The construction of a $1bn Long Island data center project is in limbo as local and state moratoria delay its approval. Developer Wildflower, through its WF Industrial subsidiary, was seeking to build the project. Its scope entails a 549,000 sq. ft. data center on a 79-acre plot near the village of Yaphank. Moreover, it is adjacent to the Long Island Expressway’s north service road. The site is however currently used for warehousing.

Nonetheless, the project is in limbo after New York’s governor, Kathy Hochul, imposed a statewide, year-long moratorium on data center projects of 50MW or more. The Yaphank development would be 176MW at full build-out. In a separate development, local politicians on Brookhaven’s town board have voted for an 18-month data center moratorium, running until January 2028. It is also considering to update its town code to account for digital infrastructure projects.

Other major data center projects are advancing across the use such as Project Rise 1A and Rise 2A data centers in Vernon, Texas. The two projects are expected to have a combined investment value of $1 billion. Moreover, they have been filed by Planton Investments LLC and Platon Investments LLC, respectively. They also both list 1600 Ampitheatre Parkway, California, as their address, which is the Googleplex campus. Project Rise 1A is located at FM 2897 S in Vernon and saw work begin on March 31, 2026.

Outlook on the Long Island Data Center Project by Wildflower

The Long Island data center project by Wildflower is in limbo as Yaphank’s local moratorium was approved unanimously. This was done by board members after a five-hour public meeting Thursday, which saw 60 people speak out against data centers. The meeting was also attended by 300 people according to covering by local reports. In a statement to South Shore Press, Michael Bowden, Wildflower’s director of development, said the company was reviewing the impact of the state-wide moratorium. However, it did not elaborate on whether it would attempt to move forward with the Brookhaven scheme. Bowden said the data center would use a closed-loop water system, meaning it would put minimal strain on local resources. Wildflower is a developer of commercial property, but the Brookhaven project is the only data center listed on its website. According to the site, the data center was due to open in 2024.

Project Overview

• Project Value: $1B
• Location: Yaphank, Long Island, New York
• Developer: Wildflower (WF Industrial)
• Status: On hold

Scope

• 549,000 sq ft data center
• 79-acre development site
• 176MW planned capacity
• Redevelopment of warehouse site

Project Highlights

• Large-scale digital infrastructure project
• Closed-loop water cooling system
• Supports future AI and cloud demand
• Major Long Island investment

Key Challenges

• Statewide data center moratorium
• Local 18-month moratorium approved
• Zoning and code updates pending
• Also strong community opposition

Key Developments

• Brookhaven board approved moratorium
• Public hearing drew hundreds of attendees
• State policy review underway
• Developer assessing project impacts

Outlook

• Project approval remains uncertain
• State and also local policies will determine next steps
• Community opposition also likely to continue
• Timeline delayed until moratoria are resolved