Facebook planning to triple size of TX data center complex

Dive Brief:

Facebook has added two new buildings and approximately 1.75 million square feet to its under-construction Fort Worth, TX, data center, potentially boosting the social media giant's total investment in the city past $1 billion, according to the Star-Telegram.
The complex and its five buildings will support demand for Facebook user apps, services and video. According to the company, the first building should come online early next year and the second by next December.
In 2015, the Fort Worth City Council gave Facebook a 20-year, $147 million tax incentive package (real and business personal property) to sweeten the data center development deal. The package also includes a 10-year tax abatement for up to 60% of new property value.

Dive Insight:

Last year, Facebook purchased 39 acres next to its 110-acre Fort Worth parcel in case it wanted to expand on its original three-building plan. Robert Sturns, the city's economic development director, said the expansion is what Fort Worth officials "hoped for" and said it could attract similar businesses to the area. Fort Worth beat out 219 other cities in Facebook's search for a new data center location.

Over the total construction phase, the project is expected to generate thousands of construction jobs, and Facebook said it will employ a total of approximately 120 employees once all the buildings are open. In addition, renewable energy for the Forth Worth complex will be supplied by a 202-megawatt, 1,000-acre wind farm located about 100 miles from the city.

Cities usually look at a Facebook development in terms of the economic boon through construction and an influx of new employees, as well as its potential to draw other companies to the area. However, Menlo Park, CA, residents and officials had to be coaxed into allowing more development at the company's headquarters. Concern over even more congestion on the roads and more stress on the supply of affordable housing by an estimated 6,500 additional employees almost put the brakes on the new development. However, the project got the green light for its 1.1-million-square-foot expansion after the company offered up a basket of community benefits.