A data center developer in Lowell Township, Michigan, has withdrawn its application for a 235-acre data center following widespread opposition.

Applicant Franklin Lowell LLC had previously submitted a land rezoning application for the construction of a data center at the Covenant Business Park located southeast of the city of Grand Rapids at the I-96 and Alden Nash interchange.

But opposition from the township and local residents has led Franklin Lowell LLC to change its mind.

On December 8, 2025, a public hearing regarding the application had to be rescheduled because the venue was too small to accommodate the number of residents who showed up.

Four days after that, on December 12, the township announced on Facebook that it would be “suspending its participation” in the project until Franklin Lowell LLC was able to provide “specific details about what they are asking for in terms of water and wastewater use.”

Franklin Lowell LLC then withdrew its application the week after.

Lowell Township issued a press release on December 18 stating that the applicant had requested an “indefinite suspension of the application and its approval process until such time that Franklin is prepared to resume the application approval process.”

Local residents have expressed concern about the unknown identity of the facility’s end user – this has been described as a “national American-owned company” – the potential strain on local utilities caused by a data center, and procedural issues with Franklin Lowell LLC’s application.

Developers are encountering more opposition to data center projects across the US, with some, like Franklin Lowell LLC, withdrawing their applications before trying their luck at a later date or at a separate location.

In November, developer Rocklocker LLC withdrew its data center proposal in Kalkaska County, Michigan, after facing fierce opposition.