It is unclear when construction will begin.
(Photo: AP)
Seattle Amazon is pausing the further construction of the second company headquarters near the US capital Washington, which was once announced with a great deal of attention. The laying of the foundation stone for the larger second part of the complex with several office towers, which was actually planned for the first quarter of 2023, will be postponed, said Amazon real estate boss John Schoettler, among others, the financial service Bloomberg and the “Washington Post” – which Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns – with.
According to original plans, the world’s largest online retailer wants to create 25,000 jobs and invest 2.5 billion dollars at the site by 2030. Two office buildings are finished and will be occupied soon. According to Schoettler, they can accommodate 14,000 employees.
“Our second headquarters has always been a multi-year project and we remain committed to Arlington,” said Schoettler. A spokesman said the company has ample space for its employees and is yet to begin building new space.
In the future, the complex in Arlington, not far from the Pentagon, will also include other 22-storey office towers and a spiral glass cone on which you can walk up and down a path planted with trees. It was initially unclear when construction would begin.
Arlington, separated from Washington by the Potomac River, was one of the two winners in the 2018 US cities’ contest for Amazon’s “second headquarters” alongside New York. Amazon abandoned plans in New York after opposition from local politicians and activists, concentrating on Arlington, Virginia.
18,000 employees had to leave Amazon
When the building decision was made, it was obvious that the previous headquarters in Seattle did not offer enough space. During the pandemic, Amazon’s business — and employee numbers — grew rapidly.
Recently, however, a cooling has set in. Amazon laid off 18,000 employees. During the Corona period, many employees also got used to working from home.
CEO Andy Jassy recently announced that most employees should come to the office at least three days a week from May. This should strengthen cooperation and cohesion as well as the corporate culture.
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