What s it like living next to a data center construction site? Residents weigh in.

Eugene Albert and other residents of Middlesex Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, are experiencing significant disruptions as construction for a massive 700-acre data center project, expected to house up to 18 buildings, is underway directly across from their homes. Construction, which runs from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, involves blasting and heavy machinery, causing constant noise, ground shaking, and increased truck traffic that has damaged Country Club Road, requiring developer-funded repairs. Albert, who purchased his home in June, stated he would not have bought the property if he had known about the development, lamenting the loss of his rural view which will soon be replaced by a substation and data center infrastructure. Residents also report contractors conducting inspections and installing seismographs on their properties prior to blasting. Concerns extend beyond the five-year construction period, with residents worried about potential 24/7 light pollution, continued traffic increases, and the broader loss of agricultural land. The township confirmed the construction schedule, but no specific developer was named in the report.