Amazon Leasing 9K SQ in Miami WeWork, With No Plans to Expand
By Julia Echikson March 15, 2022 7:26 pm
reprints
Amazon (AMZN) is leasing a little less than 9,000 square feet at WeWork (WE)’s Coral Gables location, said an Amazon spokesperson, confirming an earlier report from The Wall Street Journal.
The e-commerce company signed the lease in Coral Gables last year to cater to employees that relocated to Miami.
Currently, about 100 employees are stationed in the Coral Gables location, Amazon’s only corporate presence in South Florida. According to current job listings, the headcount could grow to 160.
But the Coral Gables office is not part of a larger regional strategy.
Unlike other new-to-market firms in Miami that first settle into coworking spaces before inking long-term deals, Amazon has no plans to do so, according to a person with knowledge of the company’s plan. At the moment, the tech giant is not looking to expand its footprint or sign a long-term lease for a standalone office, per the source.
Across the U.S., Amazon has 18 tech hubs, where it houses 55,000 corporate employees. Miami is not one of them. Access to talent is the No. 1 factor when looking at where the company invests and hires, the Amazon spokesperson said.
News of Amazon’s corporate presence in Miami comes as the city vies to become the “Silicon Valley” of the South.
Since the pandemic hit, a slew of high-profile companies has either relocated or expanded its office footprints in Magic City. These include Blockchain.com, Microsoft and venture capital firms Founders Fund and Atomic.
Others, such as TikTok’s parent company, are touring the market.
Julia Echikson can be reached at jechikson@commercialobserver.com.
