The price tag for Amazon to prepare its yet-to-open east Pasco warehouse for its future role continues to climb.

The online retail giant has filed more building permits approaching $14 million since it submitted a first for $30 million in April for the 1 million-square-foot facility, known as Project Pearl while under development.

The largest new permitted project is for installation of storage racks inside the warehouse at 1202 S. Road 40 E. Wize Solutions LLC of Sandy, Utah, is listed as the contractor. Seizmic Inc. of Covina, California, is the architect.

The $140 million facility has been vacant since receiving the green light for occupancy three years ago. It’s located just west of the operating Amazon cross-dock facility in east Pasco known as Project Oyster.

The Amazon facilities, including the multimillion-dollar delivery station at 5802 N. Capitol Ave., represent huge investments in the Tri-Cities. 

The two Amazon properties on South Road 40 on the east side of Pasco are among the highest assessed property values in Franklin County, at a combined $367 million. Project Pearl’s property tax bill this year is nearly $1.5 million, while Oyster’s is nearly $1.7 million.

Construction on the two massive Amazon warehouses began in 2021 between Highway 12 and where the Snake River flows into the Columbia River.

The operating Amazon warehouse came online in 2024 with roughly 1,000 workers. The facility is one of the company’s first national inbound cross docks, receiving shipments of incoming products from vendors and sellers from all over the world, which are then sent out to other Amazon facilities for processing and eventual delivery.

The vacant facility, however, has remained idle, with one Amazon official saying in late 2024 the company was working “to understand how best to utilize that facility within the fulfillment network.” 

Pasco city officials have said they do not have information on Amazon’s specific plans but indicated the nature of the planned improvements reflect a shift toward increased automation and leaner staffing.