Amazon's new North Haven facility expected to bring 1,800 jobs

Gov. Dannel Malloy says the center will be 855,000 square feet and is expected to create at least 1,800 jobs.

Amazon plans to spend $255 million on the project.

"This is a significant win for our state's taxpayers and our economy," Governor Malloy said. "Amazon's $255 million investment to expand operations in Connecticut is proof positive that when we work with companies and bring our collective ingenuity to bear, we deliver on creating jobs for the hardworking residents of our state. With plans to nearly double their Connecticut workforce – growing another 1,800 jobs on top of the 2,000 employees they currently have in the state – Amazon's decision to open third facility here is a testament to the high quality and productivity of our workforce."

Amazon has a fulfillment center in Windsor and a sorting center in Wallingford and currently employs 2,000 people in the state.

The new fulfillment center will be located at 415 Washington Ave., in North Haven, where Pratt & Whitney once occupied.

The space has been vacant for over 15 years.

The jobs are expected to pay about 30 percent more than most retail positions.

North Haven's First Selectman Michael Freda said this project is one of five big ones that are in the pipeline for the town.

"There's not many projects like this that come along the size and scope of it not just in North Haven but for the entire region and also for the state of Connecticut," Freda said.

While it's willing to pump over $5 million per year in tax payments, the retailing giant sought breaks on personal property taxes and building permit fees.

Amazon's attorney said the state is already in talks with the retailer for up to $25 million dollars in tax breaks mostly tied to job creation, and the more jobs Amazon bring, the more the incentives.

The attorney added that construction for this massive project could begin in a month.

Malloy said the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) is supporting the project through its First Five Plus program.

"Five years after announcing our first fulfillment center in Connecticut, we're excited to open a new, state-of-the-art fulfillment center in North Haven, creating more than 1,500 full-time jobs that offer wages 30 percent higher than traditional retail roles and include comprehensive benefits on day one, bonuses and stock awards," Akash Chauhan, Amazon's vice president of North America operations, said. "We've found an abundance of talent in Connecticut's workforce, and we are so happy to have this opportunity to expand in the state to serve customers."

The latest Labor Situation issued by the Department of Labor notes that over the past year, employment has grown by 5,500, which officials say is ahead of last year's job growth.

According to the department, the state is still down more than 30,000 jobs since the great recession.