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Microsoft on the hunt, seeks more land for data center expansion

According to several media reports, Microsoft is looking to purchase more land in Central Ohio to build more data centers.

Microsoft is reportedly looking to buy land in The Village of Hebron and Union Township, located east of Columbus, west of S.R. 79.

If Microsoft purchases the land, the tech giant will own nearly 1,000 acres in Licking County. Building additional data centers would likely create hundreds of additional jobs for members of the area’s building trades unions, including members of Sheet Metal Workers Local 24. 

Microsoft is making moves to purchase 238 acres in Union Township, located at 323 N. High Street, according to a Newark Advocate report. However, the current landowner reportedly is only willing to sell 133 acres, with plans to use the rest for farming. 

Located at 129 High Street in Hebron, the second parcel is 99 acres, according to the Advocate. Microsoft is also interested in an additional 23-acre plot in Hebron owned by the same family.

DatacenterDynamics reported that Jim Layton, Hebron’s outgoing Mayor, confirmed Microsoft intends to develop six data center buildings on the parcels, each with between 50 and 75 employees, with construction spread out over 10 years. 

Construction could begin as early as late this year or early next year if the sales are completed in 2024.

Dorsey Hager, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council Executive Secretary-Treasurer, cautioned that until Microsoft purchases the land, it is too early to know how many data centers will be constructed. 

Hager acknowledged that based on the media reports, the number of construction jobs created could be similar to the totals currently needed to build a Microsoft data center campus in New Albany. 

The tasks completed by members of Local 24 at data centers might involve outside work, like siding, as well as critical HVAC work on the interior of the facilities, according to Business Manager Rodney French.

Hebron Economic and Community Development Director Brittany Misner told the Advocate that the Township has entered into a pre-annexation agreement with Microsoft. She acknowledged there are additional steps in the development process before the deal is finalized.

This news comes six months after Microsoft acquired 200 acres in New Albany. In November 2023, the tech giant acquired another 580 acres in Licking County.

On June 30, Baxtel.com reported that Microsoft could build up to 18 buildings and spend nearly $10 billion in the Central Ohio area. 

Although it’s not yet known when work might start, members of Sheet Metal Workers 24 and other Local Unions around Central Ohio will be in high demand over the next several years on this project. 

Hollywood Casino Columbus breaks ground on hotel project

Penn Entertainment held a ceremony on Nov. 28 to celebrate the groundbreaking of the hotel project that will be constructed next to the Hollywood Casino in Columbus. 

The Hollywood Casino, located on the west side of Columbus, announced its plans to build a hotel in July. Last month, CEO and President of Penn Entertainment Jay Snowden shared his excitement for the project. 

“We are thrilled to soon begin construction on a new, state-of-the-art hotel at Hollywood Casino Columbus,” Snowden said in a prepared statement. “Since opening in 2012, our Columbus property has experienced tremendous growth, and the addition of a hotel at Hollywood Casino Columbus will create a true regional destination.” Continue reading →

A new datacenter megaproject is coming to Central Ohio

Quality Technology Services (QTS), a Kansas-based real estate investment fund announced plans to build a new datacenter campus in New Albany. 

The $1.5 billion megaproject adds to a growing list of datacenter megaprojects in Central Ohio. A megaproject is any private-funded construction project that costs $1 billion or more.

According to a Bizjournal report, QTS purchased 93 acres of land in late October for $11.2 million. The land is split into two plots on Beech Road. 

The first property is 56 acres, where two datacenters will be built totaling 885,600 square feet. The second plot is 37 acres, and the two other datacenters will total roughly 612,600 square feet. Continue reading →

SMW Local 24, other trades, request CBA on $2 billion airport project

Members of Sheet Metal Workers Local 24 were among a group of Central Ohio building trades members who requested a Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) be signed for the $2 billion expansion of John Glenn International Airport in Columbus.

At the SMW Local 24 Union Hall in Columbus, affiliated members of the Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council held a press conference to urge the Columbus Regional Airport Authority (CRAA) to enter into a CBA on this project and ensure local dollars go to local workers. They also want all workers on the job to earn the Prevailing Wage. Continue reading →

Ohio to simplify state building codes for 2024

The Ohio Board of Building Standards (BBS) recently adopted the 2024 Ohio Building (OBC), Mechanical (OMC), and Plumbing Codes (OPC) rules. State leaders announced this will make it easier for businesses to comply with the various codes.

These changes are important for members of the building trades, including the members of Sheet Metal Workers 24 and their signatory contractors.

The building code changes included the removal of repetitive and unnecessary language and decreased the number of words in the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) by over 610,000 words.  Continue reading →

Intel Project deadline pushed back

Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger announced that the project timeline to produce microchips in Ohio has been pushed back.

While speaking to analysts at a conference in late August, Gelsinger said the company will shift its focus to a two-fab expansion in Chandler, Ariz. 

Intel promises that the work in Ohio will still happen. The New Albany Intel site is officially the largest construction project in the history of Ohio.  Continue reading →

Google to invest $1.7 billion into datacenter presence in central Ohio

Posted by / August 9, 2023 / Categories: News / Tags: , , , , / 0 Comments

Google announced it will invest an additional $1.7 billion in the construction of its three datacenter campuses in Central Ohio. 

While at its New Albany datacenter on Aug. 8, Google officials also announced its commitment to spending a total of $3.7 billion in central Ohio. 

The additional $1.7 billion will be used to complete the Columbus and Lancaster datacenters and expand the New Albany facility, according to Mark Isakowitz, Google Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy.  Continue reading →

Hollywood Casino Columbus hotel will be done under a CBA

A new hotel adjacent to the Hollywood Casino Columbus will be constructed by affiliated members of the Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council under a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA). 

Penn Entertainment, the owner of Hollywood Casino Columbus signed a CBA for the project, on July 20.

The CBA requires at least 20 percent of the project’s manhours to be performed by Columbus or Franklin County residents. Continue reading →

DMAX engine plant will undergo a major expansion

Posted by / June 28, 2023 / Categories: Dayton / Tags: , , , , / 0 Comments

On June 16, General Motors announced plans to expand its Duramax (DMAX) Diesel Engine Plant in Brookville by 1.1 million square feet.

The $920 million project will quadruple the facility in size and new equipment and technology will be installed, GM officials said.

The Brookville plant, located 15 miles northwest of Dayton, opened in 2021, cost about $176 million to build and created about 400 jobs for affiliated members of various building trades Local Unions, including Sheet Metal Workers 24. Continue reading →

Amazon announces $7.8 billion in datacenter projects for Central Ohio

Posted by / June 26, 2023 / Categories: Columbus / Tags: , , , , / 0 Comments

Amazon Web Services will invest almost $8 billion to expand their datacenter presence in Central Ohio. 

This project will be the second-largest private-sector construction project in the history of Ohio, falling behind Intel’s $100 billion project. This project will create thousands of jobs in the construction industry, including jobs for members of Sheet Metal Workers Local 24. Continue reading →