Markley Group president expands operations in Lowell

Jeffrey Markley, president of the Markley Group LLC, which operates data centers in Boston and Lowell, has acquired additional properties in Lowell totaling over 422,000 square feet for almost $5.6 million. While Markley and his representatives did not explicitly state the purchases were for data center expansion, the Markley Group's website was updated to feature "Now available for your generative AI workloads." Generative AI data centers require substantial power, a factor potentially linked to one of the acquired sites, the former Tanner Street Generating Station, which was retired in 2024. The acquisitions and proposed subdivisions come amidst an enacted 360-day moratorium by the Lowell City Council on new data center construction and expansion of existing ones. Despite this moratorium and significant environmental concerns raised by Planning Board members, the board unanimously approved preliminary subdivision applications for 2 Tanner Street and 90 Bolt Street during its April 6 meeting. Antonio Moura of Stantec, representing the applicant, stated the applications complied with the city's zoning ordinance for subdivisions but was not privy to detailed future plans. Board members, notably Lucia Walker, expressed serious concerns regarding potential disturbance of land near the Silresim Superfund site, an area with documented groundwater and soil contamination from chemical waste. Moura indicated the company would conduct due diligence during the definitive site plan review phase. Jeffrey Markley is identified as the sole member of the LLCs that purchased the Tanner Street and Bolt Street properties. The Planning Board will review additional preliminary subdivision applications later in April.