Milwaukee Developer Addresses Data Center Concerns for Midtown Walmart Redevelopment
A proposed mixed-use redevelopment of a former Walmart in Milwaukee's Midtown Center includes a "computational research" facility. The developer, Affordable Family Storage, is clarifying that the facility is not a large-scale data center to address community concerns about water use, noise, and energy consumption, which led to an initial zoning review being canceled. The project aims to revitalize the Midtown neighborhood.
Trent Overhue, co-owner of Affordable Family Storage (AFS), is clarifying details about a proposed "computational research" facility, part of a broader redevelopment of the vacant Midtown Center Walmart in Milwaukee. The project, which also includes a relocated Capitol Library, a community center, self-storage, and 200 affordable apartments (developed by Gorman & Company), faced an initial zoning review cancellation due to community concerns about the computing component.
Overhue emphasized that the 19,000-square-foot facility, with an IT electrical load of roughly seven megawatts and closed-loop cooling, is distinct from hyperscale data centers that typically operate at thousands of megawatts and consume vast amounts of water and energy. He assured that it would have minimal water use, similar to a car's radiator, and operate quietly, complying with city noise ordinances. The facility's cooling equipment was even repositioned based on city recommendations to reduce noise impact.
Ald. Mark Chambers, Jr., a key figure whose support the project seeks, had previously expressed concern, stating that "data centers are a couple of very bad words these days" due to their associated noise, water, and resource strain. AFS acquired the site in 2022, and a prior rezoning attempt focusing solely on self-storage was denied in 2023. Overhue frames the current plan, including the computational facility, as crucial for revitalizing the Midtown neighborhood by attracting foot traffic and new tenants.