Amazon.com announced this morning it will open a fulfillment center in North Jacksonville, creating more than 1,500 full-time jobs.
JAXUSA Partnership President Jerry Mallot said in an Amazon.com news release the fulfillment center marks the single largest jobs announcement in Jacksonville’s history.
“This project further supports our strategy of targeting outstanding companies, and solidifies Jacksonville as a region of wide open opportunity where anything is possible,” he said.
The news release from the Seattle-based global e-commerce retailer did not say when the more than 800,000-square-foot fulfillment center would open, although city legislation for incentives said the jobs must be created by December 2019.
The center is under development at Pecan Park and Duval roads, north of Interstate 295 and near Jacksonville International Airport.
Akash Chauhan, vice president of Amazon’s North America Operations, said the company looked forward to continue building relationships in the community “to make Jacksonville home.”
Amazon employees will pick, pack and ship small items, such as books, electronics and consumer goods and will work alongside innovative technologies to fulfill customer orders, the release said.
Gov. Rick Scott and Mayor Lenny Curry also were quoted in the release.
“It is great news that Amazon continues to invest in Florida and create new jobs for our families. I look forward to their continued success in Jacksonville and across our state,” Scott said.
Curry called the deal “a huge win for our city and citizens.” He said Northwest Jacksonville will “now serve as host to an international, state-of-the art fulfillment and distribution center.”
The company said full-time employees receive competitive hourly wages and a comprehensive benefits package, including health care, 401(k) and company stock awards starting on the first day, as well as maternity and parental leave benefits.
Amazon.com said job candidates can visit amazondelivers.jobs.
Last week, a developer and owner bought more than 170 acres for development of the site. The $200 million project’s base footprint is 855,000 square feet and total size is almost 2.4 million square feet, according to building plans.
City and state incentives will provide $18.4 million in refunds, grants, training and road improvements.
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