The 'data center' is out. What's next for Midtown Center?
Community members in Milwaukee successfully opposed plans for a data processing and computer research facility at the Midtown Center, leading the developer to drop those specific plans. Following this, organizations like the Party for Socialism and Liberation Milwaukee are advocating for a city-wide data center moratorium to address environmental, community, grid, and zoning impacts.
In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, community members gathered for a seven-hour meeting at City Hall on June 29 to discuss the Midtown Center development proposal, which included plans for a "data processing" and "computer research facility" at the former Walmart site.
On July 6, Alderman Mark Chambers Jr. confirmed that Trent Overhue, the owner and developer of the site, withdrew the plans for the research facility, which opponents identified as a data center. This decision was largely seen as a victory for community power, as stated by Melody McCurtis, deputy director of Metcalf Park Community Bridges. While the data center component has been removed, the development will still seek approval for plans involving storage, housing, a Milwaukee Public Library branch, and other neighborhood amenities.
Following this outcome, organizations such as the Party for Socialism and Liberation Milwaukee are now advocating for a city-wide data center moratorium. They propose that such a moratorium would provide local governments with the necessary time to evaluate the environmental, community, grid restructuring, and zoning impacts of future data center developments, a measure some other Wisconsin communities have already adopted. PSL Milwaukee has scheduled its next meeting for July 16 to further discuss these efforts.