Amazon, today, released a list of 20 cities that will proceed to the next step in the HQ2 selection process. The finalists were selected from a pool of 238 applicants vying for the 50,000 jobs and tens of billions of dollars of additional investment in the surrounding community that Amazon's second headquarters will create.
The final list has an abundance of eastern and Midwestern cities with Austin, Dallas, Denver, and Los Angeles being the only finalists west of the Mississippi. Toronto is the sole Canadian representative on the list while none of the proposals from Mexico made the cut. A full list of the 20 finalists can be seen below.
Over the next few months, Amazon will work with each of the candidate locations to explore their proposals more deeply and request more information as necessary. Amazon says it will invest over $5 billion into the construction of HQ2 and construction and operation of the facility will create tens of thousands of jobs in addition to Amazon’s direct hiring.
Amazon expects to make its final decision at some point in 2018. The list of the 20 finalists includes:
- Boston
- New York City
- Newark
- Pittsburgh
- Philadelphia
- Montgomery County (Maryland)
- Washington, D.C.
- Raleigh
- Northern Virginia
- Atlanta
- Miami
- Toronto
- Columbus
- Indianapolis
- Chicago
- Denver
- Nashville
- Los Angeles
- Dallas
- Austin
UPDATE
Amazon's new HQ2 campus is being split across two cities, according to The Wall Street Journal. The article says Amazon has balked at the idea of finding 50,000 qualified employees (mainly top tech talent) in one city, and will isntead split HQ2 evenly into two projects in two separate cities. Finalist cities that may be awarded one of the two Amazon headquarters include Dallas, New York City, and Crystal City, Va.
As the cities have not even been announced yet, there are currently no designs for the projects, but it can be expected the e-commerce giant will follow trends of other large company headquarters recently constructed and put employee wellness and sustainability at the forefront of the design. Key features such as green space, roof gardens, and large windows with abundant natural daylight can be expected (while taking care to avoid the embarrassing problem Apple encounted in its new headquarters).
Related Stories
Office Buildings | Jul 9, 2020
Sydney will be home to the world’s tallest hybrid timber tower
SHoP Architects, in collaboration with BVN, is designing the project.
Office Buildings | Jun 25, 2020
New HQ for Chinese tech supplier will feature gardens on every floor
NBBJ’s spiral design maximizes worker exposure to the green spaces.
Coronavirus | Jun 12, 2020
BD+C launches 'The Weekly,' a streaming program for the design and construction industry
The first episode, now available on demand, features experts from Robins & Morton, Gensler, and FMI on the current state of the AEC market.
Office Buildings | Jun 1, 2020
Luxembourg office complex breaks ground in Belval
Foster + Partners designed the building.
Office Buildings | May 27, 2020
512 West 22nd Street: Biophilic design on the High Line
COOKFOX Architects designed the project.
Coronavirus | May 18, 2020
Infection control in office buildings: Preparing for re-occupancy amid the coronavirus
Making workplaces safer will require behavioral resolve nudged by design.
Office Buildings | May 15, 2020
KPF designs three-building San Jose office campus
The project will be adjacent to Google's planned eight million square foot transit village and Diridon Station.
Office Buildings | May 8, 2020
The pillars of work
The workplace will most certainly look different in the future, but how different it looks will be unique to every organization. There (still) is no one-size-fits-all solution.
Office Buildings | Mar 24, 2020
Morphosis designs lululemon’s new global headquarters
The HQ’s design is meant to serve as an extension of lululemon’s core values.
Office Buildings | Mar 16, 2020
Investments in ‘human experiences’ are paying off for employers
A recent survey conducted by JLL and Harvard Business Review found that more companies are giving their employees greater say in changing their work environments.
