It’s no secret that Amazon finds Connecticut attractive — and not just because the state offers a wealthy customer base.
The e-commerce giant has opened more than a dozen large-scale warehouses in the state over the last decade-plus, making Connecticut a major distribution hub for the company to not only New England but the broader East Coast.
Leading the company’s efforts in Connecticut lately is a familiar name: Glendowlyn Thames.
Thames joined Amazon in November 2021 as head of economic development for the states of Connecticut and New York.
Her background made her a natural fit for the role.
Previously, she served as deputy commissioner of the state Department of Economic and Community Development under the Lamont administration, and was the founding executive director of CTNext, an economic development organization created to spur innovation in the state.
She also previously served as chair of the Hartford City Council.
After a brief lull in new activity coming out of the pandemic, Amazon appears to be recharging its expansion efforts in the state. It has a few major projects in the works.
The company recently paid $20 million for two undeveloped parcels in Enfield, along Bacon Road, totaling around 200 acres. One of the parcels was recently approved for development of an 819,000-square-foot warehouse.
Amazon confirmed its purchase of the property, but didn’t disclose its development plans.
In April, Amazon purchased 157 acres from the city of Waterbury for $2.5 million, setting the stage for construction of a roughly 3.2 million-square-foot logistics center that will exist in both the Brass City and neighboring Naugatuck.
Currently, Amazon has about 16 delivery, fulfillment and sorting facilities in Connecticut encompassing more than 7 million square feet of space.