City of St. Louis approves permit for Armory Innovation Data Center project

The City of St. Louis Board of Public Service has unanimously approved a conditional use permit for the 120-megawatt Armory Innovation Data Center project. This $3 billion development, planned for the old Famous-Barr warehouse property in Midtown, also includes the redevelopment of the adjacent Armory building into luxury office space for the data center's user. The approval is contingent on numerous conditions designed to mitigate community concerns related to noise, walkability, sustainability, and the consumption of power and water. Additionally, the city has secured a comprehensive community benefits agreement tied to the project. Local investor Rod Thomas and Las Vegas-based real estate firm Contour are backing the project, with a development team including Contour, TerraWatt, THO Investments, Steadfast City Economic & Community Partners, ARCO Construction, and Lewis Rice. Mayor Cara Spencer emphasized that while St. Louis welcomes business, development must occur "on our terms," ensuring the community benefits. She highlighted the project's projected creation of 1,050 union building trades jobs during construction and 200 full-time jobs post-completion, along with significant first-year tax revenues of $27.4 million for the city and $33.4 million for St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS). Spencer acknowledged shared concerns about data centers but stated that the city negotiated diligently to address these issues and maximize community gains. The decision received strong support from local labor unions, including IBEW/NECA Electrical Connection, AFT St. Louis Local 420, the St. Louis Building and Construction Trades Council, and the Missouri AFL-CIO. Union leaders praised Mayor Spencer's efforts in securing the conditional provisions, seeing the project as a model for responsible development that creates good-paying jobs and supports public services.