ARLINGTON, VA — Tech giant Amazon is moving forward with development of its second headquarters (HQ2) in Arlington, Virginia.
Arlington County officials say they approved the first phase of Amazon's HQ2 in a final and unanimous vote on Saturday.
The board voted in favor of the 6.2 acre transformation that will include two 22-story towers with office, residential and retail spaces.
The project will also add two roads, underground parking, bike lanes and improved transit access.Amazon pledged to contribute $20 million dollars towards affordable housing in Arlington as a part of the agreement.
The board also accepted a $200,000 dollar federal grant for job-training services for Arlington and Alexandria residents.
Amazon currently has 18 tech hubs across the continent, employing more than 20,000 people total. Its newest tech hub opened earlier this year in Houston, hiring 150 Amazon Web Services (AWS) employees.