Stafford Technology Campus Receives Approval

The Peterson Cos. has secured approval for an expansive data center campus in Stafford County, Virginia, known as the Stafford Technology Campus. Spanning 504 acres, this project will include 5.8 million square feet of data centers spread across 23 buildings and six substations.

The approval, granted through a comprehensive plan amendment and rezoning, reflects the growing trend of expanding data centers beyond Northern Virginia’s core locations like Loudoun and Prince William counties. Bohler’s mission critical team played a key role in supporting the rezoning process, as well as handling the site civil engineering design, permitting, and community engagement for the project.

A major driver for selecting Stafford is the immediate availability of power infrastructure avoiding the lengthy transmission upgrades required in other regions. Additionally, the site’s proximity to fiber networks along Interstate 95 and its distance from residential neighborhoods, which have caused political pushback elsewhere, make it a prime location.

See related: addressing community concerns in data center development

Peterson plans to address environmental concerns by building water recycling infrastructure to meet cooling needs without drawing from the county’s potable water supply. The project will advance in four phases, with the first phase set to begin in early 2025 and projected to be completed by mid-2027.

Learn more here.