Amazon.com Inc. announced last week that it will build a customer service facility in Winchester, KY, that will employ up to 1,100 workers. Amazon already operates four fulfillment centers in the state and has collected sales tax on purchases made by Kentucky residents since 2005.

Amazon expects to open the 70,000-square-foot facility in 2013, but will staff a temporary customer service center in Winchester starting in late summer. The customer service center, Amazon’s first in Kentucky, will employ approximately 550 full-time workers and 600 seasonal workers. Amazon.com is No. 1 in Internet Retailer’s 2012 Top 500 Guide.

 “There are thousands of employees working in Amazon’s fulfillment centers across Kentucky, and we’re proud to be expanding our presence in the state,” says Tom Weiland, vice president, Amazon customer service. Amazon says the staff at the facility will provide customer service and technical support to the e-retailer’s customers.

Amazon is on a building-and-hiring tear. The e-retailer has announced plans to build at least 15 more fulfillment centers since January, including two in California. Amazon increased its workforce by 73.1% last year, closing the year with 65,600 employees. The majority of its recent hires have been in operations and customer service roles, Amazon chief financial officer Tom Szkutak said last month during a conference call discussing Amazon’s financial results.