By Rick Palsgrove
Southeast Editor
One of the first pieces of the puzzle to fulfill the city of Groveport’s Gateway Corridor Plan is falling into place.
On July 2, the city’s planning and zoning commission recommended that Groveport City Council approve a zoning variance and development plan request from Compass Datacenters for property located at 4470 S. Hamilton Road (across from Groveport Madison High School).
The variance and development plan would allow for the construction of a 22,000 square foot computer data center for AEP situated on six acres next to the existing AEP building. The center is expected to employ 12 to 20 workers. The development plan also mentions the potential for 15,900 square feet of future building expansion on the site.
“This fits right in with the city’s Gateway Corridor Plan,” said Groveport Building Official Stephen Moore.
The Gateway Corridor Plan addresses future development plans for the Hamilton Road corridor between U.S. 33 and Bixby Road; and the Groveport Road corridor from State Route 317 west to Swisher Road. Recommendations in the plan include the expansion of the existing AEP facility located at 4500 S. Hamilton Road.
The plans to build the new AEP data center are on a fast track as the developers want to start construction on the building before the fall and winter weather set in.
“Time is of the essence,” said Chris Curtis of Compass Datacenters. “We’re shooting for an Aug. 23 start date.”
The project is expected to be completed in 2019.
“They’d like to get much of the building construction done before winter. Then they can work on the interior of the building, which will be complex work that includes installing high tech computer equipment,” said Groveport City Administrator Marsha Hall.
Hall said no tax incentives or tax abatements from the city to the developer are involved in the project at this time.
Groveport City Council held a public hearing on the zoning variance request and development plan on July 9. Council is expected to vote on the variance and plan at its meeting on July 16.
