From Post staff reports

Amazon is planning to expand its Lebanon sorting and distribution center and will add more than 200,000 square feet, bringing the size to about 1.5 million square feet.

Officials told employees at the facility, which is located off State Route 840 and Central Pike, this week about the plan.

A source who did not wish to be identified said Amazon officials decided to improve the new Lebanon facility, enhancing the building and its size. Upon completion, the source said this will be one of Amazon’s largest facilities.

The addition means the facility will not be opening this fall as planned. However, officials said they expect to open in early 2013.

The source noted this delay in construction will not affect jobs and that Amazon is continuing to hire workers. For those they have already employed, they will work at the existing Lebanon site, which is across the street from the new facility, until the new one opens.

The Wilson Post broke the story of Amazon’s arrival in Lebanon in its July 29, 2011 print edition. The company announced it would locate a 500,000 square-foot facility on Duke Drive, off State Route 840. The company leased an existing building for two years where it is currently located.

At that time, the facility created almost 500 jobs and has since been hiring local residents for hourly and managerial as well as seasonal positions.

Plateau Excavation out of Atlanta, Ga., began work in January on the facility.