Yorkville could approve 2 more data center projects, including 540-acre Project Steel

The City of Yorkville is considering two significant data center projects, Project Steel (540 acres) and the Meyer data center (80 acres), following a lengthy meeting regarding the 1,034-acre Project Cardinal. These proposals are on the agenda for an upcoming City Council meeting, where they could receive crucial approvals, despite the planning and zoning commission unanimously recommending against the Meyer data center. Residents have voiced strong opposition, citing concerns about light and sound pollution, potential health impacts, and a 10-20 year construction period. Many feel the city is sacrificing Yorkville's charm for industrial development along the Eldamain Corridor. Project Steel, developed by Prologis, L.P., involves the annexation, rezoning, and a Planned Unit Development (PUD) for unincorporated agricultural land. Developers have proposed an upfront payment of $40 million to the city, with about $30 million allocated to the Yorkville School District 115. Following feedback from ComEd, the project now includes four electrical substations and 16 larger, two-story warehouses. The updated plans also increase the buffer distance between the data center buildings and residential areas. The Meyer data center, proposed by Yorkville Nexus V LLC and Green Door Capital, has been downsized from 130 acres to 91 acres for data center usage, with a 37-acre eastern parcel remaining zoned residential due to resident pushback. The developers have agreed to an $10 million impact fee and a