A major data center project worth $500 million is set to begin in Martindale-Brightwood, a neighborhood northeast of Indianapolis, Indiana. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Development Commission has approved Metrobloks’ request to rezone a 14-acre parcel of land at 2505 North Sherman Drive for the construction of the facility.
The site has remained vacant since 1983, when it ceased operations as a drive-in theater. According to Metrobloks’ website, the planned data center, named IND A1, will ultimately provide 72MW of capacity and feature 154,000 square feet of available whitespace. The facility will also utilize a closed-loop cooling system.
While some see the project as a major investment in the area, opposition has surfaced among local residents and activists. Critics argue that the data center will harm the environment and accuse decision-makers of corruption. Some also view the decision as an example of environmental racism.
Protect Martindale Brightwood, an organization opposing the development, has expressed concerns about the project’s impact on the predominantly Black community in the neighborhood. The group referred to data centers as "the new redlining" in a social media post, drawing comparisons to the discriminatory practice of denying services to areas with high concentrations of racial minorities.
"Data centers are being pushed into Black legacy neighborhoods like Martindale Brightwood. Not because it’s right, but because decision-makers and predatory developers think we’ll accept the burden", the organization stated on its Instagram page.
The IND A1 project is not the only data center recently approved in the Indianapolis area. In mid-March, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Development Commission gave the green light for a larger data center in Decatur Township, southwest of the city. The Sabey Data Centers project will span 130 acres and offer 250MW of capacity when completed.
Metrobloks, the developer behind the Martindale-Brightwood project, specializes in AI-ready data center facilities in metropolitan areas. The company’s CEO, Ernest Popescu, brings experience from roles at Iron Mountain, Meta, and Amazon.
The Martindale-Brightwood project represents a significant investment, but as construction begins, it remains to be seen how the development will balance economic growth with the concerns voiced by the local community.
