Key Takeaways:
– Amazon is restarting construction on its 42-story office tower, Sonic, located in Bellevue, Washington.
– The company plans to complete 22 floors within the building to accommodate 3,000 more employees.
– The building’s interior features unique designs for collaborative work and social gathering.
– Amazon anticipates employing 25,000 individuals across various buildings in Bellevue.
– Despite layoffs in recent years, Amazon insists Bellevue offers quality amenities, a talented workforce, and space for job creation.
Amazon Revives Sonic Office Tower Build in Bellevue
E-commerce giant Amazon plans to resume construction on its Sonic office tower situated at 555 108th Ave. N.E., Bellevue, Washington. Upon completion, the 42-story building will house an additional 3,000 employees.
Currently, around 1,500 Amazon employees operate from the Sonic office premises that began admitting workers this past September. The proposed expansion, adding a further 500,000 square feet of working space, will essentially increase Sonic’s total headcount to approximately 4,500. These additions will primarily house the Amazon Web Services and Stores teams.
The Project’s Suspension and Restart
Earlier this year, work on Sonic took a pause as Amazon contemplated the long-term implications hybrid work might have on its office space requirements. Nearly half of the building’s interior, approximately 450,000 square feet, was completed up until the 19th floor. Now, the company is resuming attempts to complete the building’s remaining 22 floors.
A Sneak Peek into Sonic’s Office Environment
Amazon envisions a highly collaborative working environment within Sonic as inspections conducted in November revealed attempts to experiment with innovative office layouts. The company has planned spaces for meetings, focus, lounging, team suites and specialty areas for concentrated work. The firm has expressed willingness to adjust these designs to align with post-pandemic work styles.
As an additional touch, the entry point offers artistic decorations, an open staircase, meeting booths, and even an old van serving as a snack cart.
Amazon’s Growth Plans in Bellevue
Amazon has outlined ambitious goals to employ around 25,000 people in Bellevue, spread across several office buildings. At present, the company has approximately 12,000 workers in the city across various buildings.
These structures include Dynamo (West Main) Tower One, Bellevue 600 and The Artise. Dynamo opened earlier this year, ready to accommodate 1,500 employees, while construction at Bellevue 600 and The Artise is currently in limbo.
Disused Office Space in Bellevue
Commercial real estate firm Broderick Group indicates about 1.6 million square feet of Amazon’s total leased office space of 5 million in downtown Bellevue remains unused.
Despite the recent workforce reduction, including last year’s 27,000 job cuts and hundreds slashed from its Sales, Marketing, Global Services and Physical Stores Technology departments this week, Amazon maintains a positive outlook. The company described Bellevue as an area offering a “business-friendly community, great amenities, a high quality of life, and a fantastic talent pool.”
While Amazon forges ahead with its expansion plans, Google takes a breather on its construction project at the Kirkland Urban campus mere cities away. The firm intended to construct four buildings totaling 760,000 square feet of office space.
