Lyon Township Greenlights Major Data Center Development
December 16, 2025
In a significant move for the Midwest's digital infrastructure, Lyon Township, Michigan, has granted formal approval for a large-scale data center campus, underscoring the region's growing appeal for high-tech investments. The approval process highlights the strategic advantage of locations with pre-existing industrial zoning, facilitating faster deployment of critical computing capacity.
The township's planning commission approved the project, known as "Project Flex," in September. The development is slated for a 172-acre parcel located east of Milford Road and south of Grand River Avenue. Notably, the project did not require further approval from the Lyon Township Board, as the land is already zoned for industrial use and the three development companies involved did not request any zoning variances or changes. Consequently, no public hearings were held for the project, which is planned to encompass over 1.8 million square feet of building space.
The scale of Project Flex, with its planned footprint exceeding 1.8 million square feet, represents a substantial infusion of data center capacity into the Oakland County area. This development is poised to support the escalating demand for cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and enterprise digital services in the broader Great Lakes region.
Industry analysts view this approval as indicative of a broader trend where secondary markets with available land, power access, and favorable zoning are becoming increasingly attractive for data center developers seeking to expand beyond saturated primary hubs. The efficient approval process for Project Flex may serve as a model for similar communities looking to attract technology infrastructure investments while leveraging existing regulatory frameworks.
Source: Detroitnews
