East Indianapolis data center gets final approval
The Metropolitan Development Commission approved a 32-acre data center for DC BLOX in East Indianapolis despite ongoing community opposition. Opponents are now considering legal action, while city officials are working to establish clearer regulations and a potential moratorium on new data center developments.
The Metropolitan Development Commission has given final approval for Atlanta-based company DC BLOX to build a 32-acre data center in the Irvington area of East Indianapolis, near Washington Street and Shadeland Avenue. The vote passed with 6 yes votes and 1 no vote, despite weeks of protests and ongoing discussions from East Side residents.
Opponents, including resident Mikey Hess, expressed anger over the decision and are now strategizing possible legal action to block DC BLOX. Councilor Andy Nielsen supported a last-minute effort to delay the vote, arguing for more time for residents and city staff to understand the project's implications and tighten regulations. In contrast, Councilor Michael Paul Hart backed the project, citing its location in an industrial area and a commitment to local union jobs as deciding factors, though he faced backlash from residents.
The DC BLOX project had already been scaled back due to controversy. Separately, the same company is facing scrutiny in Nashville, Tennessee, for a proposed development near the Nashville Zoo, where leaders are also considering a moratorium on data center development. In Indianapolis, a moratorium proposal specific to *new* data center plans recently passed out of committee, which would not affect the approved Irvington project but would be temporary, lasting until December 31st of next year if enacted.
City planning staff and councilors acknowledge the need for more time to conduct studies and establish clearer regulations, as the city previously lacked a formal definition of a data center, leading to case-by-case petition reviews.