Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy says in a statement that the groundbreaking marks "a milestone" for economic development in the county. "It was a long time coming, but the job retention, job creation and multiplier effect Canon will have on the economy will be well worth all of the efforts."

The Long Island Association has estimated that Canon's presence could increase Long Island's gross regional domestic product by $1.3 billion and create up to 10,000 associated jobs locally. The company currently operates out of leased space in the Nassau County community of Lake Success, NY, where it employs approximately 1,200 people. The new facility will eventually create 750 new jobs over a number of years once Canon moves to Melville.

GlobeSt.com reported in March that the Huntington Town Planning Board approved plans for the project after a two-year review process. It will encompass a five-story, 668,296-square-foot office building and two multilevel parking garages totaling about 500,000 square feet, and is aiming for LEED Silver certification. The 52.17-acre parcel is located at the southwest corner of the Long Island Expressway South Service Road and Walt Whitman Road in Melville, an unincorporated hamlet within the Town of Huntington that is one of the focal points for commercial office space within Suffolk County.