WS Development and PSP Investments signs Amazon to 630,000 s/f in Seaport

Boston, MA WS Development, in partnership with the Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments), joined Amazon, mayor Martin Walsh, and governor Charlie Baker in announcing that Amazon has leased 630,000 s/f of office space in a new building to be constructed at the company’s 33-acre Seaport development.

“We are proud to continue our partnership with Amazon in Boston’s Seaport, a neighborhood that has grown to serve forward-thinking employers, residents, and retailers and that is now a global hub of innovation and talent,” said Jeremy Sclar, Chairman and CEO of WS Development. 

“PSP Investments is pleased to join our partner WS Development in expanding Amazon’s presence in Boston’s Seaport,” said Kristopher Wojtecki, managing director, real estate, PSP Investments. “Amazon’s expansion will further enhance the innovation ecosystem and creative economy in this powerful technology and life sciences cluster.” 

With this expansion, Amazon will continue to grow its workforce in the city and create 3,000 tech and corporate jobs over the next several years, including growth in the Alexa, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Amazon Robotics, and Amazon Pharmacy teams. The development, to be constructed at One Boston Wharf Rd., is a 17-story, 707,000 s/f, mixed-use building designed by Henning Larsen architects of Copenhagen, Denmark. 

This is Amazon’s second full-building lease in the Seaport, joining 111 Harbor Way, a 525,000 s/f building now under construction by WS Development, which will be completed later this year and will bring 2,000 new technology jobs to the city. 

One Boston Wharf Rd. will also contain ground floor retail space and a new performing arts center, comprising two live performance venues of 500 and 100 seats, respectively, which together will add significant capacity for the performing arts.  

The building will front on Harbor Square park, a 1.5-acre signature green space that will open later this year, designed by James Corner Field Operations, the landscape architect behind New York’s High Line.  

The project will also fund $5.5 million dedicated to the creation of affordable housing in the city, as well as nearly $1.1 million of funding for job training in the city, providing opportunities for Amazon to work with the city’s Workforce Development team to prepare local residents for jobs in the technology industry. 

Construction will commence later this year with completion in 2024.