The e-commerce behemoth has its hand in everything from warehouse development to renewable energy.
Patrick Sisson takes a closer look at Amazon's operations and logistics. Amazon already has a huge stake in industrial real estate, reports Sisson:
The company’s footprint is pretty wild. According to Amazon, the company now operates more than 75 fulfillment centers and 25 sortation centers across North America, which it leases, and employs 125,000 full-time hourly associates in the U.S. During the previous holiday season, the company hired an additional 120,000 workers across its logistics and warehouse network.
Globally, Amazon owns and leases more than 250 million square feet of space. Its continued growth and expansion have highlighted the potential of investment in warehouses and fulfillment centers.
Sisson reports that while the U.S. Postal Service now handles 40 percent of Amazon packages, a plan to launch its own delivery service has been in the works. In addition, Amazon is moving into the renewable energy sector. Last year, it opened a massive wind farm in Texas and construction continues on wind and solar projects across the country.
FULL STORY: 9 facts about Amazon's unprecedented warehouse empire
Amazon Shifting From Land Lessee to Land Owner
Amazon has been tending to buy when previously it would have leased, and the trend has massive implications for the industrial real estate market.
Amazon Plans Further Expansion
On the heels of building its HQ2 facility in Arlington, Amazon continues to expand its hubs in cities spread out across the country.
The Impact of Amazon Warehouses on Communities
Often located in low-income communities of color, Amazon's warehouses contribute to public health impacts like poor air quality, noise pollution, and traffic congestion.
Planning for Congestion Relief
The third and final installment of Planetizen's examination of the role of the planning profession in both perpetuating and solving traffic congestion.
Minneapolis Housing Plan a Success—Not for the Reason You Think
Housing advocates praise the city’s move to eliminate single-family zoning by legalizing triplexes on single-family lots, but that isn’t why housing construction is growing.
Car Noise Is Killing Us
It’s not just traffic collisions that kill—a new study from researcher at Rutgers finds that the loud noises emanating from cars has direct impact on heart health in Americans.
Austin’s Transit CEO Moving to D.C.
After overseeing a major system redesign and plans for its largest-ever expansion, the head of Capital Metro will take over Washington, D.C.’s transit agency.
NYC 25x25 Plan Would Reclaim ‘13 Central Parks’ From Cars
A plan backed by New York City Mayor Eric Adams would repurpose 25 percent of the city’s street space for multimodal transportation and pedestrian plazas.
Parks as a Weapon Against Climate Change
The 2022 ParkScore finds that cities are increasingly employing green space as a tool for mitigating heat and extreme weather effects, but the distribution of parks remains inequitable.
City of Malibu
EMC Planning Group Inc.
Jefferson Parish
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Rohnert Park
City of Hot Springs
City of Lakeway, Texas
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.
