Amazon Project Breaks Ground

Another keystone, landmark event occurred in South Boston. Call this event what you will, the Amazon Corporation and WS Development broke ground that day, for a new office complex in the center of South Boston’s booming Seaport District. The nameplate address of the new complex is 111 Harbor Way, and it is located near the northeasterly corner of Boston Wharf Road and Congress Street. The project is an important piece of construction for WS Development and their Seaport buildout, which is the largest real estate project in Boston’s history. The Amazon Project is planned for completion in 2021. Many elected and appointed officials from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and City of Boston were on hand. Even though the weather on Tuesday exhibited its well-known Boston temperament, the groundbreaking was a joyful happening. A steel drum duo played upbeat, rhythmic music; Luke’s lobster rolls and Japanese ice cream made for a memorable lunch; and in a nice closing touch, confetti sticks were handed out, replacing conventional applause. A large crowd of several hundred were in the tent where the groundbreaking shovels were actually wielded.

The program was brief and to-the-point. WS development’s Yanni Tsipis delivered the opening remarks, which were largely devoted to his thanks for and recognition of the cooperation WS Development has received so far. Michael Touloumtzis is Amazon’s Site Manager on this project. He expressed his enthusiasm at a Seaport location for company projects in cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and so on, leading to 2,000 challenging jobs. Gov. Baker spoke of how WS has been a terrific partner, and about the quality people that will be brought here by Amazon. Mayor Walsh reviewed many of the statistics the Amazon Project will affect, including affordable housing and added training programs – a new level of achievement that will strengthen the City’s global stature. And then the Project’s hosts and invited dignitaries well and truly broke ground.