The Indianapolis Metropolitan Development Commission has approved a proposal by DC Blox to construct a data center campus in the city's Thunderbird Commerce Center, though the greenlit project represents a reduced version of the company's original plans following local opposition.

Approval Granted After Design Concessions

The commission voted to approve the project on Wednesday, July 15, clearing the way for DC Blox to develop the campus at 305 Fintail Drive in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The decision came after the company scaled back its original proposal, which had called for a three-building campus. The revised and approved plan covers two buildings instead of three.

The first of those buildings is described as a one-story structure spanning 70,000 square feet, with an expected completion timeline of two years.

The second is a larger, two-story building measuring 250,000 square feet, estimated for completion within five years.

DC Blox made these reductions as a concession to opponents of the development, according to a report by local outlet Ink Free News.

Community Opposition Remains Active

Despite the commission's approval, resistance to the campus has not subsided. A petition against the project had gathered more than 2,180 signatures at the time of reporting, and opponents have already filed an appeal against the hearing examiner's recommendation.

Those same opponents are also preparing to file an appeal for judicial review, indicating the approval may face further legal challenges before construction can proceed.

The opposition signals that, while DC Blox secured the necessary regulatory greenlight, the path forward is not without complications.

The scaling back of the proposal from three buildings to two was a direct response to this organized resistance, reflecting the degree of pressure local stakeholders have applied to the development process.

Investment and Energy Commitments

DC Blox has stated that the data center campus will represent an investment of between $1.8 billion and $2 billion.

The company has also disclosed that the campus will carry a peak energy demand of approximately 80 to 100 megawatts once operational.

In addressing concerns about the burden this power demand could place on local infrastructure, DC Blox has said it will pay for the infrastructure upgrades and energy production costs needed to serve the project.

That commitment to covering energy infrastructure costs may prove significant as the project moves forward, given that large-scale data center developments have increasingly drawn scrutiny from communities over their demands on local power grids and utility systems.

DC Blox's Existing Footprint

The Indianapolis campus, if completed, would add to a portfolio that DC Blox describes as already totaling 470 megawatts and 2.78 million square feet across 23 facilities.

The company, which is based in the United States, currently operates facilities in Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Indiana, Tennessee, and Georgia.

It also maintains cable landing stations in South Carolina and Florida.

The inclusion of Indiana in the company's existing list of facility locations suggests DC Blox already has a presence in the state, with the Thunderbird Commerce Center campus representing a significant expansion of that footprint.