Pittsburgh on Amazon’s top 20 list

Megan Shandel

Photo Credit: Megan Shandel

Gage Goulding
January 24, 2018

Amazon.com released a short list of 20 cities that it is considering for its second worldwide headquarters. Currently, the companies headquarters is in Seattle, Washington, but in 2017 the company opened cities across the United States to apply to host the next headquarters. Pittsburgh made the list for Amazon’s second headquarters.

Amazon reports that 238 cities around the nation sent in an application to the company. On Jan. 18, Amazon released the list of locations that are being considered. Cities that made up the list are:

– Atlanta, GA

– Austin, TX

– Boston, MA

– Chicago, IL

– Columbus, OH

– Dallas, TX

– Denver, CO

– Indianapolis, IN

– Los Angeles, CA

– Miami, FL

– Montgomery County, MD

– Nashville, TN

– Newark, NJ

– New York City, NY

– Northern Virginia, VA

– Philadelphia, PA

– Pittsburgh, PA

– Raleigh, NC

– Toronto, ON

– Washington D.C.

In the upcoming months, Amazon plans to work directly with each of the candidate cities to learn more about their proposal, request information as well as assess feasibility for the companies second headquarters. Amazon will also look to fit in the company’s hiring process as well as the impact the new headquarters will have on the employees and the local communities.

“Thank you to all 238 communities that submitted proposals. Getting from 238 to 20 was very tough – all the proposals showed tremendous enthusiasm and creativity,” said Holly Sullivan, Amazon Public Policy. “Through this process we learned about many new communities across North America that we will consider as locations for future infrastructure investment and job creation.”

According to Amazon, the new headquarters will operate just like the current headquarters in Seattle. The complex will be fully functioning and not represent a satellite office but instead a full fledge headquarters for the company. Amazon expects to employ 50,000 employees at the second headquarter as well as invest $5 billion to continue the growth of the complex.

The company currently employs over 540,000 people and Amazon ranks #1 on Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, #2 in Fortune’s World Most Admired Companies, #1 on The Harris Poll’s Corporate Reputation survey, and #2 on LinkedIn’s U.S. most desirable companies list, according to a recent press release.

The projected site for the headquarters for Amazon if they choose Pittsburgh is the former LTV Steel and Coke Ovens in the Hazelwood neighborhood of Pittsburgh. The Mayor of Pittsburgh, Bill Peduto, is behind the push for Amazon call Pittsburgh home.

 

“Like Amazon, Pittsburgh thinks big. Like no other place, we can offer the opportunity to build the city and headquarters of the future, together making a lasting, positive impact for all,” said Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto. “Beyond a great place to do business, with unique financial and quality of life advantages, our proposal offers unmatched opportunity to address social equity investments in education, infrastructure and housing affordability.”

The Pittsburgh famous restaurant Primanti Bros. also back Pittsburgh. They tweeted that they would offer 50,000 free sandwiches to all the employees at the new headquarters if they decide to choose Pittsburgh.

Amazon is expected to make its final decision sometime in 2018.