Another data center could be coming to the east side

DC Blox, a Georgia-based data center developer, plans to build a $2 billion data center campus on the east side of Indianapolis. The proposed facility, located at the corner of South Kitley Avenue and the Pennsy Trail, would consist of three buildings constructed in two phases, creating up to 600 temporary construction jobs and 35 permanent high-wage positions. According to Bill Thomson, Vice President of Marketing and Product Management for DC Blox, the project will feature a closed-loop water system to minimize utility water usage and the company is committed to funding a new substation and other necessary energy infrastructure. The site, formerly a Ford factory and now part of the Thunderbird Commerce Center, is zoned for heavy industrial use. However, data centers lack a specific zoning classification in Indianapolis, prompting DC Blox to file a variance of use petition with the Metropolitan Development Commission. The first phase includes an 80,000-square-foot building, with construction expected to last two years post-approval. Phase two involves a 140,000-square-foot and a 190,000-square-foot building, projected to take four years to complete after a two-year delay. The project does not require City-County Council approval as it is not seeking a full rezoning. A public hearing on the variance is set for 1 p.m. on May 14 at the City-County Building.