Data center developer QTS is moving forward with plans to dramatically expand its presence in Varina, submitting applications and receiving development plan approvals for two new campuses that together would add 1,100 acres and 17 buildings totaling nearly 8 million square feet of data center space to its existing operations at White Oak Technology Park in eastern Henrico County.

Two Campuses, One Sweeping Expansion

The expansion involves two distinct projects, designated RIC4 and RIC5, each on separate tracts adjacent to QTS's existing footprint along Technology Boulevard.

The company already operates more than 3 million square feet of data center space across 16 constructed or in-development facilities at White Oak Technology Park, situated near the I-64/295 interchange.

RIC5, a 622-acre site straddling Williamsburg Road southeast of the interchange, would add seven data centers totaling more than 4.1 million square feet.

Buildings and related infrastructure would occupy 236 acres of the site, with the remaining 386 acres preserved as open space.

RIC4, a 478-acre parcel located across Technology Boulevard from QTS's existing campuses, would add 10 data centers totaling more than 3.7 million square feet, with development covering 127 acres and roughly 350 acres left as open space.

The bulk of the planned buildings across both campuses range in size from approximately 350,000 to 593,000 square feet.

The largest structure, located at RIC5 and fronting Williamsburg Road east of Technology Boulevard, would total nearly 1.2 million square feet and would be flanked by chiller yards.

Land Acquisitions Laid the Groundwork

QTS assembled the land for both campuses through a series of transactions in 2024. The company purchased the RIC4 site from the Henrico Economic Development Authority for USD 43.8 million in April 2024.

Within weeks of that acquisition, the RIC5 site received its rezoning approval from Henrico County supervisors. Later in 2024, QTS completed its control of the RIC5 assemblage by acquiring the remaining 400 acres at 3250 and 3555 E.

Williamsburg Road from the local development firm Hourigan for nearly USD 119 million.

The RIC5 project represented the last major data center rezoning approved by Henrico supervisors before the county board changed its rules to require provisional-use permits for all future data center projects proposed within the county.

QTS also acquired the former LL Flooring distribution center at 6115 Technology Creek Drive, adjacent to the RIC4 site, for USD 104 million in 2024 through the once-Henrico-based retailer's bankruptcy proceedings that year.

The 100-acre property includes a 1 million-square-foot building, though no development plans for that site had been filed with Henrico County as of last week.

Generator Permit Application Signals Next Phase

To support the two new campuses, QTS has submitted an application to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to permit 370 diesel-fired emergency generators.

The company is already permitted to construct and operate 544 emergency generators and 11 cooling towers at its existing facilities, according to the notice of the application.

In a statement responding to an inquiry from Richmond BizSense, QTS referenced a 575-acre expansion involving five data centers but did not specify the location of that project.

The company emphasized that the generators are intended solely for emergency backup purposes and are not used during normal operations.

"The project is currently in the permitting process, including required applications related to backup generation systems," the statement said.

"These systems are for emergency backup purposes only and do not continuously run. Back-up generators are not used to power the facility during normal operations and are designed to meet all applicable state and federal air quality requirements."

The timeline for construction on either campus has not been publicly established. It remains unclear from the development plans when work on RIC4 or RIC5 would begin or be completed, should the DEQ permit application receive approval.

Project Team and Neighboring Development

QTS is working with a multi-firm team on the two campus expansions.

Local firm Townes Site Engineering is handling civil engineering.

Additional engineers include Texas-based AGE for structural work, Boston-based Vanderweil for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering, and Texas-based TD for telecommunications.

Chicago-based SNHA is serving as the architect, and Minneapolis-based O2 is the landscape architect. The broader area around QTS's Varina hub is seeing additional data center investment.

Directly across the street from the former LL Flooring site, New Hampshire-based Iron Mountain Inc. is developing four data centers totaling 365,000 square feet on a 66-acre parcel at 6110 Technology Creek Drive.

Work is currently underway at that site, with the first facility targeted for completion next year, according to Iron Mountain's website.