LOCAL NEWS
Amazon planning to build tallest tower yet in Bellevue
Jul 2, 2019, 2:23 PM | Updated: 2:51 pm
Bellevue Corporate Plaza. (KIRO 7)
(KIRO 7)
Amazon’s big plans for Bellevue will include the construction of its tallest ever tower.
Amazon expected to close on mega real estate deal in Bellevue
The 43-story tower will be dubbed “Bellevue 600,” located on the east half of the Bellevue Corporate Plaza. Amazon purchased the property in April for $650 million.
The Seattle Times estimates that the tower — which would also be Bellevue’s tallest building — could potentially hold almost 4,200 employees. It also marks the company’s first major construction projection on the Eastside.
As of publishing, Amazon has roughly seven spaces in Bellevue it either plans to move into, or is already occupying. In addition to Bellevue 600, that includes a lease on the 15-story Binary Towers, Bellevue Corporate Plaza, WeWork space at Summit II, permits for Summit III, the former Expedia headquarters at Tower 333, and current employees at Centre 425.
All that could eventually provide enough space for over 11,000 employees by 2024, although Amazon has yet to confirm that figure. Past estimates for the company’s Bellevue presence have ranged from 10,000 to as many as 25,000.
Amazon moving entire operations team to Bellevue
Employees from Amazon’s worldwide operations team began moving to the Eastside in April. The company already had roughly 2,000 employees in Expedia’s former Bellevue corporate headquarters, and still has plans to move another 4,500 workers into that building by 2020.
“It starts with a city that’s very well run. I think we’re a global hub for technology and innovation. Additionally, as a city and a city council we’re business friendly. That might be a little bit different than what Amazon is used to,” Bellevue City Councilmember Jared Nieuwenhuis told KTTH’s Jason Rantz in early-March.
This all comes after Amazon pulled out of its plans to build a 25,000-employee headquarters in New York.
Shortly after that, Amazon pulled out of a prominent downtown Seattle office project — about 10 months after the company threatened to do so if Seattle imposed a new head tax.
