
    ..then clean up ashes..
    
    ...With continued loss of population, who needs it? MSO, BXB, LKG, MRO
    and HLO probably can house what's left...
    
    
      I sort of disbelieve that there's any potential move to anywhere in
    the near future...Why in blazes would the Corporation be investing
    MEGA-MILLIONS in a brand new Semi manufacturing plant in Hudson MA if
    there was a move afoot?? Moving a corporaion that's as deeply
    intrenched in the area is not as simple as packing a couple of
    suitcases. Anyone done any math on what it would COST to move this
    company to Dallas?? While there could likely be a fairly available
    workforce, they surely wouldn't be hitting the ground running...
    Remember YOUR first 6 months at Digital?? Nothing like it before,
    right? How could an entire new set of employees---minus a few highly
    compensated folks--take THIS place and run with it?? 95% of us wouldn't
    "get the call" to move with the company, so they'd be starting out
    anew. 
    
      JMcD
    

JMcD,

This is in no way any reflection upon you, however, many people think that

"...starting out anew." wouldn't be such a bad idea.

Bob

    My feeling is that the Company won't move but that Bob's office,
    Corporate Headquarters will. There will still be a few plants
    left in NE. HLO, MSO, MRO, SHR. LKG? Maybe maybe not.
    
    Jim C.
    
    

     Re .26
    
      I think if you'd talk to most people that have been with Digital for
    10+ years or more, the past 2 years have already been "starting out
    anew"! 
    
      From the perspective of a "worker-bee", some real positive steps have
    been taken, but about 80% of the 'problems' still prevail...and a move
    to anywhere won't solve them. Some of us still come to work every day,
    do our best, work our tails off, and see the politicians and mid-level
    managers 'circling the wagons' and protecting political rather than
    progressive methodologies... Until that changes, no move of any sort
    will bring things together.... So..."starting out anew" may BE the
    right answer....but that CAN happen right where we are...
    
      One think I'd really like to see change is the fact that HONESTY is
    STILL a definite career handicap at Digital!! If there's a choice
    between a political answer and an honest answer, the honest one will
    invariably get you into deep doo-doo......when THIS cahnges, we'll be
    well on the way to success again... Again, I ain't holding my breath!
    
      JMcD

re Note 2388.28 by DELNI::JMCDONOUGH:

>       I think if you'd talk to most people that have been with Digital for
>     10+ years or more, the past 2 years have already been "starting out
>     anew"! 
>     
>       From the perspective of a "worker-bee", some real positive steps have
>     been taken, but about 80% of the 'problems' still prevail...

        You think "80% of the 'problems' still prevail" is "starting
        out anew"!?

        Bob

       Re .29
    
       Yeah...applying the old 80/20 rule.... In Purchasing and Inventory
    it's a 'rule' that 80% of the dollars are expended on 20% of the parts,
    and vice-versa. 
    
       Applying that to the situation at Digital, 20% of the 'problems' have
    been fixed, but the 20% has dramatically changed 80% of the company.
    Whether those changes are for the better or worse remains to be seen
    though....and the last 80% of the changes to come will likely not be as
    dramatic as the first 20% were.... A LARGE part of that remaining 80%
    are the 'good old boy' net, that is largely still intact. If that isn't
    delat with, the other changes probably won't make much difference in
    the long run, and if it IS dealt with, most people won't really notice
    the vacuum created...
    
      JM

    I know it's only a rumor, but let's make it a suggestion.
    
    There are many places in Texas other than Dallas and some of these
    places are still in real estate recovery mode since the oil bust of the
    earky 80's.  One of Digital's early strategies was to move into
    low-cost real estate markets (MKO was in such a market about 15 years
    ago).
    
    I just hope Digital needs Rdb Database Administration Team if they move
    to Texas.
    
    
                                  Kurt

    re: .31
    
    Kurt,
    
    >         -< There are cheaper real estate markets than Dallas >-
    
    None that most people would care to live in.  In a recent Dallas
    Morning News article, it was indicated that the Dallas commercial
    market was still the pits and the residential market had apparently
    just bottomed out.  We are still behind Houston, Austin, and San
    Antonio as far as a real estate recovery goes.
    
    Maybe it's time for you to  move back and get that bigger house you
    wanted :-)
    
    Bob
    

  This thing about the electrical code was mentioned here a few weeks ago in
the topic on "Lancaster House". I started a discussion in the NOTED::MASSACHU-
SETTS conference, and someone said that as far as he knows, the upcoming changes
in the U.S. electrical code would not require Digital to make expensive changes
in the Mill wiring. However, if the wiring is not up to the PRESENT electrical
code, that could be another problem.
  I would expect that Bob Palmer would not like the Mill. However, I think it
would be a mistake for the company to move out entirely. I think it would take
a long time to fill up the space with another company(ies) and it would be
very bad for downtown Maynard's economy.
  What is causing the water pollution? If it's a manufacturing operation, why
not move just this operation out of the Mill? 

    now that would be good news.

    Please remember, my tongue in cheek prediction of DEC moving Corp.
    HQ to Dallas is just that, TONGUE IN CHEEK. 
    
    In the last week or so I have had people tell me that I have started
    a nasty rumor that is scaring people. Huh, not me, if we can't tell
    the difference between a rumor and a tongue in cheek statement then
    I guess we have no hope.
    
    Jim C.