Proposed King of Prussia data center campus faces renewed scrutiny as review continues
A proposed 4.6 million-square-foot data center campus in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, is undergoing an intense review by Upper Merion Township officials, attracting significant public opposition. The developer, Brian O'Neill, presented revisions, but residents' core concerns about hyper-scale data centers and power generation remain unaddressed. The township had previously adopted new data center restrictions, but this project is vested under older rules.
A proposed 4.6 million-square-foot data center campus, known as Renaissance Park and Innovation Data Center, in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, is facing renewed scrutiny as it enters a more intense phase of review by Upper Merion Township officials.
The project, which spans five sites and multiple buildings, was first publicly unveiled in late May and has since garnered significant public opposition. A recent meeting saw a large crowd, with many residents indicating their strong disapproval of the development. Developer Brian O'Neill presented revisions to three of his five applications, but residents, including Courtney Smith, stated these changes did not address their primary concerns, particularly regarding the construction of multiple power plants.
Commissioners focused their discussions on zoning, power generation, engineering, and environmental impacts. O'Neill defended the project, arguing that the commission's requests for information exceeded current review stage requirements and suggested political motivations. Although Upper Merion Township adopted new data center construction restrictions in March, Township Manager Tony Hamaday confirmed that the current proposals, submitted before the ordinance took effect, are vested under the older rules.
The planning commission is set to review the remaining two applications on August 12, after which the proposals could move closer to a township vote.