Holly Sullivan and John Schoettler

Over the past year, Amazon continued its quest to redefine the future of Northern Virginia, with its HQ2 hub edging closer to reality. The company’s PenPlace designs were unanimously approved by the Arlington County Board and will provide more than 2.5 acres of publicly accessible open park space, more than 100,000 square feet of retail prioritizing small local businesses, a new child care facility, and a permanent home for Arlington Community High School (ACHS) 

“Including ACHS in our plans is something we’re particularly proud of,” John Schoettler said. “The school will provide additional educational opportunities, including evening classes for students who work, and a full high school diploma, to 300 local students ages 16 and up.”

The e-commerce giant is also doing good by establishing a $2 billion Housing Equity Fund, committing its efforts to preserve existing housing and create inclusive housing developments through low-rate loans and grants throughout the D.C. region.

Amazon recently crossed the 5,000-employee milestone at HQ2 and electrified the hub’s operations. Additionally, the company has committed to powering 100 percent of HQ2’s operations with renewable energy through a combination of off-site and on-site solar projects. The move aligns with The Climate Pledge, Amazon’s commitment to be net-zero carbon across its operations by 2040.

Holly Sullivan noted as with all of its investments, the company’s priority is ensuring that it weaves itself into the fabric of the communities in which it operates.

“We’re engaging with the Arlington community and committing more than $35 million in total investments to local nonprofits, community groups, public schools and businesses, and continuing to create thousands of new jobs over the next few years as we ultimately bring more than 25,000 jobs to the area over the next decade,” she said. “We’re excited by what we’ve accomplished working closely with the community, and we’re looking forward to what’s next.”