One of the country’s fastest-growing data-center operators, QTS, has bought the old Chicago Sun-Times site on the Southwest Side of the city and will pour more than $200m into developing and expanding it to house multiple companies’ computers.

QTS Realty Trust Inc., a real estate investment trust based in Overland Park, Kansas, has paid $18 million for the Chicago Sun-Times printing plant and its surrounding 30 acres.

QTS completed the purchase of the 317,000-square-foot building in early July. The site will eventually host more than 200 companies’ computer needsc, said Chad Williams, company founder, CEO and chairman.

The expanded 400,000-square-foot data center will open in early 2016 and is expected to employ 80 full time and 30 part-time employees.

The company intends to invest more than $200m on the refurbishment which will create 200 to 300 construction jobs.

Williams said the site was a scarce resource because all other Chicago data centers are full. The property enjoys good access amenities and has “tremendous” infrastructure, power and fiber supplies, he said.

QTS, which operates 12 data centers in eight states, including two of the world’s largest in Atlanta, Ga., and Richmond, Va., intends to grow quickly and on serving customers who need small or large spaces and who depend on mission-critical security, cloud and managed services.