Amazon Planning To Build New Office At Hudson Yards Without Controversial Tax Breaks
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Amazon is coming to New York City after all.
CBS2 has learned that the company is planning to open up an office space in the new Hudson Yards neighborhood on the west side of Manhattan.
A spokesperson for Amazon says the company plans to open the office in 2021.
"As we shared earlier this year, we plan to continue to hire and grow organically across our 18 Tech Hubs, including New York City," the spokesperson said in a statement.
The office will reportedly be a base for 1,500 employees in the consumer and advertising departments.
The announcement comes after a tumultuous fight earlier in the year which saw the online giant pull out of a plan to build its new HQ2 headquarters in Long Island City.
FLASHBACK: Amazon Pulls Out Of HQ2 Deal With New York City
That aborted project divided much of the city, with many fighting against the move over fears Amazon's arrival would raise rents and push out less affluent New Yorkers.
Others, including Gov. Cuomo, were left irate after the deal's implosion and the loss of thousands of high-paying jobs that would have reportedly been created in New York.
MORE: Cuomo: Amazon Backing Out 'The Greatest Tragedy I Have Seen Since I Have Been In Government'
Some members of the New York City Council and New York State Legislature pushed back against Amazon's Long Island City plans because of the massive tax breaks promised by the governor – which many saw as an unnecessary gift to one of the world's most successful companies.
"Amazon is coming to New York, just as they always planned. Fortunately, we dodged a $3 billion bullet by not agreeing to their subsidy shakedown earlier this year. Now, we must enact reforms to our economic development programs to ensure no company can seek to take advantage of the public again," Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris said in a statement Friday.
According to Gianaris, this new office is not receiving any tax breaks like the previous deal.
The new 335,000 square foot office will reportedly be located in SL Green Realty Corp.'s redevelopment of the space on 34th Street and 10th Avenue.
