Data Center Proposed For Prichard, Some Locals Push Back

New York-based IT company Edged Energy is proposing a $93-million data center to be sited off Telegraph Road near Africatown in Prichard, AL.com reports. The company presented its plans at a meeting with city leaders and residents in April, noting the project would create 20 new jobs with annual salaries of more than $70,000. An online petition with nearly 400 signatures to “stop the data center in Prichard” has begun. Those in favor of data centers, including city leaders like Mayor Carletta Davis, say it’s an opportunity for economic growth. The city is reportedly scheduling another community meeting with Edged Energy soon, and more information about the proposal is forthcoming. Edged Energy already has operational data centers in Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Des Moines, Kansas City and Phoenix in the U.S., as well as Spain and Portugal, and more are under construction in Atlanta. The site it is eyeing is close to the Africatown Historic District, which is full of industrial facilities and undergoing a push for more redevelopment and residential construction. A big part of restoring the historic neighborhood is preventing more industry from coming to the area, as residents argue they are overly burdened with smog and other negative side effects of heavy industry.