Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is calling for property owners to submit spaces as possible locations for Amazon's second North American headquarters, which the city hopes will help entice the tech giant to choose Chicago for its national expansion.
Emanuel announced Wednesday that the city is seeking nominations for potential Amazon HQ2 locations, which Chicago will use in its formal application to Amazon.
“We're looking for partners to put their best foot forward and help us determine which sites have the best potential to drive growth for Amazon and Chicago,” Emanuel said in a statement. “While we have many sites that meet Amazon’s requirements, there is only one city that offers unmatched potential for future success – Chicago.”
Amazon has said it needs 500,000 square feet of space initially, and it plans to expand up to 8 million square feet of space over the next decade. Other requirements, according to the city, include direct access to mass transit, be located within 30 miles of downtown, and within 45 minutes of O’Hare Airport.
Potential options in Chicago could include the former Finkl Steel site, the Old Main Post Office, Related Midwest's 62-acre plot of land in the South Loop, and the former South Works steel mill site on the South Side.
The deadline for Chicago location nominations is Wednesday, Sept. 27, the city said. Amazon plans to choose a city for its second headquarters by next year.
