Amazon Pauses On Construction Of Office Complex In Downtown Nashville
Image Credit: Gresham Smith
The Tennessee Conservative [By Jason Vaughn] –
Amazon is putting a hold on the construction of their planned office hub in downtown Nashville, saying they are “focused on reimagining work areas.”
The $230 million operations center was started in 2019, with plans to bring 5,000 new jobs to the Nashville area. At the time the structure began, Amazon was building warehouses and office centers across the country.
The company brought in about 2,500 employees after one of the two planned buildings was constructed, but then work stalled on the second. The complex is located at Church and 10th Streets.
The company has been facing a weakened labor market and has also implemented a new work policy that allows employees to do their jobs from home up to four days per week. This led Amazon to redesign the building that had already been completed and to wait before proceeding on the second.
“We’re focused on reimagining work areas that provide improved space for genuine collaboration, brainstorming, and socialization,” said a company representative. “With that said, our buildings remain long-term investments, so in order to get this right and create the best workspace for our employees, it’s important to take the time to learn and experiment.”
These changes did not take place before Amazon negotiated with Metro Nashville leaders for grant money. With hopes of providing residents with high paying jobs, state officials awarded the company with a $65 million grant that would help provide money for employees, with Metro Nashville providing another $15 million.
The funding is provided if the company hires 5,000 employees within 7 years. Amazon has until January 1, 2029, to fulfill this promise, but recent hiring trends make it appear that the company may struggle to do so.
Tennessee residents continue to lose faith in the company as they continue to fail to keep the many promises they have made to the people of this state, all while continuing to take taxpayer funding for their planned projects.
Amazon has laid off 1.2% of its employees in the past year, despite the fact that they went on an excessive hiring binge in 2020, doubling the number of employees they had.
Amazon also announced a freezing hire in November of last year and failed to open two newly planned fulfillment centers in East Tennessee and another facility in Clarksville. The company received taxpayer money to help with the launch of those facilities as well, with little progress to be seen.
About the Author: Jason Vaughn, Media Coordinator for The Tennessee Conservative ~ Jason previously worked for a legacy publishing company based in Crossville, TN in a variety of roles through his career. Most recently, he served as Deputy Director for their flagship publication. Prior, he was a freelance journalist writing articles that appeared in the Herald Citizen, the Crossville Chronicle and The Oracle among others. He graduated from Tennessee Technological University with a Bachelor’s in English-Journalism, with minors in Broadcast Journalism and History. Contact Jason at news@TennesseeConservativeNews.com
In the face of a hiring freeze, national layoffs and halted construction what exactly is the reason we have not cut Amazon off from any further payments and required a significant refund?
Just a “high five” for this story and this site! We really appreciate your updates. Especially in middle Tenn. We do forward this to others in the State. Now if only we could get all our Gen Xer children to come on board. I know, I know there are some…but its few and far between. Their day is coming…Its never to late.