Amazon signs lease on multi-story urban fulfillment center near Seattle [VIDEO]

Continuing its endeavor to expedite fulfillment, Amazon has leased nearly 500,000 square feet (46,000 square meters) of space in a multi-story logistics center in urban Seattle.  

Although vertical logistics centers are common in land-constrained regions in Asia and Europe, most similar buildings in North America are built out rather than up. Completed in 2018, the Georgetown Crossroads facility is the first building of its kind in the United States, according to Prologis, the developer. Amazon is leasing most of the building’s 590,000 square feet (54,000 square meters), according to the Wall Street Journal.  

Amazon’s use of the facility is intended to support the online merchant’s aim to cut its delivery times and fulfill one-day delivery in the Seattle Metropolitan area. There is no immediately link to Amazon’s nearby air operation at Seattle/Tacoma Airport (SEA) though inventory arriving at the airport could move through the facility. The building features truck ramps leading to loading docks on the second level and a third floor, served via forklift accessible freight elevators, for lighter-scale warehouse operations.  

While Amazon has leased the space, it is not yet clear whether the e-tailer giant has started moving into the building. Amazon declined to elaborate.

See the video of and details on the building below.