Hartford mayor says AI data center is not coming to city despite concerns
Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam has denied rumors that an AI data center is planned for an old data processing center near Duncan Park, despite community concerns about environmental impacts and energy usage. The mayor clarified that the city intends to build a workforce and innovation campus at the site, which would include classrooms and collaboration spaces for businesses and students, not a server-heavy data center. The project, which would replace an outdated building, is contingent on state funding.
Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam addressed community concerns regarding the possibility of an AI data center being developed at an old data processing center located near Duncan Park.
Janaya Scott, CEO for the local nonprofit Angel of Edgewood, voiced worries about potential environmental impacts and significant energy usage if an AI data center were to be built in the neighborhood. She emphasized the need for transparency and community involvement in decisions about the site, highlighting research suggesting that such centers have not always benefited local communities.
Mayor Arulampalam clarified that the city never intended to build an AI data center. Instead, the plan is to create a "workforce and innovation campus" at 150 Windsor, a space open to the public that will feature classrooms and collaborative areas. He explained that this campus would allow businesses like Hartford Healthcare to work with local students on developing AI-driven products, fostering innovation and creating job opportunities without massive energy consumption or numerous servers. The mayor indicated that the project, which involves demolishing the current outdated and unsafe building, is dependent on securing state funding.