Work could begin this fall on the construction of what is expected to be an $800 million new data center campus on the southeast side of the city of Mesa for the multinational technology company and social media giant Facebook.
The project will include two separate buildings, comprising a total footprint of around 960,000 square feet, and is set to go up at the intersection of Elliot Road and Ellsworth Road.
Last month the Menlo Park, California-based company purchased just under 400 acres at the site for more than $123 million.
Addressing concerns that some local officials have expressed over water usage for the project, Facebook has also announced that it will initiate three water restoration projects designed to restore around 200 million gallons of water annually in the Colorado River and Salt River basins.
Facebook has been on a building spree this year. The company is adding two new data centers to its existing complex in Prineville, Oregon. Earlier this spring, Facebook also announced construction of two new centers in Altoona, Iowa.
Upon completion, the Mesa facility will be Facebook’s first data center in the Grand Canyon State.
In a statement, Rachel Peterson, vice-president for infrastructure at Facebook, said the company chose to build at the Mesa site because it has “great access to infrastructure, opportunities for renewable energy development, strong talent for both construction and operations, and great community partners.”
By Garry Boulard
