Amazon's Future Neighbor Views Company's Plan Eagerly ... and Cautiously

When Amazon opens its new hub in Long Island City in a few years, its neighbor will be the largest housing project in the country – the Queensbridge Houses – whose residents have high expectations that the company might not deliver on.

The technology company said it will create at least 25,000 jobs over 10 years. Ali Zay, 31, thinks it could be a game changer for Queensbridge.

“Obviously this is a low-income area,” he said. “It just gives people an opportunity to make money, be able to provide for their families. I think it's a great idea.”

Around half of the 3,000 families who live in Queensbridge are not employed. The average income is around $24,000.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo also said Amazon, which could receive nearly $3 billion in tax credits, incentives and grants from the city and state, will benefit Queensbridge.

“They have made specific representations to partner with the housing complex, to hire from the housing complex,” he said on WNYC's Brian Lehrer Show on Monday.

But Amazon has only agreed to hold job fairs and resume workshops at Queensbridge. (When Lehrer pressed the governor, Cuomo later conceded that there may not be a hiring promise.) The jobs they create will pay $150,000 a year on average and people from all over the world will compete for them.

Angelica Rosado, 30, said she worries that there’s no local hiring commitment.

“I don't know how that's going to work out,” she said. “I'm hoping for the best, but I'm not too confident about that.”

She said the scenario where Amazon comes into the neighborhood but doesn’t hire residents from it would bring all of the disadvantages but none of the benefits

“That’s going to kill us,” she said.