Tech giant Google has been confirmed as the company spearheading a $500 million data center project in American Township, near Lima, Ohio. Known previously as "Project BOSC", the development is set to become Google's third data center in the state, further expanding its footprint in Ohio.
The large-scale investment includes $50 million earmarked for local infrastructure upgrades. These enhancements will focus on improving traffic flow with new roundabouts at key intersections such as Bluelick Road and North Cole Street, as well as State Route 115 and North Cole Street. Additionally, $13.6 million will be allocated to upgrading water infrastructure in the area.
Google has also committed to providing $250,000 annually to Elida Local Schools through a 15-year tax abatement offset agreement. This long-term collaboration underscores the company’s pledge to invest not only in infrastructure but also in the community.
Construction on the data center is expected to begin once all necessary permits are finalized, with a tentative start date sometime in 2026. Completion of the project is anticipated by 2030. A pending decision from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency regarding a draft air permit for 115 diesel-fueled generators will be pivotal in moving the project forward.
In preparation for the data center’s water needs, a water ordinance allowing for a daily usage of five million gallons was secured in September 2025. The facility will be located on a 170-acre site along North Cole Street, between Beery and Irvin Roads, with the potential to host up to three data centers.
Molly Kocour Boyle, Google’s head of Midwest data center public affairs, expressed enthusiasm about the project, saying, "We have had the privilege to experience the skilled workforce and collaborative nature of the communities in Ohio for many years. We look forward to extending this partnership in Lima and Allen County with a forward-thinking leadership team."
The local economy is expected to receive a significant boost during the construction phase. Cindy Leis, president and CEO of the Allen Economic Development Group (AEDG), emphasized the broader economic benefits, stating, "Thousands of jobs will come in with construction and contractors who will be constructing the data center, and not to mention, where are all these contractors going to stay - they're going to stay in our hotels and eat our food at our restaurants and shop at our stores." She added, "But the trickle-down effect is going to be, I think, what's going to be long-lasting, as other companies associated with data centers will be wanting to come here."
Details about the size and power capacity of the Lima-area data center have not yet been disclosed. However, the project is the latest in a series of significant investments Google has made in Ohio. The company first entered the state in 2019 with a $600 million data center in New Albany, followed by an additional $1 billion investment in Columbus and Lancaster that same year. In the years since, Google has committed billions more, including a $1.7 billion investment in 2023 and a subsequent $2.3 billion investment in 2024.
Elsewhere in Ohio, Google is developing a $1 billion, 500,000-square-foot data center in Franklin Furnace. These developments highlight Ohio’s growing importance as a hub for data infrastructure, with the majority of the state’s existing data centers located around Columbus.
As anticipation builds for the Lima-area project, residents and local leaders alike are optimistic about the opportunities it will bring. The AEDG has pledged to provide further updates about the project as construction progresses.
Lima, situated in northwestern Ohio, currently hosts three smaller data centers operated by Microtronix, Form8tion, and Brightspeed. With Google’s new development, the region is poised to become a more significant player in the data center industry.
