Amazon Leases Another Bellevue Tower As Part Of Expansion Plan

BELLEVUE, WA — Amazon signed a lease on another Bellevue tower this week, adding significant office space to support its mission of bringing 25,000 jobs to the city over the next few years.

In an updated blog post, Amazon said it inked a deal for the Artise, a planned 600,000 square foot building on 106th Avenue Northeast in downtown Bellevue scheduled to welcome employees by 2024. The lease adds on to previously announced leases for Vulcan's 555 Tower and West Main buildings, with a combined two million square feet of office space. Amazon is also developing two other towers as part of its "Bellevue 600 project."

Geekwire reports the towers together will easily make Amazon downtown Bellevue's largest tenant, with more than twice the space of Microsoft.

Amazon's largescale Eastside expansion also includes $2 billion in investments for a housing equity fund, and a new $185.5 million in below-market loans and grants to the King County Housing Authority, which the company says will preserve 1,000 affordable homes. Amazon also donated $1 million to Bellevue's human services fund, which will distribute the money to 40 Eastside groups.

Last September, Amazon said it chose to expand in Bellevue due to its "business-friendly community with great amenities, a high quality of life, and a fantastic talent pool."Once completed, Amazon's towers will be within walking distance of the new East Link light rail extension, slated to open in 2023.