Perry Data Center Developer: They’re Just Bigger Server Farms

Pannatoni Development Company, a real estate developer known for constructing Canton's Amazon distribution center, is now seeking to establish a data center on Faircrest Street SW in Perry Township, Ohio. Adam Kramer, the company's head of data centers, attempted to explain the function of these facilities at a recent meeting, emphasizing their role in handling increasing internet traffic and dismissing concerns about associated health risks. The proposed data center project has met with substantial opposition from the community and requires approval from both the Canton City Council and Stark County commissioners before it can move forward. Kramer contextualized data centers by noting that server facilities have existed since the 1960s, citing IBM as an early example.