Irvington data center set for final vote today. Follow live updates
Residents are expected to protest today as the Metropolitan Development Commission votes on DC BLOX's proposed data center campus near Irvington, Indianapolis. Despite DC BLOX scaling back plans for two facilities, neighbors continue to oppose due to environmental impact, electric grid strain, and proximity to homes. Additionally, a city-wide data center moratorium is proposed but would not apply to this project or others already approved.
The Metropolitan Development Commission (MDC) is set to vote today on a contentious data center project proposed by Atlanta-based DC BLOX, near the Irvington neighborhood in Indianapolis. The developer aims to construct two data processing facilities spanning 320,000 square feet at 305 Fintail Drive, a former Ford manufacturing site. In response to significant community opposition, DC BLOX has reduced its plans by eliminating one building and 25 backup diesel generators, and now projects only 17 full-time employees.
Despite these concessions, residents are expected to protest the vote en masse, citing concerns over the project's environmental impact on a contaminated site, its potential strain on the electric grid, and its proximity to thousands of homes. The proposal comes to the MDC with a recommendation for approval, with company representatives highlighting the potential for up to $2 billion in tax revenue and the creation of approximately 600 construction jobs.
Separately, the Indianapolis City-County Council has advanced a proposal for a city-wide data center moratorium, which will be voted on August 10 and could last until December 31, 2027. This moratorium aims to allow time for a comprehensive review of data center regulations, including building footprints, environmental issues, and electronic waste. However, top Democrats, including City-County Council President Maggie Lewis and Mayor Joe Hogsett, support the measure, but it would not apply retroactively to projects already approved or to the current DC BLOX proposal, as it will not be approved in time. Councilor Jesse Brown's call for the MDC to enact its own immediate moratorium was not listed on today's agenda.