Compass Data Centers has resubmitted its designs for a huge Prince William County data center project. The firm and QTS are developing more than 20 million sq ft of data centers for the PW Digital Gateway project. This month, Compass amended its June 2022 rezoning proposal with further details. The business plans 11.55 million sq ft of data center facilities on the land. The amended proposal requests rezoning from 834 to 884 acres of A-1, Agricultural and SR-5, semi-rural residential for data center construction, increasing the estimated data center square footage by about one million sq ft.
Compass promises several benefits to the region in exchange for rezoning.
Compass plans to build data centers, office and conference facilities, fast-food restaurants, fitness clubs and recreation centers, child care facilities, banking institutions, and other complementary uses and services. The company plans to build 10-15 data centers during the next decade. Each structure needs a permit. Substation construction numbers are unknown. Four of the ten entrance land bays are open spaces. Compass and QTS want to develop a 300-foot-wide wildlife corridor and a path network via multiple land bays and stream corridors. After a view-shed examination from the adjoining Manassas Battlefield Park, certain buildings will be limited to 60 ft.
The company will evaluate equipment visible from nearby cultural, residential, and farming designated zones and public rights-of-way and reduce the visual effect of structures with beautiful designs. Compass stated it would conserve an archaeological site that may have been an African American school in its proposal. Protected are three land bay cemeteries. Compass suggests a cultural resource park on the school grounds.
