Governor Dannel P. Malloy announced Amazon – the largest Internet-based retailer in the world – has decided to expand its presence in Connecticut with the creation of a new state-of-the-art, 855,000-square-foot fulfillment center in North Haven. The company plans to spend $255 million on the project, where it will create 1,800 jobs at the new facility.
The company, which recently opened a fulfillment center in Windsor and a sorting center in Wallingford, currently employs approximately 2,000 people in Connecticut. With the addition of the North Haven facility, that number will increase to approximately 3,800 Connecticut-based employees.
“This is a significant win for our state’s taxpayers and our economy,” Governor Malloy said. “Amazon’s $255 million investment to expand operations in Connecticut is proof positive that when we work with companies and bring our collective ingenuity to bear, we deliver on creating jobs for the hardworking residents of our state. With plans to nearly double their Connecticut workforce – growing another 1,800 jobs on top of the 2,000 employees they currently have in the state – Amazon’s decision to open third facility here is a testament to the high quality and productivity of our workforce.”
“Amazon has established a significant footprint in Connecticut – very good news for our workforce and our economy,” Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman said. “I congratulate Governor Malloy, DECD Commissioner Smith and the partners that helped bring Amazon to Connecticut and expand its presence to North Haven.”
Amazon’s North Haven fulfillment center will be located at 415 Washington Avenue – the 168-acre property formerly utilized by Pratt & Whitney that has been vacant for over 15 years.
“Five years after announcing our first fulfillment center in Connecticut, we’re excited to open a new, state-of-the-art fulfillment center in North Haven, creating more than 1,500 full-time jobs that offer wages 30 percent higher than traditional retail roles and include comprehensive benefits on day one, bonuses and stock awards,” Akash Chauhan, Amazon’s vice president of North America operations, said. “We’ve found an abundance of talent in Connecticut’s workforce, and we are so happy to have this opportunity to expand in the state to serve customers.”
The Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) is supporting the project through its First Five Plus program. The company will be eligible to earn up to $15 million in Urban and Industrial Sites Reinvestment tax credits if certain job creation and capital investment milestones are reached. An additional $5 million in credits may be available if the company surpasses initial job targets. The company may also be eligible for a sales and use tax exemption of up to $5 million on equipment and construction materials. Local approvals – to be voted on tonight – will provide additional incentives to help bring the project to fruition.
“Today’s announcement is great news for North Haven and Connecticut,” DECD Commissioner Catherine Smith said. “The property, once humming with thousands of workers from Pratt & Whitney, was sold more than 15 years ago and has remained idle and vacant ever since. This is a significant development that will bring jobs, economic activity, and tax revenue for the town, region, and the entire state.”
“Amazon’s decision to invest 1,800 new, good-paying, jobs in North Haven is a victory for the greater New Haven area,” Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) said. “Connecticut’s partnership with Amazon has already yielded thousands of jobs and I want to thank Governor Malloy, his administration and local officials for their work in making this agreement possible.”
“This is exciting news for the State of Connecticut and Town of North Haven,” Senate Republican President Pro Tempore Len Fasano (R-North Haven) said. “I thank the Governor’s administration and town officials for working in collaboration with all parties including state lawmakers and community members to show Amazon the remarkable potential of our town to be a new hub for business growth. After seeing this piece of property remain vacant for so many years, this new development is a major accomplishment. I welcome the new jobs and opportunities and I look forward to continuing to work with Amazon as a new local partner to bring new development, growth and vitality to our entire region.”
“I am so excited that Amazon has chosen to operate out of a new fulfillment center located in North Haven,” State Representative Dave Yaccarino (R-North Haven) said. “This new addition will foster job and tax growth for the residents of North Haven. I trust that Amazon will be a good civic neighbor.”
Signed into law in 2011, the First Five program supports large-scale economic development projects to encourage job creation, new capital investment, and business expansion or relocation. The 15 participating companies have created about 3,800 jobs, well above the minimum 200 jobs per company required to be created under the program. The companies are investing almost $1.4 billion within Connecticut – more than four times the amount of state financial assistance, providing the state with a strong return on its investment.
Started in 1994 as an online bookstore, Amazon diversified first into digital media and later into a wide range of consumer products. The company has grown to be the largest cloud computing company and internet-based retailer in the world.
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