Company to make 450-acre site ready for other data center developers
US data center park developer Tract is expanding into Iowa.
The company this week announced its official entry into the Des Moines market through the acquisition of a 453-acre, fully entitled site in Altoona.
The company said the site, located between NE 62nd Avenue and 70th Avenue, will be able to support up to 1GW of capacity.
“Tract’s approach to development starts with engaging with communities to understand their goals and priorities, then collaborating on how our investments can help create outcomes that are both a win for the community and a win for the data center industry,” said Graham Williams, chief investment officer at Tract Capital.
“In Altoona, Tract was eager to work with such a forward-looking community partner who values thoughtful land planning as the tool to support smart growth that minimizes impacts to neighbors and mitigates the need to deploy new transmission lines or disruptive infrastructure projects. We are proud to continue that partnership to deliver a project that will bring the community meaningful economic benefits while reflecting those shared priorities.”
Colorado-based Tract was founded by former Cologix CEO Grant van Rooyen and describes itself as a company that acquires, zones, entitles, and develops ‘master-planned’ data center parks. The company aims to get sites zoned, powered, and shovel-ready for other companies to develop data centers on.
After launching in Nevada, Tract has plans for large-scale campuses across Texas, Virginia (x2), Arizona, Minnesota (x3), and Utah. On its website, the company also lists planned developments in Illinois.
The company recently pulled out of plans for a site in North Carolina after pushback from locals.
Tract’s parent, Tract Capital, recently launched a dedicated data center developer, known as Fleet DC, that will develop on Tract-owned land as well as other sites.
Reports that Tract was targeting Altoona surfaced back in April.
“Tract has been a great partner throughout this process. They have provided clear and verifiable information, done what they said they would do, and collaborated with us to develop a project that aligns with Altoona’s long-term vision,” said Altoona Mayor Dean O’Connor. “We’re excited to welcome Tract to the community and look forward to their continued investment.”
Meta is present in Altoona, while the likes of Edged, US Signal, Cologix, Apple, and Microsoft are present across Des Moines. COPT is also developing a data center campus in the area.
Source: DCD
