ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Amazon has revealed the initial stage of its unveiled headquarters complex in Virginia on Thursday.
The complex consists of two towering office buildings, boasting of top-tier amenities, that the company believes will encourage employees, who have grown accustomed to remote work during the pandemic, to return to the office environment with enthusiasm.
The opening of the Met Park office complex in Arlington’s Crystal City neighborhood is a significant milestone in Amazon’s headquarters project since the company’s announcement in 2018 that it would construct a second headquarters complex in Northern Virginia to supplement its existing headquarters in Seattle.
Originally, Amazon had planned for its “HQ2” project to create 25,000 jobs each in both northern Virginia and New York City.
However, the plans for the New York location fell through due to opposition to the incentive package offered. As a result, the Arlington complex became the sole site for HQ2.
During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Amazon emphasized its efforts to integrate with the region. The company dedicated hundreds of millions of dollars to help preserve affordable housing in the area, and the project includes a 2.5-acre park with a fenced dog run and playground.
Additionally, Amazon replicated its popular banana stand from its Seattle headquarters, offering free fruit to workers and visitors.
In general, local leaders have been pleased with Amazon and the high-paying jobs it has brought to the region. Arlington County Board Chair Christian Dorsey applauded the company’s willingness to collaborate with the county, particularly on affordable housing initiatives.
“We sought guidance from Amazon to understand the values of our community and persuaded them to adopt those values as their own. I would like to commend the leadership at Amazon for achieving this,” he stated.
In general, local leaders have been pleased with Amazon and the high-paying jobs it has brought to the region.
Arlington County Board Chair Christian Dorsey applauded the company’s willingness to collaborate with the county, particularly on affordable housing initiatives.
“We sought guidance from Amazon to understand the values of our community and persuaded them to adopt those values as their own. I would like to commend the leadership at Amazon for achieving this,” he stated.
Amazon has designed its headquarters to be attractive to its employees, though the project was launched before the pandemic disrupted office culture. Earlier this year, the company announced it would be delaying the second phase of the HQ2 project.
However, state and county leaders believe that this delay is only temporary.
In February, Amazon made the decision to require all employees to return to the office at least three days per week, prompting 30,000 workers to sign a petition asking for the company to reconsider this decision.
During a tour of the new headquarters complex on Thursday, John Schoettler, Amazon’s Vice President of Global Real Estate, revealed that the company had made several tweaks to the original designs in order to accommodate a post-pandemic workforce.
The towers now feature dedicated suites to facilitate group projects, as well as open spaces called “centers of energy” that are designed to promote collaboration.
Schoettler explained that the building had been designed before the pandemic struck, but the company had continued to gather feedback from its employees in order to meet their changing needs.
The finished headquarters complex boasts a range of impressive features, including rooftop gardens, pool and foosball tables, outdoor electric grills, and high-quality dining options.
According to Amazon, the building runs on renewable energy and does not use any fossil fuels. Additionally, the building features a “dog wall” displaying photos of employees’ pets.
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, who previously worked in corporate leadership, appeared genuinely impressed by the new complex during his tour of the facility. He mused, “I don’t want to cause any intracompany tensions, but I wonder if this should be renamed HQ1.”