Data center construction to require many more workers
QTS has begun Phase I construction of its planned $10 billion data center campus on Van Wert’s east side, with four buildings being built simultaneously. Construction employment is now expected to reach as many as 5,500 workers per day by 2028, prompting local officials to plan for housing, schools, transportation and management of anticipated city and county revenues.
Construction has begun on the first phase of QTS’s planned $10 billion data center campus at Van Wert’s Mega Site. The phase includes four buildings of roughly 650,000 square feet each, and Van Wert Area Economic Development Director Brent Stevens said the simultaneous construction schedule has increased projected employment from about 1,500 workers to as many as 5,500 per day after March 2028. Suffolk Construction Company is leading the work, and its project head is expected to relocate to Van Wert for several years.
Stevens said local officials are working with housing developers, including developers from Fort Wayne, to accommodate incoming workers and prepare schools and businesses for the project’s broader impact. A temporary U.S. 30 off-ramp and a 6,000-space parking lot are planned, while nearby Ohio City and Convoy may also see development. QTS is not expected to receive incentives, and city and county officials are discussing separate boards to manage money generated by the project.