Digital Realty has filed for zoning approval to develop a new data center site in Charlotte, North Carolina. It has also expanded its landholdings in the city to grow its existing campus.

As reported by GovTech, Digital Realty this month filed with the City of Charlotte to develop a large new campus along 12899 Moores Chapel Road.

The company, via Digital Moores Chapel LLC, is seeking to rezone 156 acres from I-2 (CD) (general industrial, conditional) to I-2 (CD) SPA (general industrial, conditional, site plan amendment) to allow for a data center development.

The proposal would allow for up to 3 million square feet (278,709 sqm) for telecommunications and data storage uses, built out over two phases. Site plans suggest two two-story buildings; Building 1 set to span 570,880 sq ft (53,036 sqm) per floor, while Building 2 would span 785,480 sq ft (72,973 sqm) per floor.

Digital Realty’s previous earnings results suggest the site could host up to 400MW of capacity.

Currently undeveloped woodland, the site was previously rezoned from single-family use in 2020 to allow for the development of 1.53 million sq ft of a warehousing and industrial site with up to five buildings.

City staff have recommended approval.

Digital acquired the site, located 12 miles west of downtown Charlotte in Mecklenburg County, in November 2024 for $160 million.

The company currently operates a site in Charlotte, at 113 North Myers and known as CLT10; the three-story, 29,200 sq ft (2,715 sqm) facility offers around 2MW.

In its Q1 1025 earnings report this month, Digital said it had closed on the acquisition of three land parcels in Charlotte during the quarter. The first was a 48-acre parcel for $20 million, located adjacent to a recently acquired 156-acre campus. Separately, Digital Realty acquired two parcels at 712 E 5th St & 725 E Trade St, adjacent to its existing data center in Charlotte, for approximately $16 million, which the company said will enable a 12MW expansion at the site.

The majority of data centers in North Carolina are located in and around Charlotte, with a second cluster concentrated in Raleigh. In September 2024, PowerHouse expressed an interest in developing a significant data center campus in the state, and Microsoft broke ground on a third campus in Catawba County. Google is reportedly planning to expand its campus near Charlotte.