Amazon.com is building a packing and shipping warehouse in Salem, with plans to hire more than 1,000 full-time employees.

The operation, at 4775 Depot Court SE in the Mill Creek Corporate Center, will cover approximately one million square feet. Employees will be tasked with packing and shipping products such as gardening tools, pet food and sports equipment, the Seattle-based company said Monday.

Amazon spokeswoman Ashley Robinson declined by email to say when the center will open, but said it won't be this year.

Job postings for similar full-time positions in Reno, Nevada and Sacramento, California show hourly wages hovering between $12.75 and $14.25, though that may vary at the Salem center. "On average, we pay 30 percent more than traditional retail jobs," Robinson said.

Amazon’s full-time employees can tap into benefits that include company stock awards, 401(k) retirement plans and health care.

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The move into Salem falls in line with Amazon's expansion into Oregon, which already includes operations in Portland and Hillsboro. The company in June said it will open an 855,000-square-foot center in Troutdale.

The state of Oregon sold the Salem property, which used to be agricultural land, to Portland-based developer Capstone Partners, LLC, with the $6.174 million sale closing Aug. 25. Amazon will lease the warehouse building from Capstone.

Work started weeks ago on the site, said Darrin Brightman, real estate project manager with the Oregon Department of Administrative Services. That's allowed because a permit of entry was issued so "they could start moving dirt," Brightman said.

Amazon qualifies for an enterprise-zone tax incentive for new investment, said Chad Freeman, president of the nonprofit Strategic Economic Development Corp.

Freeman said, based on a Marion County estimate, the new $90 million building would be eligible for a $1,235,800 per year tax abatement for three years. After that, the tax bill for the building will be about $1.2 million.

“The support of Gov. (Kate) Brown, local leaders, and many others have been instrumental in our decision to locate ... in the state capital, and we are grateful for the support we’ve received," Sanjay Shah, Amazon’s vice president of North America Customer Fulfillment, said in a statement.

Brown heralded the move, saying in a statement: “Amazon’s continued expansion in Oregon means more jobs and bright futures for the Oregonians who work there and live in the surrounding communities."

Salem Mayor Chuck Bennett welcomed Amazon to town with a statement: "Salem is looking forward to partnering with Amazon to create innovative jobs and develop a lasting relationship with our vibrant community."

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