Data center approved at 1951 W. Hastings

The Chicago Department of Planning and Development has granted site plan approval for IMD1, a data center development at 1951 W. Hastings. Planned by Metro Edge Development Partners, the project site is located along S. Damen Ave between W. Hastings St and W. 14th St. 

Designed by Corgan, the data center utilizes a high-rise model, stacking data halls vertically into a 5-story building. Reaching 145 feet tall, the exterior will be clad in a mixture of brick and metal paneling, with glass introduced at the ground floor to add transparency at the office space. 

On the inside, the 190,000 square foot facility will offer data hall space on the upper four floors, while the ground floor will host 4,000 square feet of office space in addition to the main mechanicals for the building. The south side of the ground floor will host a large generator and utility yard, while parking for 30 cars will be located along the east side of the building.

The building will provide seven layers of physical security and biometric access with 19.8 MW of power for the data halls. By being located on the West Side of Chicago, the data center will provide one of the few low-latency options for Chicago-based institutions, including specialized facilities such as hospitals, healthcare providers, and educational institutions.   

With site plan approval obtained from DPD, the developer can move forward with the construction of the project. According to their website, they are targeting a Q2 2024 delivery, but no permits have been filed or issued for construction.