Amazon Data Services has filed initial plans to build data centers on George Washington University’s Ashburn-based campus. ADS purchased the land earlier this year for $427 million.
The application includes four two-story buildings, spanning about 400,000 square feet, and three parking garages, The Loudoun Times-Mirror reported.
Three of the data centers in Amazon’s plan would be north of George Washington Boulevard and west of University Drive. The fourth would be south of GW Boulevard and east of Presidential Drive.
The university announced the sale of the 122-acre property in March. The Ashburn campus, established in 1991, held GW’s nursing school and hosted research for engineering, physics, and chemistry. University President Ellen Granberg said at the time that “the university had to take seriously the opportunity to realize the extraordinary benefits a sale at this time would yield.”
Under the terms of the deal, GW had the option to continue programs at the campus for up to five years.
Loudoun County Supervisor Juli Briskman, whose district includes the campus, has said she opposes the plan. “Replacing the George Washington University campus with four massive data center buildings would be a profound loss for our community,” Briskman said in a release. “The site offers a generational opportunity for education, research, housing, and other forms of economic development that could directly benefit Loudoun residents. I strongly oppose this proposal and will fight it every step of the way.”
Feature image, stock.adobe.com
