Foundation permit issued for AI data center project

A foundation permit has been issued for a new data center purpose-built to be AI-ready. Located at 2538 S. Wabash, the project is being led by HydraVault and will rehab an existing two-story building and build on top of the adjacent vacant lot at the corner of S. Wabash Ave and E. 25th St. The site was formerly planned to house an esports arena but that proposal never came to fruition. 

Designed by Gensler, the two-story, 20-megawatt facility will be engineered for next-generation computing, including AI inferencing, large-scale model training and ultra-low latency financial trading. The facility will be designed to be among the most energy-efficient data centers worldwide by implementing a closed-loop waterless cooling system that helps cut energy use and emissions. 

The project’s location provides an ideal location for establishing a data center due to its direct proximity to the city's primary fiber interconnects.

With the foundation permit issued, general contractor Power Construction can begin construction on the new data center development. Work is expected to begin imminently in late 2025 and early user access is expected in December 2026.