Amazon has dramatically increased their presence in the Washington metropolitan area recently by opening a 90,000 square foot facility in Prince George’s County, Maryland. This facility, located at 10100 Willowdale Road in Lanham, Maryland is among a number of “last-mile” stations that Amazon has opened in Prince George’s County, all of which will deliver packages directly to residents’ homes and offices.
The opening of Amazon’s Lanham facility is a great testimonial to the strength and resilience of Prince George’s County, and the work of the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation (PGCEDC).
In September of 2015, a large company officially signed the lease for a facility to be built in Lanham and was approved for a $150,000 Economic Development Incentive (EDI) Fund conditional loan by PGCEDC and FSC First for this $10 million project. Although the company encountered issues that prevented it’s move into the building, the newly constructed structure saw the assessed value of the site go from $2.5 million in 2015 to just over $14 million in 2016.
Even though it remained unoccupied, this increased value allowed Prince George’s County’s annual tax revenues to increase from $38,000 to over $200,000 per year. And because the EDI Funds were never disbursed, County taxpayers were fully protected.
In 2020, the County and the PGCEDC were still working hard to find a new commercial tenant that would occupy the building and bring new jobs to Prince George’s County. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, more people began shopping online, thus creating an even greater need for “Last Mile” logistics and warehousing centers. By June of 2020, Amazon had successfully closed a deal to utilize the building as a “Last Mile” station in the County.
This facility not only meets the shipping needs of Prince Georgian’s, it will bring hundreds of much needed jobs to Prince George’s County. The jobs will range from entry level positions paying a minimum of $15 per hour plus benefits, to executive management positions at the delivery station.
According to County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, “The Prince George’s unemployment rate had climbed to ten percent during the pandemic – So, the Amazon jobs are very much needed.”
“We are excited about the official launch of another Amazon last mile facility in Prince George’s County, which will bring jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities to our community,” Alsobrooks said. “Prince George’s County is the economic engine of our state, and this is the latest sign that our local economy is poised for a strong recovery post-pandemic.”
The COVID pandemic has hurt numerous businesses across Prince George’s County and around the world. However, in this case, an opportunity that appeared to be negative turned out to be a great win for all Prince Georgian’s.
David Iannucci, President and CEO of PGCEDC said “It is proof of the long-term horizon that is frequently required in economic development.” After multiple years of having a building stand vacant, the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation is proud of its role in successfully supporting the opening of the third Amazon Last Mile facility in Prince George’s County. Prince George’s County welcomes Amazon to Lanham, Maryland.
