Prologis Files Plans for 13-Building Data Center Campus in Central Illinois

Prologis Files Plans for 13-Building Data Center Campus in Central Illinois January 5, 2026 Industrial real estate giant Prologis is advancing its strategic expansion into the digital infrastructure sector with a major new development proposal in Illinois. The move underscores the intensifying competition for land and power as traditional industrial landlords leverage their portfolios to meet the surging demand for data center capacity driven by cloud computing and artificial intelligence. According to filings first reported by local outlets including the Shelbyville News and Fox, Prologis, through entities Lorm LLC and Alisha Clay, is seeking to annex and rezone 429 acres of land east of the Interstate 74 and State Road 44 interchange in Shelbyville. Combined with previously annexed parcels, the total proposed campus would span 576 acres. The land, currently zoned for agricultural or residential use, would be brought into the city limits and rezoned for general industrial purposes to accommodate what Prologis describes as a campus of up to 13 data center buildings. No end-user tenant has been secured for the project yet. The proposed site's strategic location in central Illinois, approximately 200 miles south of Chicago, offers proximity to major Midwest markets. City staff have indicated support, noting the location is "ideal for industrial development" partly due to the presence of two Duke Energy transmission lines crossing the property, which would provide critical power infrastructure. In a statement to Fox, JC Witt, Prologis Senior Vice President of Data Center Investments, framed the project as an opportunity to support community growth: "We see an opportunity to use existing industrial land and infrastructure to support Shelbyville’s future, including the digital infrastructure that communities and businesses increasingly rely on. Our focus is on job creation and being a responsible, long-term partner." The company also noted plans to use closed-loop cooling systems to reduce water consumption. Shelbyville Mayor Scott Furgeson stated the proposal aligns with the city's long-term development goals. However, the project faces organized local opposition. A petition on Change.org opposing the annexation and rezoning has garnered over 2,100 signatures, arguing the development prioritizes economic gains over community health and the area's residential character. The Shelbyville plan commission and city council are scheduled to review the proposal this week. This development is a key part of Prologis's ambitious push into the data center market. The company has previously stated it has 1.4 gigawatts (GW) of secured power for data centers in its pipeline, with an additional 1.6GW in advanced procurement stages. Its long-term target is to develop up to 10GW of capacity over the next decade. Beyond Illinois, Prologis is actively pursuing data center projects in key markets including Virginia, Georgia, Texas, California, and Paris, France, signaling a broad transformation from a logistics-focused real estate firm into a significant player in the digital infrastructure landscape. Source: datacenterdynamics