Reston, Virginia, Data Centers Integrate Without Significant Community Opposition
This commentary piece highlights Reston, Virginia's experience with six data centers, noting a surprising lack of community opposition despite the town's environmental focus. The author, a long-time resident, suggests that other towns considering data center development can learn from Reston's ability to integrate these facilities quietly and benefit from their tax revenue. Minor opposition to a CoreSite expansion is mentioned, but the project is proceeding.
Paul Steidler, a senior fellow with the Lexington Institute, shares his observations on Reston, Virginia's experience with six data centers within its 16 square miles. Despite Reston's reputation as a master-planned community with a strong environmental ethos and a history of opposing undesirable developments, Steidler notes an almost complete absence of controversy surrounding these facilities over his 27 years as a resident.
Steidler toured the data centers, finding them quiet, plume-free, and well-blended into their designated business areas. Three of the facilities are owned by CoreSite, with one, VA3, undergoing a 30% expansion to 1.3 million square feet. This expansion has generated some community opposition, though Steidler characterizes it as minor compared to other nationwide data center proposals or local political issues in Reston. The other three facilities are separate structures integrated among other commercial buildings.
The author identifies several lessons for other towns: be open to data centers for their significant property tax payments and good-paying jobs; respect and work with developers on design and community integration; and incorporate data centers into overall town planning. Steidler urges leaders to visit communities like Reston to see firsthand the reality of data center operations, advocating for optimism and fact-based decision-making over fear and demagoguery.