Union County Residents Protest Proposed AI Data Center in Kenilworth

Dozens of residents from Union County, New Jersey, gathered outside Kenilworth Borough Hall and later filled a borough council meeting to protest the planned construction of an AI data center by tech company CoreWeave. The proposed data center, which will take over the former Merck campus at the Northeast Science and Technology Center (NEST campus), has sparked backlash from residents who claim they were not adequately notified about the project. Residents like Diane Moxley and William Daughtry expressed frustration, with Moxley hoping that community numbers could prompt the municipal government to listen. Kenilworth Mayor Linda Korlavitch, attending virtually, confirmed that the borough council approved the sale of land to CoreWeave in 2025 and that the local planning board has also signed off on the redevelopment. She noted that construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2027. Environmental concerns, particularly regarding massive energy and water consumption, were a prominent theme during the public comments. However, borough officials stated that the site is already equipped with the necessary infrastructure to handle increased demands, and leaders informed the crowd that the opportunity to stop the project had already passed.