Cortana Amazon center opens after a $200 million investment over three years

The long-awaited Amazon fulfillment center at the former Cortana Mall site has finally opened its doors after more than three years of construction. With a $200 million investment, the facility is now operational, employing more than 500 workers with plans to expand to over 1,000 employees in the near future. Located at the busy intersection of Airline Highway and Florida Boulevard, the center occupies a significant portion of the mall area, which began demolition back in March 2021.

Spanning a massive 3.4 million square feet, the fulfillment center boasts the capability to handle up to 1 million packages daily. The building rises nearly 90 feet and houses storage areas, robots, and conveyors on its second through fifth floors. Within the facility, employees work alongside Amazon’s high-tech robots to process and ship a variety of small items, from books and electronics to toys and housewares.

Despite its size and scale, the Cortana facility itself will not directly ship packages to consumers. Instead, packages will be routed to Amazon’s sortation center in Port Allen before being transferred to delivery stations for the final leg of their journey. The center in question will work in tandem with other Amazon facilities, such as those located off Siegen Lane and in Jefferson Parish, to ensure efficient and timely product delivery.

Adding to its existing operations in the state, the Cortana center marks Amazon’s second fulfillment facility in Louisiana, supplementing the Carencro site that opened its doors in 2021. A third center in Shreveport is scheduled to commence operations in August. Amazon has confirmed that employees at the facility will receive a starting wage of $17.50 per hour, along with an array of benefits including healthcare, dental coverage, 401k plans, and paid parental leave.

For those interested in joining the Amazon team in Louisiana, job opportunities can be explored on the company’s website at amazon.com/flexiblejobs, where applications can be submitted by entering the relevant zip code. With its state-of-the-art infrastructure and commitment to employee well-being, the fulfillment center at the former Cortana Mall site is poised to become a vital hub for Amazon’s logistical operations in the region.