Initiative could make use of vacant real estate
September 16, 2020. Amazon.com Inc. plans to open 1,000 small delivery hubs in cities and suburbs all over the U.S. to help meet consumer demand for online orders. Consumed with honoring a pre-pandemic pledge to get many products to Prime subscribers on the same day, and with the holidays approaching, Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos is doubling down by investing billions in proximity, putting warehouses and swarms of blue vans in neighborhoods long populated with car dealerships, fast-food joints, shopping malls and big-box stores.
The goal is to creep closer to almost everyone in the U.S. The company’s appetite for real estate is so strong that many analysts have speculated that Amazon would convert vacant department stores into distribution centers.
Typical delivery stations are about 200,000 square feet—about one-fourth the size of one of the company’s giant fulfillment centers—with large lots where workers can park their personal vehicles and Amazon can stage delivery vans.
There are some drawbacks. Delivery centers can be unsightly and cause traffic problems, but both of these concerns have workable solutions.
Editor’s note: While New Orleans East has ample space, currently, the closest facility is the Elmwood Distribution Center in Harahan.