Real estate firm Hickory enters the data center arena, with plans for a 36MW facility in Melbo

Hickory, an Australian real estate development firm, has announced that it is entering the data center arena with plans to construct a 36MW facility in Truganina, west Melbourne, following development approval from Wyndham City Council.

The data center will be built on a 3.5-hectare site and have 25,000 sqm of floor space spanning 12 data halls.

According to the Australian Financial Review, the project is self-funded, and the company plans to invest around AU$500 million. The real estate development firm is reportedly confident it will successfully fill the space. If it achieves this feat, it has said that it may embark on a second data center adjacent to the first. 

Company director Michael Argyrou: “What we’ve decided to do over the past few years is slowly swim downstream [and] become a joint venture partner with our clients in developments. We’ve been looking for other opportunities where we can become the developer, builder and landowner and potentially operator of different market segments.”