Although its Niagara County fulfillment center won't open until late summer, Amazon has already started the recruitment process to secure more than 1,000 workers for the sprawling Lockport Road complex.
An initial job fair, held in late January, was saddled with heavy snowfall and driving bans, yet several hundred potential workers showed up at a Niagara Falls job fair.
"That tells you something," said Cathie Synor, a Niagara County Department of Economic Development director.
Niagara County, through its Center for Economic Development, is working with Amazon's consulting team on the worker recruitment process. Several job fairs are in the works, Synor said.
Amazon declined to say how many have been hired.
In its first wave, Amazon is looking to hire at least 200 people to specifically work as senior mechanics, robotic techs, automation engineers and assistant maintenance managers.
Recruiting and hiring for other positions will follow.
Once hired, Amazon will train its new workers, said Andrea Klyczek, Niagara County Industrial Development Agency executive director.
Amazon is offering a wide range of benefits including health care coverage. But, it is also providing tools, work boots and clothes for the workers too.
"To have a project of this size and scope in our backyard is very exciting," Synor said.
In both size and scope, the Amazon project is one of the largest private sector-backed developments in Niagara County in recent memory.
Located on Lockport Road and near the Niagara Falls Air Force Reserve Base and Niagara Falls International Airport, the five-story, 3.1 million square foot complex is a $550 million investment by Amazon - the online retailing behemoth.
The building itself is nearly three times to size of the Walden Galleria.
It will be Amazon's second largest fulfillment center in New York state and Amazon's fourth area distribution complex.
Inside, the center will offer high volume, automated shipping and sorting.
"If we can help Amazon, it shows we can help anybody," Klyczek said.
In addition to the fulfillment center works, Amazon has employed more than 1,000 workers to build the complex. Construction began in 2024.
Synor said Amazon is scheduling other job fairs - mostly in Niagara County.
Recruitment is also underway at Niagara County Community College and Niagara Orleans BOCES among other locations.
"They are trying to fill as many of these jobs with Niagara County residents, but they are looking at other counties too," Synor said.