Florida has approved the construction of a new 3.7 million square data center campus in West Palm Beach dubbed Project Tango. Highlights from local press note the investment firm PBA Holdings has filed plans with Palm Beach County for the project. The data center will be developed in Loxahatchee. Furthermore, the Palm Beach County zoning commission recommended approval of the plans last week. Project Tango will be located on 202 acres approximately 3.7 miles west of Seminole Pratt Whitney Road on the North Side of Southern Boulevard.
Furthermore, it is expected to total 3.69 million sq. ft. at full build-out. Further details have not been shared yet. Loxahatchee is an unincorporated community in Palm Beach County, approximately 17 miles (27km) west of West Palm Beach. It is located close to the Palm Beach Aggregates rock pits at 20-Mile Bend. Vanderbilt West Palm Beach campus is a development in the area also planning to construct an academic campus project that focuses on artificial intelligence, business and innovation.
Setbacks that May Affect Project Tango Data Center Campus in Florida.
Though the Project Tango data center campus holds an immense promise for residents in Florida, it is not embraced by all. A Change.org petition against the project has accumulated 3,055 signatures at the time of writing. One of the major issues raised is the proposed campus’ proximity to residential areas. Furthermore, the petition notes that the sheer scale of the project poses a substantial threat to the health, safety, and wellbeing of residents. It also goes on to suggest to the Palm Beach County Commission to carefully consider these impacts.
The petition is proposing the project’s relocation to alternative locations that do not impose such risks on residential communities and sensitive natural areas. Based on circumstances, the petition may prove to be a major setback in the implementation of the project. However, if approved the data center would be close to a reliable power source that could facilitate its operations. The site is close to the Florida Power & Light’s West County Energy Center. Launched in 2009, the natural gas power plant totals 1.25GW and is reportedly the largest natural gas plant site in the US.
Project Factsheet
Project Overview
- Florida has ratified plans on Project Tango, a 3.7 million sq. ft campus of data center.
- PBA Holdings in Loxahatchee, Palm Beach County developed it.
- Occupies 202 acres, approximately 3.7 miles West of Seminole Pratt Whitney Road
- Complete development will reach up to 3.69M sq. ft of data center space.
- It is also situated close to Palm Beach aggregates rock pits and major infrastructural corridors.
Key Infrastructure
- Zoned land already available over 2 million sq. ft of industrial (warehouse or data centers).
- The power plant is located next to the West County Energy Center.
- It is a 1.25GW natural gas plant, the largest in the U.S. owned by Florida Power and Light.
- The wise location guarantees the homogeneous power provision towards hyperscale data activity.
Developer & Status
- PBA Holdings had submitted plans with county authorities.
- It is a recommendation of Palm Beach County Zoning Commission.
- Also waiting to have additional county-level consent on final construction clearance.
Community Concerns
- More than 3,000 signatures of the petition against the project (Change.org).
Main concerns:
- Location near residential areas.
- Possible harm to the environment.
- Health, safety and community welfare risks.
- The petition calls on authorities to rethink the choice of sites and consider options.
Potential Impacts
- Potential to be one of the largest data center campuses in Florida.
- It is expected to draw large cloud operators
- Furthermore, will be able to enhance tech infrastructure in the region.
- The pushback by the community might lead to scope and location variances or delays.
