Switch announces 382-acre data center development near Pittsburgh

Data center company Switch has unveiled plans for a significant new project in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. The proposed 382-acre data center campus will be located in Big Beaver Borough, approximately 40 miles northwest of Pittsburgh and near the Pennsylvania-Ohio state border.

The company has not yet disclosed all the specifics regarding the campus's design or operational details. However, Switch has announced that the facility will feature its proprietary closed-loop cooling system, a technology that recycles water and eliminates the need for water consumption to cool servers and GPUs. Only minimal water connections will be required to support office and warehouse spaces.

"Beaver County helped build America’s industrial foundation, and this campus represents a new chapter for the Borough of Big Beaver. Switch plans to serve as a long-term partner to Beaver County by investing in infrastructure and supporting local initiatives to stimulate the local economy and benefit the community", said Natalie Stewart Mitchell, senior vice president of government affairs and campus development at Switch. "We are excited to invest in this region and partner with the community to be a responsible, long-term neighbor."

Switch, founded in 2000, operates several large data center campuses across the United States, including locations in Austin, Texas; Reno and Las Vegas, Nevada; Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Atlanta, Georgia. Over the past year, the company has expanded its presence in Austin and Atlanta and purchased additional land in Las Vegas.

The move comes after DigitalBridge, in partnership with IFM Investors, took Switch private in a $11 billion deal in December 2022. Additionally, Australian pension fund Aware Super invested $500 million into the company in 2023.

Switch is not the only data center developer eyeing opportunities in the region. Last month, a real estate affiliate linked to Provident acquired a former racetrack site near Big Beaver for a potential data center project. Aligned is also developing a facility in nearby Shippingport within Beaver County, reflecting growing interest in the area for data infrastructure.

While the timeline and further details of Switch’s development remain unclear, this project symbolizes a new era for Big Beaver Borough and Beaver County in advancing technological and economic growth.

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