A Washington, D.C.-based real estate investment firm that develops data centers plans to construct a multi-building complex for a confidential end user at New Albany International Business Park.
When complete, the $1 billion project from DBT-Data could span up to 1 million square feet, CEO David Tolson told me. It will be the company’s first project in the state of Ohio.
Following the roughly $21 million purchase of more than 93 acres near Clover Valley Road, Jug Street and Mink Street, DBT will construct what is described in a news release as “power shell facilities.” These buildings will be equipped with all necessary power and connectivity that can be customized to meet the needs of a single tenant or multiple customers.
The site is close to the future home of Intel Corp.’s planned semiconductor fabrication complex, although Tolson said DBT had the land under contract prior to the announcement of that $20 billion project.
Tolson said the exact number of buildings in the DBT complex hasn’t been finalized, but it will most likely be three.
DBT is under exclusive negotiations with a user who could be taking the entire site, Tolson said. He wouldn’t reveal who that company is, citing a confidentiality clause in their current agreement.
The unidentified end user could use the space as an enterprise or colocation data center. The difference between the two is enterprise data centers are owned and operated by the company it supports, whereas a colocation data center consists of the owner leasing space to multiple customers.
Tolson said a tenant announcement won’t come for at least six months.
The DBT project is the latest of several data center facilities in New Albany.
Among recent announcements: an approximately $400 million data center campus and industrial park, called Silicon Heartland Innovation Park, is set to rise on 190 acres on the northeast corner of Beech Road and Jug Street. Facebook’s parent company, Meta, is adding two more buildings to its New Albany data farm, bringing the total number of facilities to seven. Google, likewise, is expanding its own New Albany data center, as is Amazon.
New Albany Co. CEO Bill Ebbing said the DBT project will establish another important data center option for prospective tenants of all sizes.
“Our mission critical cluster in the park continues to grow as existing companies like Meta, AWS (Amazon Web Services) and Google expand and new businesses establish operations here,” Ebbing said.
The DBT project is currently in the planning stage, and site work will likely begin in about 90 days. Tolson described the project’s completion date as “indeterminate.” But he said he is confident in the project’s ability to progress in a timely manner.
“Demand is high for digital infrastructure, so we are full speed ahead,” he said.
Tolson said DBT was attracted to the existing infrastructure at the New Albany site, including 300-megawatt redundant power, triple feed electric capabilities and “robust” fiber optic networks. Because of these capabilities, DBT had its eye on the location for some time.
“Demand for data center space continues to grow and users appreciate the flexibility that comes with a completed building already prepared to meet their technology needs that can be finished to their exact specifications,” Tolson said in the news release. “The strategic planning and investment in power and internet infrastructure were important factors in our decision to develop in New Albany.”
Tolson credited the city, AEP Ohio and New Albany Co. for setting the stage for the expansion of this sector by investing in the “critical elements that support business growth.”
DBT is an affiliate of DBT Development Group LLC, a Washington, D.C.-based real estate development company. The company specializes in living and working spaces, including residential, commercial and data center development. Its projects have primarily focused on the Virginia area, so the expansion to Ohio marks the company’s first foray into the Midwest.
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