Two buildings in plans for data center near zoo
New documents reveal that a proposed data center near the Nashville Zoo includes plans for a second building three times larger than the initially permitted facility. Local residents have launched a petition against the project, gathering over 360,000 signatures, and the Nashville Zoo's lawyers have filed zoning appeals to overturn existing permits.
New documents uncovered by Brendan Tierney of WSMV 4 Nashville reveal that a data center proposal near the Nashville Zoo, initially presented as a single 69,000 square foot building, includes plans for a second, three-story facility that is three times larger and rated for 40 megawatts. The initial permit request was for a 10-megawatt data center.
Each proposed building would include its own generator yard and a power substation. The Atlanta-based company behind the project, identified as DC BLOX, states it's too early to comment on future plans but has requested a meeting with Metro leaders and community members to discuss the proposal.
Local residents, including Robert Fischer, are concerned about noise and the lack of specific zoning for AI data centers in Nashville, where data centers can currently open in any business-zoned area. An active petition to stop the project has garnered over 360,000 signatures within a week. The Nashville Zoo has also submitted zoning appeals to the city, seeking to overturn the permits already filed and prevent further approvals.