Last year, Amazon revealed that it planned to hire 15,000 employees in the Bellevue area over the next few years. Now we’re getting a better idea of where they’ll actually go.
On Friday, Amazon announced an update on its upcoming Bellevue campus, a multi-tower skyscraper named Bellevue 600. While Bellevue 600 isn’t expected to be completed until 2024, Amazon just revealed that it submitted its proposed design for its second tower, signaling phase two of its construction project.
Bellevue 600 consists of two office buildings that sit on 3.5 acres of land, bordered by 110th Ave. NE and 108th Ave. NE. The official street address of the campus is 600 108th Ave. NE.
The second proposed tower will be 31 stories tall, while the first will be 43 stories tall — making it the tallest skyscraper in downtown Bellevue. Together these towers will have space for more than 7,000 Amazon employees.
While countless tech workers around the world still work from home, Amazon is preparing for the inevitable return of employees to its offices in the coming years. And since Amazon has been on a hiring spree lately, part of this preparation involves making room for thousands of future employees.
Bellevue 600 has a handful of amenities to make it more compelling for Amazon employees to return to the office. This includes 28,000 square feet of retail space, public access to art installations, underground parking, bike stalls and a locally owned coffee bar. The campus also includes an outdoor plaza with a path for pedestrians and a garden with more than 40 varieties of native plant species. Bellevue 600 will also have two daycare centers.
Amazon has also made commitments to ensure the sustainability of this project. This involves using low-maintenance native landscaping techniques and sustainable construction materials. The buildings are also fully electric and use greywater capture to reduce its water use. Amazon is aiming to get its project LEED Gold certified.
The company is working with authorities to meet the needs of the local community.
“Amazon’s continued commitment to Bellevue and partnership in working with local leaders is an example of the kind of benefits we see when the public and private sectors come together for the benefit of the community,” Bellevue Mayor Lynne Robinson said in a statement. “We look forward to Amazon’s ongoing investment in our community with their effort to bring 25,000 jobs to the Eastside.”
