Amazon to Expand Boston Tech Hub, Will Create 3,000 New Jobs

E-commerce giant Amazon will expand its Boston Tech Hub to include 3,000 new corporate and tech jobs over the next few years to support the company’s Alexa, Amazon Web Services, AmazonRobotics and Amazon Pharmacy divisions, the company has announced. 

The expansion includes a new lease of a 17-story, 630,000 square foot office tower owned by WS Development at One Boston Wharf Road. The location, part of the 33-acre Boston Seaport project, will include working space, innovation labs, and mixed-use common areas for Amazon employees and is set for completion in 2024. One Boston Wharf Road will also include ground-floor retail and a new performing arts venue.

The deal is Amazon’s second full-building lease in the area, with the first under construction by WS Development at 111 Harbor Way in Boston’s Seaport. 

“We are proud to continue our partnership with Amazon in Boston’s Seaport, a neighborhood that has grown to serve forward-thinking employers, residents, and retailers and that is now a global hub of innovation and talent,” said Jeremy Sclar, Chairman and CEO of WS Development.

The new jobs will include technology roles in software development and Artificial Intelligence and machine learning, and non-tech corporate roles in product management, HR, finance, and more. Since 2010, Amazon has created more than 20,000 jobs in Massachusetts and invested more than $6.2 million into the state’s economy.

Indeed, Amazon has had a significant economic  impact on local communities and real estate markets throughout the US.

Last year the company announced plans to either open or significantly expand tech hubs in six other cities, which did not include Boston.  That total $1.4 billion investment is being targeted at  Dallas, Detroit, Denver, Manhattan, Phoenix, and San Diego. These expansions are particularly welcome now as many companies have pulled back their office strategies and footprints in favor of work-from-home strategies.