Vantage Data Centers Lighthouse Campus in Port Washington, Wisconsin is approximately 20% to 25% finished. Its size was conveyed to visitors during a recent tour, when the first building being built is approximately 550,000 square feet. “This is crazy,” one visitor said as he walked in. But that building will not be the biggest on the campus. The structure is rising near Lake Michigan as seen on an aerial photograph from September 21. Meanwhile, between 2,800 and 3,000 workers are on site each day, according to Vantage. Data centers are making headway but drawbacks still persist with local opposition being the main concern.
Colleton County residents have voiced major environmental and economic concerns about a proposed $6 billion ACE Basin data center and a separate power plant project associated with pipeline infrastructure near the Edisto River. As a result, two public presentations were organized, where project representatives presented plans that could be implemented in the near future. The ACE Basin data center proposal has sparked community discussion on water consumption, air quality and potential impacts to sensitive coastal ecosystems.
Inside the Vantage Data Centers Lighthouse Campus
The Vantage Data Centers Lighthouse Campus will have four buildings totaling about 2.5 million square feet. The biggest will be 759,000 square feet. The Weitz Co. is constructing the building depicted to visitors. The foundation pours began in January, steel erection began in March and the last piece of structural steel was placed in May. Inside, workers are preparing space for servers, mechanical equipment and a closed-loop cooling system. Each of the four buildings is being built by a different general contractor. Port Washington Mayor Ted Neitzke said his fitness tracker recorded almost a mile during the tour. This was his 13th site visit since construction began to ramp up in January.
Oracle and OpenAI Handover Planned for 2027
Vantage is anticipating to deliver the buildings to Oracle and OpenAI at the end of 2027. But it will be done in stages, not all at once. Completed sections may be put into operation while other sections are still being built in the same building.
Project Overview
- Project Value: $15 billion
- Location: Port Washington, Wisconsin
- Developer: Vantage Data Centers
- Status: Roughly 20%–25% complete
Scope
- Four data center buildings
- Also about 2.5 million square feet combined
- Closed-loop cooling systems
- Space for Oracle and also OpenAI
Project Highlights
- Building toured: about 550,000 square feet
- Also largest building: 759,000 square feet
- 2,800–3,000 workers on site daily
Key Developments
- Foundation pours began January 2026
- Structural steel finished May 2026
- Also first handovers expected late 2027
Key Challenges
- Coordinating four general contractors
- Managing phased handovers during construction
- Also supporting a large daily workforce
Outlook
- Buildings will be delivered in phases
- Completed sections may also operate before entire buildings are finished
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