The Iron Horse data center project would be built on a site split between Ashland and Hanover. (Town documents)
A Northern Virginia developer’s plan to build a data center complex on the Hanover-Ashland line has achieved the first of two needed cross-jurisdictional milestones, though it will have to wait a little longer to reach the second one.
Reston-based WestDulles Properties last week earned Ashland Town Council approval for the zoning request for the project that would stretch across both localities. While that approval cleared the way for the development on the Ashland side of the line, the Hanover Planning Commission opted to defer its decision on the project until its November meeting.
If approved, the project would span more than 230 acres split about 60-40 between Hanover and Ashland. It would feature an undetermined amount of data center space, as well as a 49-lot residential subdivision. The project site is bordered by East Patrick Henry Road (Route 54) and Mount Hermon Road.
Conceptual plans for the project don’t provide detailed information about the data center layout and scope. WestDulles CEO Eric Wells said the data center could be 2.5 million to 3 million square feet of facilities across 10 to 12 buildings.
The developer had previously included in its zoning requests a proposal to build an industrial park with retail pads fronting Route 54 as an alternative to the data center project, but has since backed away from that plan. It is now focused on pursuing the project in its current form.
Wells said in an interview after the county commissioners’ deferral that the industrial park was axed for several reasons, among them community opposition to the retail component of that project and what Wells described as a shifting market for warehouses. He added the site has good access to transmission lines, water and sewer for a data center project.
“The warehousing market has become a little bit soft and we just decided from an economic standpoint, converting to a data center use would make the most sense for us,” he said.
The project site is largely already owned by WestDulles, though the portion slated for the subdivision belongs to Harris & Douglas Properties, which would develop the homes. The residential portion would be built within Hanover.
In 2010, most of the Iron Horse site was zoned to mixed use in preparation for the East Ashland project, which was permitted to have more than 800 residential units and nearly 882,000 square feet of commercial space on what’s currently undeveloped property. However, the East Ashland project never materialized.
In addition to a data center complex, the project proposal also includes a 49-lot subdivision. (County documents)
Last week’s town council approval rezoned the 102 acres of the project site in Ashland to Light Industrial (M-1) and Highway Commercial (B-2), and also OK’d construction of substation facilities. The developer’s request to rezone the 131 acres in Hanover to a combination of Light Industrial (M-1), Single-Family Residential (RS) and Agricultural Residential (AR-6) is still pending. The developer has sought permission to exceed building height restrictions in both localities. The data center buildings are expected to be 75 feet to 110 feet tall.
At the Hanover Planning Commission’s meeting on Thursday, some commissioners shared concerns about traffic safety on Mount Hermon Road ahead of their unanimous vote to defer a recommendation on the project.
“I’m very concerned about Mount Hermon Road. I don’t think that right now it’s adequate, because you’re dumping more cars onto a small road and I don’t think the sight lines are there,” said Planning Commissioner Alan Abbott.
His colleague on the commission Edmonia Iverson voiced similar concerns, and said she wanted more time to review the project.
“I’d like a little more time to study this.” she said. “The concern with Mount Hermon Road is most bothersome to me.”
About a half-dozen people spoke in opposition to the project, and raised concerns about increased traffic, how the project would affect the area’s rural character and the proposed heights of the buildings among other things.
WestDulles has proffered road improvements as part of the project, and the development would feature screening buffers. The data center complex and residential development are anticipated to generate about 2,600 daily vehicular trips per day.
After the commission’s meeting, Wells said further review of the project’s proposed transportation improvements was underway.
The case is slated to come back to the Hanover Planning Commission for consideration next month. After the commissioners review the request, the Hanover Board of Supervisors will weigh final approval of the project. According to Hanover staff, the project largely adheres to the county’s comprehensive plan.
Andy Condlin of law firm Roth Jackson is representing WestDulles in the zoning process.
WestDulles is committed to a data center project for the site and feels confident it will be able to secure the needed rezoning from Hanover for the project. Wells said the developer hasn’t created a backup development plan for the site in case Hanover denies the zoning request.
“We haven’t really contemplated that,” Wells said. “We believe we will get through this.”