Amazon Pauses Construction on Second Headquarters in Virginia as It Cuts Jobs
- Delay affects three office towers, ‘Helix’ conference center
- Move coincides with biggest job cuts ever, remote work reality
This article is for subscribers only.
Amazon.com Inc. is pausing construction on its sprawling second headquarters near Washington, a decision that coincides with the company’s deepest ever job cuts and a reassessment of office needs to account for remote work.
John Schoettler, Amazon’s real estate chief, confirmed the pause in a statement to Bloomberg News. Schoettler said the company remains committed to Arlington, Virginia, where by 2030 Amazon has committed to spend $2.5 billion and hire some 25,000 workers. But the construction moratorium will delay the online retailer’s full arrival at its biggest real estate project, and could create headaches for local developers, as well as construction and service workers banking on Amazon’s rapid expansion.