Some Salem Twp. residents upset about exclusion from data center buyout

Residents of North Market Street in Salem Township, Pennsylvania, are expressing significant dissatisfaction over their exclusion from a $580 million land acquisition by QTS Data Centers, which recently purchased 97 properties totaling 1,700 acres for a new data center campus. The aggrieved homeowners, living within a few hundred feet of the planned development, claim they were under the impression their properties would be part of the buyout, especially after being approached by 4-3 Consulting regarding street widening. Homeowners like Dennis Steinruck and Terri Barren voiced concerns about the anticipated noise and dust from construction and the ongoing hum from the operational data center, likening it to the distant hum they already hear from a natural gas power plant. They fear the close proximity of the data center will severely impact their quality of life, despite township noise ordinances. Karen DiMaggio, QTS Vice President for Community Engagement, met with residents, acknowledging confusion about their exclusion from the land sale. Jack Sordoni, principal of 4-3 Consulting, which developed and sold the project to QTS, stated he had hoped these residents would be included but emphasized that the decision rested with QTS as the buyer. QTS issued a statement indicating awareness of nearby neighbors and a willingness to engage directly to address concerns. The Market Street residents are now preparing to attend a Salem Township Planning Commission meeting to discuss updated project plans.