B. F. Saul Plans Data Center Along Rt. 7, Near Lansdowne
B. F. Saul Company proposes a large data center development in Loudoun County, Virginia, near Ashburn Village. Residents and Supervisor Sylvia R. Glass have raised concerns regarding noise, water consumption, and electricity use. A dispute exists over whether the project requires special exception permit approval from the Board of Supervisors or if B. F. Saul has vested rights from previous zoning.
Bethesda-based B. F. Saul Company is proposing a new data center development comprising three buildings and one substation, totaling nearly 500,000 square feet, on a 52.5-acre parcel bordering Rt. 7 and Ashburn Village Boulevard in Loudoun County, Virginia.
Residents of the nearby Ashburn Village neighborhood have expressed strong opposition, citing concerns about noise, water consumption, power constraints, and rising electricity costs. Loudoun County Supervisor Sylvia R. Glass (D-Broad Run), whose district includes the site, echoed these concerns, stating that the community meeting hosted by the Ashburn Village HOA showed "overwhelmingly against having a data center there."
A key point of contention is whether the project requires a special exception permit from the Board of Supervisors. County zoning staff determined it does, but B. F. Saul President and COO Todd Pearson disputes this, asserting the company has vested rights from a 1986 rezoning. Supervisor Glass indicated that if the company pursues this, it could lead to a legal process.
The proposed site, currently zoned for Industrial Park, was previously envisioned for mixed-use development. Other data center projects along Rt. 7 by companies like Vantage Data Centers, JK Land Holdings, and Amazon are also mentioned in the context of increasing development in the corridor.