Press Pass: Building purchased for possible data center project
Valor Energy purchased a 30,000-square-foot industrial building on Logan Avenue in Youngstown for a possible small AI data center project. Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber CEO Guy Koviello said the project would likely have limited neighborhood impact, while noting that a proposed local data center moratorium could affect future projects more than this one.
Valor Energy paid $3.6 million for a 30,000-square-foot building on Youngstown's north side that could be expanded into an AI data center. The project remains subject to permitting, and chamber President and CEO Guy Koviello described it as much smaller than other proposed developments in the region, including projects near Lordstown.
Koviello said the facility could provide a clean, quiet reuse for an industrial property and support high-speed connectivity for local manufacturers and businesses. He cautioned that a proposed Youngstown data center moratorium would likely not affect the project because it is already progressing, but said local officials should carefully balance regulation with the potential benefits of data centers, including infrastructure investment, utility stability and technology-related job retention.