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Amazon, Nashville Yards projects progressing





Amazon’s first tower is “topped out” meaning the building’s final steel beam has been placed to commemorate the construction’s completion.Larry McCormack / Main Street Nashville

Amazon’s first tower is “topped out” meaning the building’s final steel beam has been placed to commemorate the construction’s completion.Larry McCormack / Main Street Nashville

Three years ago, Amazon announced plans to invest in Nashville, constructing two buildings in the Nashville Yards development that will bring more than 5,000 corporate and technology-related jobs with an average salary that ranges from $150,000 to $200,000 per year.

A year later in 2019, it crossed the 1,000 employee milestone while providing increasing employment opportunities for the city’s construction companies, food services and others.

So where do the operations currently stand?

As of now, Amazon’s first building is completely topped out on Church Street, standing at 27 stories high.

The phrase “topping out” is a ceremonial tradition to mark the completion of the structure of a building. This is done by letting those who worked on the building sign a steel beam before its final placement in the building.

“The first of the two buildings will officially open later in 2021,” said Zach Goldsztejn, a member of Amazon’s corporate communications team.

Left: Most of the construction is winding down around Nashville Yards and the Amazon building is almost ready to open in Nashville. Right: Amazon’s first tower is “topped out” meaning the building’s final steel beam has been placed to commemorate the construction’s completion.Larry McCormack / Main Street Nashville

Left: Most of the construction is winding down around Nashville Yards and the Amazon building is almost ready to open in Nashville. Right: Amazon’s first tower is “topped out” meaning the building’s final steel beam has been placed to commemorate the construction’s completion.Larry McCormack / Main Street Nashville

Job opportunities include software development, human resources, engineering, warehouse management, transportation, business intelligence and more.

On the north side of the first tower, Amazon’s second building, which was acquired from Nashville Yards developer Southwest Value Partners, will stand at 28 stories.

Its expected finish date is 2023.

Together, the two account for over 1 million square feet of office space, and a direct investment of more than $230 million.

Brad Reynolds, of Nashville-based Brad Reynolds Real Estate Team, explained what he thinks these buildings will not only bring to Nashville Yards but the city as a whole.

“I think to figure that out, look no further than at Amazon’s HQ1 in Seattle,” he said in a released video. “They’ve given back billions of dollars to the cities that they are committed to being in.”

While Reynolds seems optimistic about the development’s future, he does bring up the possibility of transportation challenges due to the massive amount of future jobs.

 

 

“Nashville’s downtown is really not built for massive developments,” Reynolds said. “Imagine 5,000 people leaving work everyday. But I think the reality is that we will navigate through this.

Thankfully for Nashvillians who aren’t too fond of traffic, Amazon has recently announced it will pay employees to keep their cars parked in the garage and bike to work instead, reimbursing up to $175 for bike costs and fees.

For more information regarding Amazon and its potential careers, Tennessee-based locations, and more, you can visit their website.

About Nashville Yards

Nashville Yards is ‘The next generation of urban development’ in a city that is ‘enduringly forward-thinking’ and a ‘creative dream,’ according to its website.

The entire development will consist of over 3.5 million square feet of Class A and creative office space, 1,000+ residential units, over 400,000 square feet of retail and entertainment, and more than 1,100 hotel rooms.

The expected cost of it has been calculated to nearly $1.5 billion.

Developments that have already been introduced are highlighted by the luxurious 25-floor Grand Hyatt Hotel, which was just recently named the official hotel of the 2021 Big Machine Music City Grand Prix.

The hotel offers 591 rooms as well as multiple dining experiences, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a roof-top pool, and more.

It will be joined by both Amazon towers along with other developments such as two apartment buildings courtesy of Nashville real estate agent, Tony Giarratana, filling up the 18-acre Nashville Yards project.

For additional information regarding developments in Nashville Yards, you can visit their website.

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