Equinix wants to build another large data center in Loudoun County.

Published March 25, 2014 by Paula C. Squires

Loudoun County’s Data Center Alley may get bigger.

Equinix, a Redwood City, California-based company, wants to add to its data center properties already in Loudoun County. According to the county’s Department of Economic Development, it has filed a development plan with the county for a 1.1 million-square-foot data center, If approved, the new project would add six new buildings.

“Equinix is one of the world's best data center operators, and one of the biggest operators in Loudoun. Their vision of growth in Loudoun is significant, and is further evidence of the importance of Data Center Alley as a technology location. At full build-out, this will be one of the largest data center campuses in the world,”
Buddy Rizer, director of economic development, said in a statement.

The project is expected to create about 70 jobs. Equinix operates about 10 data centers in the Northern Virginia area, including eight in Ashburn.

About 70 percent of the world’s Internet traffic passes through Loudoun County. According to data from the economic development office, Loudoun's Data Center Alley is currently home to 56 data centers, occupying 5.2 million square feet, with more on the way. An additional 1.3 million square feet of space is expected to be completed in 2014. Plus, an additional 125 acres of land has been purchased for future data center expansion.

The county offers incentives and financing opportunities, including a special 5% sales and use tax exemption on servers, generators, chillers, and server-related equipment.

It also offers direct access to one of the largest Internet Exchanges and energy rates supposedly among the lowest on the East Coast.