Dozens of community members attended the June 11 Metropolitan Development Commission Hearing Examiner meeting to share their opinions about a proposed data center near Irvington.
Georgia-based developer DC Blox hopes to build a $2 billion data center campus near South Kitley Avenue and the Pennsy Trail. The campus would be built on a brownfield located on the Thunderbird Commerce Center property, an industrial park that was once home to a Ford plant.
DC Blox is seeking a use variance, not a rezoning of the property. A use variance is a request to use a property for something not currently allowed in its zoning classification, which all data centers currently have to go through in Indianapolis. City-County Councilors are not able to call for a vote on proposals that have sought use variances. That means the Metropolitan Development Commission will have final approval of the project.
Despite resident concerns, MDC hearing examiner Judy Weerts Hall recommended approving the project.
Before the meeting, a handful of people wearing red gathered outside of the City-County Building in opposition to the data center campus.
Eastsider Lisa Kirkwood opposes the project due its proximity to homes and the Pennsy Trail.
“People should have much more of an input, and it shouldn’t just like be passed through with just minor things that need to be proposed,” Kirkwood said. “We deserve a say.”
During the meeting, representatives for DC Blox shared plans for the project. Once completed, the campus would consist of three buildings. The facilities could use up to 78 megawatts of electricity and include 56 backup generators.
DC Blox has agreed to pay for energy infrastructure improvements needed for the data center and pledged to use local labor unions for its construction. The company also said it will donate money to help maintain the Pennsy Trail. Representatives for DC Blox also said the company has experience developing on other brownfields and will adhere to environmental regulations.
Still, several residents shared concerns about rising utility costs and the environmental and health impacts of the project.
Irvington resident Dawn Briggs said there are still unanswered questions that need to be addressed.
“Once decisions like this are made, there’s no turning back,” Briggs said.
Briggs urged Hall to recommend denial for the project until the city finalizes regulations on data centers. Last month, the Indianapolis City-County Council unanimously approved a resolution calling for a moratorium on data center development.
“Today I am asking you for something that is entirely within your power to provide and that’s time,” Briggs said. “Time to gather information, time to understand the impacts, time to secure real meaningful commitments, time to ensure that the people who will be most affected have confidence that their concerns have truly been addressed.”
With Hall’s recommendation, the proposal will go to the full commission for a vote.
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Mirror Indy reporter Darian Benson covers east Indianapolis. Contact her at 317-397-7262 or darian.benson@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on X @HelloImDarian or on Bluesky @darianbenson.bsky.social.
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