Data center developer shrinks east side project days before final vote
DC Blox has scaled back its proposed data center campus in Indianapolis' East Gate neighborhood, reducing the number of buildings and generators and increasing the buffer, ahead of a final vote by the Metropolitan Development Commission. The changes come after significant community opposition concerning the project's impact, particularly on water and energy consumption. Separately, Indianapolis is proposing new city-wide zoning regulations for data centers.
DC Blox, a Georgia-based data center developer, has modified its plans for a contentious $2 billion data center campus on Indianapolis' east side, just days before a final vote by the Metropolitan Development Commission. The initial proposal for three buildings and up to 56 diesel generators at the corner of South Kitley Avenue and the Pennsy Trail has been reduced to two buildings, 25 fewer backup diesel generators, and a larger buffer south of the Pennsy Trail, due to community pushback.
The project will now be built in two phases, with the first 70,000-square-foot building expected to be completed within two years of approval, followed by a 250,000-square-foot building about three years later. DC Blox stated these changes reflect a commitment to both technological growth and community trust. The Metropolitan Development Commission is scheduled to vote on the variance of use request on July 15, as the decision rests solely with the commission, bypassing the City-County Council.
Despite the revisions, local resident Mikey Hess questioned why the developer waited so long to incorporate community concerns. Data centers have become a controversial topic in Indiana due to their high water and energy consumption. While Indianapolis currently lacks specific data center regulations, the Department of Metropolitan Development is working to create a new special zoning class for these facilities, which has been advanced by the Metropolitan Development Commission to the City-County Council, though it would not apply to existing proposals like DC Blox's.