In a surprising announcement on Thursday afternoon, Amazon revealed that it will no longer proceed with plans to move half of its HQ2 to Long Island City in Queens. This decision reverses the company’s previous plans announced in November 2018. Amazon will continue with its plans to build the other half of HQ2 in northern Virginia.
The decision to abandon the Queens location was largely influenced by local protesters and politicians, who argued that Amazon had bypassed proper legal procedures. While polls suggested that roughly 70% of New Yorkers supported the move—including endorsements from Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio—the opposition from Queens residents ultimately proved decisive.
Despite this setback, Amazon affirmed that it intends to maintain and grow its presence in New York City. “We are disappointed to have reached this conclusion — we love New York, its energy, people, and culture — and especially the community of Long Island City, where we have built strong relationships with community leaders, small business owners, and residents,” the company stated.
Currently, Amazon employs over 5,000 people across Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Staten Island, and the company plans to continue expanding these teams in the coming years.
