A former building that housed the Bulova Watch Company is set to become a hub for Amazon, the last stop before packages are delivered to local customers.

But, Assembly member Ron Kim is not laying out the welcome mat for the giant internet retailer just yet.

"Whenever we spend one dollar on a product on Amazon that we could have bought locally at a community in our neighborhood, that's one dollar that we're never going to see again back into our community. It's one dollar that's not going to circulate into our local economy," Assembly member Ron Kim said.

Competition from Amazon has hurt mom and pop stores like those that line Steinway Street, a bustling shopping district in Astoria not far from the Bulova site. Tony Barsamian, who chairs the local business improvement district, is trying to be more welcoming to Amazon.

Barsamian believes shopping locally and in person always beats buying online. But he's hopeful the hundreds of jobs Amazon promises to create will be a boost for the local economy.

"And then they can come out and spend it on Steinway Street, Broadway, 30th Avenue. Ditmars, Astoria and all over Queens from one end to the other. So if they're going to be somewhere, it's not really going to hurt us more or less if they're in our backyard or 3,000 miles away in California," Tony Barsamian, Chairman, Steinway Business Improvement District said.

An Amazon spokeswoman says job opportunities will pay between $18 and $25 dollars an hour.

In a statement, she added, "Sales from small businesses using Amazon Marketplace account for 50% of the units sold on Amazon, and hundreds of small delivery service companies across the country employ thousands of drivers to deliver smiles to Amazon customers."

It's not clear when the Amazon center is set to open.