Amazon fulfillment center construction underway

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Thousands of people will be working at Amazon’s new robotic fulfillment center when it opens in Baton Rouge next December, at the site previously occupied by Cortana Mall.

Dietrich Gooding can see the progress from her barber shop’s front door.

“It will definitely create more job opportunities, which since the pandemic, it’s needed,” Gooding said.

She hopes this will help the area around Florida Boulevard and Airline Highway.

“I’m excited about it, it’s been a long time coming for this area to grow and to attract more business,” Gooding said.

Brent Guerin said his restaurant is already seeing more customers thanks to the warehouse construction crews.

“We think it’s really going to bring us in some good business, definitely to-go, but just this whole area, the Florida corridor, it’s time for its chance for a good revamp, and I think this Amazon’s going to bring good-paying jobs, they’ll be good benefits and it’s going to help us,” Guerin said.

He agrees this will be an improvement and that it’s about time.

“Government Street’s going to have its revamp, downtowns had its, and it’s the Florida corridor’s turn,” Guerin said.

The fulfillment center is set to be done by the end of 2022.

Amazon is expected to start hiring next summer, with hourly rates starting at 15 dollars an hour.

You can submit your resume here.

Click here to report a typo.

Copyright 2021 WAFB. All rights reserved.