Amazon to build new distribution center in upstate New York

The e-commerce giant currently only has one other facility in New York state, a Prime Now hub in Manhattan.    Amazon, Inc. will establish a new distribution center in a former supermarket warehouse in Lancaster, N.Y., according to local news source The Buffalo News.
   The 525,000-square-foot warehouse sits on 32.26 acres and had previously been occupied by Dutch supermarket company Ahold USA, according to The Buffalo News. The facility currently has 71 bays and loading docks, 80 truck parking spaces and 370 car parking spaces, and ceiling heights of up to 33 feet, reports The Buffalo News.
   The facility will be the second in New York State – the first being a “Prime Now” hub in Manhattan – and will focus on sorting packages to speed up delivery times. 
   Amazon spokeswoman Lauren Lynch stated that e-commerce giant considers many factors in deciding where to place new fulfillment or sortation centers, but “most importantly, we want to make sure our facilities are placed as close to the customer as possible” for fast shipping. 
   “We also look at the workforce, and we’ve found great talent in abundance in New York state,” she said. “We look forward to creating hundreds of jobs to help us better serve customers.”
   Lynch did not reveal how much the company would spend on the project or when the new facility would open, other than to say that “we expect it to move quickly.” However, according to The Buffalo News, the company has already posted job openings online.