Five data centers pitched for Gardner Property in Gainesville

JK Land Holdings, owned by Northern Virginia businessman Chuck Kuhn, has revived a proposal for five data centers and a substation on its 82-acre Gardner Property in Gainesville, Prince William County, Virginia. The renewed plan, submitted to the county last month, follows an initial pitch in 2022 and marks the seventh submission for the project. The site is located near Amazon's existing Village Place Technology Park data centers but falls outside the county's Data Center Opportunity Zone Overlay District, necessitating a special use permit and a comprehensive plan amendment.

Charles Yudd, director of land planning and development for JK Land Holdings, indicated a five to seven-year construction timeline, dependent on power availability from a proffered substation. Key modifications from the 2022 plan include a reduced floor-area ratio, adjusted building heights, and a new requested zoning of PBD with M-2 sub-zoning. Developers also proffered architectural treatments and committed to low water usage.

Community members, including Gainesville residents and the Coalition to Protect Prince William County, voiced concerns regarding the project's energy infrastructure and the feasibility of moving transmission lines underground at an open house meeting. The proposal is slated for review by the Prince William County Planning Commission, which will issue a recommendation to the Board of County Supervisors for final approval or denial. The property, formerly Hillwood Camping Park, aims to develop 1.8 million square feet of data centers adjacent to residential communities.