WEST PLAINS – The Amazon Fulfillment Center on Geiger Boulevard officially opened last Sunday, almost two years after breaking ground on the West Plains.
The 640,000-square-foot facility near the Interstate 90/Medical Lake exit is currently planning on bringing more than 2,000 full-time jobs to the area, with up to 3,000 planned during the holiday season. To commemorate the opening of its $181 million facility, the Seattle-based e-commerce company donated “in-kind” products and $25,000 to Second Harvest Food Bank.
The company is still hiring employees for the new center. According to a news release, employees start at $15 an hour with benefits such as heath, dental and vision insurance along with a 401 (k) plan including a 50 percent company match and 20 weeks of paid parental leave. The company also offers career choice programs prepaying 95 percent of the employee’s tuition for courses in high-demand fields.
The move by Amazon has spurred growth on the West Plains. The state Department of Transportation accelerated work on a $26 million redesign and upgrade of the I-90/Medical Lake interchange that includes expanding the bridge over the interstate to four lanes, roundabouts at the east and west bound ramps and at the intersection of State Route 902 and Geiger Boulevard.
Additionally, a traffic light was installed at the Geiger and Hayford Road intersection, and the boulevard surface is being upgraded to handled additional and heavier traffic.
Finally, Spokane Developer Harlan Douglass is proceeding with plans for Douglass Commerce Park, a development that will eventually be home to 19 commercial warehouse, manufacturing, distribution and office buildings consisting of 1.4 million square feet on 12 acres of land at 5010 S. Thomas Mallen Road north of the Fulfillment Center. A state environmental review of the first two warehouse buildings, totaling 176,000 square feet, is under way.
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