A Miami-based developer has proposed a 20-story data center in Kansas City’s Quality Hill neighborhood as the community weighs in. The proposal has drawn mixed reactions from residents and community groups ahead of an August public hearing. Local reports note that developers, Revitalization Unlimited and Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill LLP submitted a development plan to the City of Kansas City in early June.

The proposal is a 20-story, 384-foot data center at 10th and Central Street in Quality Hill. Moreover, According to the documents, this is mainly for a ‘Communications Service Establishment (Data Center). It is also expected to include a coffee shop on the first floor. The data center is expected to include mechanical infrastructure and large-scale cooling equipment. However, there are still some questions as to what exactly the data center will be used for or what kind of demand this will have on the electrical grid. Other than the project in Quality Hill, Virginia is advancing a way grander project in Prince William County.

A proposed 2,000-acre Dulles Cloud South data center in Prince William County, Virginia is being considered by officials. The Board of Supervisors is meeting in Woodbridge to discuss the new data center project located on the western part of the County. Once complete, it is expected to be twice the size of the stalled Prince William Digital Gateway data center proposal. However, that project stalled due to fierce public opposition over the years, same as now.

Scope of Implementation on the Proposed 20-story Data Center in Quality Hill

The proposed 20-story data center in Quality Hill is expected to be located on the Western Newspaper Union Building. The building sits at 10^th and Central in Kansas City and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. Historic Kansas City Executive Director Ethan Starr shared that it was built in 1900 and also expanded in 1906. “Downtown Kansas City has enjoyed sustained growth in recent decades because we found new, people-centered uses for historic buildings.  Demolishing a National Register landmark for a data center tower moves in the opposite direction,” said Starr. Nonetheless, Historic Kansas City is looking forward to weighing in on the proposal, coordinating with the Downtown Neighborhood Association and other stakeholders, in the coming weeks. The applicant met with Kansas City’s Development Review Committee in late June and is also expected to meet again on July 14 via Zoom.

Project Overview

• Location: Quality Hill, Kansas City, Missouri
• Developer: Revitalization Unlimited
• Designer: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
• Status: Proposed

Scope

• 20-story, 384-ft data center
• Site at 10th and Central Street
• Coffee shop on ground floor
• Cooling and mechanical systems included

Highlights

• Mixed-use development proposal
• Also supports digital infrastructure growth
• Located in downtown Kansas City
• Public hearing also scheduled for August

Community Concerns

• Demolition of a historic building
• Also impact on neighborhood character
• Power demand questions
• Unclear end-user and also facility purpose

Key Developments

• Development plan submitted in June
• Review Committee meetings als0 underway
• Stakeholder consultations ongoing
• Historic preservation groups also involved

Outlook

• Public feedback will shape the review
• Historic preservation also remains a major issue
• Additional planning meetings scheduled
• Also approval process continues