Major Data Center Campus Proposed in Stafford County Could Transform Regional Tech Infrastructure

Major Data Center Development Proposed

US real estate firm Peterson Companies has filed plans for a substantial data center campus in Stafford County, Virginia, according to recent reports. Sources indicate the development, known as Project Sisson, would include 16 two-story data center buildings totaling approximately 3.8 million square feet and four electrical substations.

Major Data Center Development Proposed
Location and Infrastructure Details
Development Background and Context
Company Track Record and Regional Expansion
Alternative Sites Considered
Regional Data Center Growth

Location and Infrastructure Details

The proposed campus would be situated off Kings Highway near Albion Lane on the banks of the Rappahannock River, according to documents filed with the US Army Corps of Engineers. Analysts suggest the location was selected due to its proximity to Northern Virginia’s data center network, where approximately 70 percent of global internet traffic reportedly passes through.

The application states that cooling water for the campus will be sourced from the Little Falls Wastewater Treatment Plant, located less than two miles from the development site. The project would impact around four acres of wetlands and/or open water, requiring permits from the Army Corps of Engineers.

Development Background and Context

Peterson-linked affiliate Real Estate Pursuits 2 LC filed for the necessary permit with the Norfolk District of the US Army Corps of Engineers, according to public records. The report indicates that over the summer, the same affiliate sought to rezone 850 acres of land from agricultural and light industrial to heavy industrial for what was then called the ‘Forest Lane Data Center.’

Stafford County has been positioning itself as an emerging data center market, having lowered taxes for data center equipment in recent years. The county lies south of Prince William County and southeast of Fauquier County, on the Potomac River.

Company Track Record and Regional Expansion

Peterson Companies, founded in 1965, is primarily known for developing office, retail, industrial, self-storage, and residential properties. While not traditionally focused on data centers, the company has previously partnered with Stack Infrastructure for a campus in Prince William County’s Manassas. According to reports, Peterson was previously developing the 1GW Stafford Technology Campus before Stack took over the site.

Adam Cook, Peterson’s managing director for development, previously explained that Stafford County appealed because the company had an existing landbank there and the county had the right mix of utility and technology infrastructure to support its plans.

Alternative Sites Considered

The application reveals that two alternative locations were evaluated before selecting the current site. A ‘Ren Fair’ site north of King’s Highway in Stafford County was considered, which could have supported up to 13 buildings and three substations but would have impacted more wetlands. Additionally, a Blaisdell Site also north of King’s Highway was evaluated, capable of supporting up to 14 buildings with four substations, but this option would have impacted more streams and was further from the treatment plant.

Regional Data Center Growth

The development comes as Stafford County emerges as a new frontier for data center expansion beyond the established Northern Virginia market. Amazon also has a campus planned in Stafford, according to industry reports. Peterson Companies is reportedly planning additional data center sites in Virginia’s Culpeper and Loudoun counties, suggesting continued expansion of the data center corridor throughout the region.

For more information on the regulatory process, the public notice can be viewed through the US Army Corps of Engineers website. Additional habitat documentation is available through the Virginia Marine Resources Commission.