New York developer with Russian ties eyes Archbald for data centers
PNK Group, a New York developer, has launched an advertising campaign and survey for a proposed data center project in Archbald, Pennsylvania. This initiative comes amidst local opposition to current data center zoning ordinances, which residents are challenging in court, and calls for a moratorium on new proposals. The developer also has ties to Russia and has been investigated by U.S. lawmakers for other business dealings.
PNK Group, a New York developer with Russian ties, has launched an advertising campaign in Archbald, Pennsylvania, for its potential seventh data center project in the Valley View Business Park. The campaign includes flyers and Facebook ads directing residents to a survey about the project, located on a 44.5-acre property PNK acquired nearly 2.5 years ago.
This development comes as local residents express significant opposition to existing data center growth in the borough. A group of residents is currently challenging Archbald's November-adopted zoning ordinance in court, which conditionally allows data centers in certain areas, including the business park. They argue the current zoning lacks sufficient safeguards against noise and other impacts.
Tamara Misewicz-Healey, co-founder of Archbald Data Centers, has called for a moratorium on all new data center proposals, stating that the community needs time to establish more protective zoning requirements before more projects are introduced. Archbald Borough Manager Dan Markey confirmed no official applications from PNK Group have been filed yet.
PNK Group, led by founder Andrey Sharkov, has faced scrutiny beyond this project. U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren recently questioned the company's sale of warehouses to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for detention centers, highlighting PNK S1 LLC Group's classification as a subsidiary of a Russian-founded industrial developer.