1,000 acre data center proposal would be Yorkville’s largest-ever manufacturing development

The big one is here.

Yorkville’s largest ever manufacturing warehouse undertaking is being eyed with a 1,037 acre data center campus, 14 warehouse buildings and two electrical substations by Pioneer Development, LLC.

Dubbed “Project Cardinal,” the data center campus will be located at the northwest corner of Galena Road and Bridge Street, according to city documents.

The site is located in unincorporated Kendall County and currently used for agricultural purposes. Yorkville has made a recent habit of annexing unincorporated parcels of farmland to rezone them for manufacturing purposes.

Each large data center building, like the ones planned for the 228-acre CyrusOne development, can generate up to $1 million annually in tax revenues for the city. However, several public hearings have featured public opposition to the buildings being placed close to residential areas. City officials have previously approved plans against several of their residents’ pleas.

Together, Project Cardinal’s fourteen data center warehouses add up to more than 17 million square feet of floor area.

If 1,037 acres of converted farmland to manufacturing wasn’t enough, a second developer reached out to the city to convert another 540 acres for a separate data center campus. Developer Prologis, L.P, plans to build the “Project Steel” data center campus at the southeast corner of Galena Road and Eldamain Road.

The site will feature 24 data center warehouses, built across three phases, and three electric substations. The site is also currently unincorporated farmland, meaning the city needs to annex and rezone the site.

Both the Project Steel and Project Cardinal campuses are located a few miles from the CyrusOne data center development.

City administrator Bart Olson said the city has 3,000 acres currently slated for data center development with more than 100 new large data center warehouses to be built over the next few decades.

With past data center developments, city officials have assured upset residents that the warehouses will not be too loud. This time, it could be different.

“These large-scale developments have the potential to impact surrounding properties due to noise generated by mechanical equipment and facility operations,” Krysti Barksdale-Noble, community development director, said in city documents.

To mitigate potential noise pollution, Soundscape Engineering is providing acoustical consulting services at both the Project Steel and Project Cardinal data center campuses. The company will provide a comprehensive review of noise control measures to ensure compliance with the city’s noise ordinance.

“Given their scale and operational needs, these developments will involve extensive mechanical systems, including HVAC units, cooling towers, and backup generators, which can contribute to environmental noise concerns,” Barksdale-Noble said. “Proper acoustical planning is necessary to mitigate potential noise pollution and minimize adverse effects on nearby residential areas.”

The acoustical planning will include recommendations on noise mitigation strategies and optimal equipment placement.

The costs for the acoustical consulting will be completely paid for by the developers.

However, the consulting services still need to be approved by city council at their upcoming March 25 meeting.