May 11, 2026 | Posted by Abdul-Rahman Oladimeji
Residents in Hillsboro gathered in large numbers at a public meeting to raise concerns about a proposed data center that could be developed in the city. The project may be built on a 300-acre property currently owned by the Hillsboro Economic Development Corporation. Real estate company Provident Realty Advisors is seeking to purchase the land from the EDC in order to move forward with the development of the data center campus.
The proposed site is located in the northern part of Hillsboro, next to the city’s industrial park, and is already designated for heavy industrial zoning. During a public meeting on Friday, April 24, residents queued up to share their views on the proposal, with many expressing opposition to the construction of a data center in the area, according to local outlet Hillsboro Reporter. Meanwhile, the Hillsboro Economic Development Corporation has extended its pre-sale agreement with Provident Realty Advisors by four months, allowing additional time for due diligence before a final decision is made on the potential land sale.
According to its website, Provident Realty Advisors is actively developing data center projects across eight U.S. states through its data center division, Provident Data Centers. This portfolio includes several sites in Texas, among them a 768-acre development in Dallas, which is being advanced in partnership with PowerHouse Data Centers. Meanwhile, concerns raised by residents in Hillsboro a small city situated between Dallas and Waco—reflect a broader trend seen across the United States. Many communities have pushed back against data center expansion, with protests and proposals for moratoriums on new developments becoming increasingly common.
