Amazon just gave a sneak peek at its first new HQ2 buildings in Virginia
- Amazon revealed in a blog post on Thursday what the first two buildings for its new HQ2 campus in Virginia will look like.
- They will replace abandoned warehouses in the area's Metropolitan Park site, which is now slated to be developed into retail and public spaces.
- Amazon has already started hiring for its second headquarters project, and new employees will start in nearby public office space while these buildings are being built.
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Amazon's buildings are rising in Virginia.
The company has revealed the first details of its plans to develop its HQ2 in the newly named area of National Landing, Virginia, in Arlington County.
Amazon's vice president of global real estate and facilities, John Schoettler, shared the news in a blog post that was published along with the first rendering of the buildings, which appear to be two glassy towers with yellow accents. Both buildings will be 22 stories, and combined they will account for 2.1 million square feet of office space, according to the company.
The two similar-looking towers will replace abandoned warehouses in the area's Metropolitan Park site, which is now slated to be developed into retail and public spaces. They will be built to LEED Gold sustainability standards, and the development will include 50,000 square feet for retail and 1.1 acres of public open space.
Amazon did not say when construction would start on the buildings or when they are projected to be completed. They are just the very first phase of Amazon's new construction projects.
Amazon isn't waiting until the new towers are completed to start hiring for HQ2, however.
It posted its first job listings in April and announced via another blog post later that month that hiring had begun.
These new workers will operate in a temporary space the company has rented. The new hires will start in June, when the temporary space opens.
The company also noted that work on the headquarters was "ahead of schedule" and that the company would hire 400 people for it this year.