Lyon Township Approves 1.8 Million Sq Ft Data Center for AI and Cloud Computing
December 12, 2025
In a significant move reflecting the surging demand for digital infrastructure, particularly to power artificial intelligence and cloud services, planning commissioners in Lyon Township, Michigan, have granted site plan approval for a massive data center development known as "Project Flex." The decision underscores the Midwest's growing appeal as a hub for computing capacity, even as such projects face scrutiny over their environmental and community impact.
The approval, granted unanimously by the township's planning commission in September, permits the construction of a six-building campus on a 172-acre site within the South Hill Business Park. The project, a permitted use under the area's industrial zoning, did not require further review by the township board or a public hearing. According to township documents, the development team includes consulting firm Kimley-Horn and Associates, data center builder Verrus, and Detroit-based construction company Walbridge.
The campus will total approximately 1.8 million square feet, with each building spanning about 306,000 square feet. Designed to "support cloud computing, artificial intelligence computing, and enterprise services for clients," the facilities will be operated by end-users. A key feature outlined in project materials is a focus on advanced power and cooling systems. Each building will have an adjacent equipment yard housing a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) for emissions-free backup power during outages lasting less than four hours. For longer disruptions, secondary backup will be provided by diesel generators compliant with strict EPA Tier 4 Final standards.
While the township documents did not specify the total energy demand, a presentation by Verrus highlighted the resource efficiency ambitions of the design. The company stated that a traditional data center campus of this size using evaporative cooling could consume over 5.25 million gallons of water daily, but "Project Flex" would use only about 15,000 gallons per day. Final approval remains contingent on several conditions, including the submission of a sound study to ensure compliance with noise limits and sign-offs from relevant state agencies like the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). The site plan approval is valid until September 8, 2027.
The approval of "Project Flex" occurs amid a wave of similar proposals across Michigan, driven by the insatiable need for computing power. In nearby Saline Township, Related Digital has proposed a facility with over 1 gigawatt of capacity, while a major technology company recently withdrew an application to rezone more than 1,000 acres in Livingston County for a data center. These projects, however, often meet local resistance over concerns about strain on water and electrical grids, highlighting the ongoing challenge of balancing economic development with infrastructure sustainability and community interests.
Source: hometownlife
